Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts
By Karen McMahan
Democrats in the U.S. House have been conducting hearings on proposals to
confiscate workers' personal retirement accounts — including 401(k)s and
IRAs — and convert them to accounts managed by the Social Security
Administration
Triggered by the financial crisis the past two months, the hearings
reportedly were meant to stem losses incurred by many workers and retirees
whose 401(k) and IRA balances have been shrinking rapidly.
The testimony of Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis
at the New School for Social Research in New York, in hearings Oct. 7 drew
the most attention and criticism. Testifying for the House Committee on
Education and Labor, Ghilarducci proposed that the government eliminate tax
breaks for 401(k) and similar retirement accounts, such as IRAs, and
confiscate workers' retirement plan accounts and convert them to universal
Guaranteed Retirement Accounts (GRAs) managed by the Social Security
Administration.
http://www.augustreview.com/news_commen ... 081107104/