Senator Harry Reid, an outspoken opponent of any change in the social security system, sponsored a bill in 1984 that would have allowed members of Congress and government employees to opt out of social security. It's not good enough for him, but it is for Joe Q. Public? It's simple, really. Reid knows that social security is a load of crap, but to end it would mean he would lose control over all those dollars that should belong to the rest of us.

The AARP has an investment fund wtih almost $1 billion in assets, which they put in much higher risk investments than are being suggested for private SS accounts. Why is investing good for them, but not for Joe Q. Public? Simple, the investment program the AARP has set up includes a hefty cut for the AARP. SS private accounts would not pay the AARP a dime.

It's obvious there's a problem with social security. Less people are being born and entering the work force than before, and that means less SS tax to be paid out to old people, and the problem will only get worse. It needs a fix. Private accounts may not the be best solution, but at least some people are trying to find an answer. What's best for Harry Reid and the AARP is if the American public sticks its head in the sand and ignores the problem in the hope that it will go away. It's unfortunate that Reid and the AARP care less about their constituents than their own wallets and their own power and influence.