George W. Bush

==== Social services and Social Security ====
Following Republican efforts to pass the [[Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act|Medicare Act of 2003]], Bush signed the bill, which included major changes to the [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] program by providing beneficiaries with some assistance in paying for prescription drugs, while relying on private insurance for the delivery of benefits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncpssm.org/pdf/PL108summary.pdf |title=Summary of Medicare Act of 2003 |access-date=August 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724191249/http://www.ncpssm.org/pdf/PL108summary.pdf |archive-date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref> The retired persons lobby group [[AARP]] worked with the Bush Administration on the program and gave their endorsement. Bush said the law, estimated to cost $400{{nbs}}billion over the first ten years, would give the elderly "better choices and more control over their health care".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031208-2.html |title=President Signs Medicare Legislation |date=December 8, 2003 |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006034714/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031208-2.html |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |publisher=[[White House]] }}</ref>

Bush began his second term by outlining a major initiative to [[Social Security debate in the United States|reform]] Social Security,<ref name="ss-msnbc">{{cite news |last=Wolk |first=Martin |publisher=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/6903273 |title=Bush pushes his Social Security overhaul |access-date=August 20, 2008 |date=February 16, 2005 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104140339/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6903273/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which was facing record deficit projections beginning in 2005. Bush made it the centerpiece of his domestic agenda despite opposition from some in the U.S. Congress.<ref name="ss-msnbc" /> In his [[2005 State of the Union Address]], Bush discussed the potential impending bankruptcy of the program and outlined his new program, which included partial privatization of the system, personal Social Security accounts, and options to permit Americans to divert a portion of their Social Security tax ([[Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax|FICA]]) into secured investments.<ref name="ss-msnbc" /> Democrats opposed the proposal to partially privatize the system.<ref name="ss-msnbc" />

Bush embarked on a 60-day national tour, campaigning for his initiative in media events known as "Conversations on Social Security" in an attempt to gain public support.<ref>{{cite news |access-date=September 1, 2008 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28120-2005Mar11.html |title=Social Security: On With the Show |author1=Jim VandeHei |author2=Peter Baker |date=February 12, 2005 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724154327/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28120-2005Mar11.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, public support for the proposal declined,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f944a850-b830-11d9-bc7c-00000e2511c8,_i_rssPage=80fdaff6-cbe5-11d7-81c6-0820abe49a01.html|title=Bush shifts approach on Social Security reform|last1=Alden|first1=Edward|date=April 28, 2005|newspaper=Financial Times|access-date=September 9, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706122117/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f944a850-b830-11d9-bc7c-00000e2511c8,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Ff944a850-b830-11d9-bc7c-00000e2511c8.html&_i_referer=|archive-date=July 6, 2008|last2=Yeager|first2=Holly|url-access=subscription|url-status=live}}</ref> and the House Republican leadership decided not to put Social Security reform on the priority list for the remainder of their 2005 legislative agenda.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/060105/social.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205090810/http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/060105/social.html |archive-date=December 5, 2005 |title=Social Security in Limbo |work=The Hill |date=June 1, 2005 |first=Patrick |last=O'Connor }}</ref> The proposal's legislative prospects were further diminished by autumn 2005 due to political fallout from the response to [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.ft.com/cms/s/00d6ee20-2b9f-11da-995a-00000e2511c8.html|title=Hurricane dims Bush's hopes on Social Security|last=Yeager|first=Holly|date=September 22, 2005|work=Financial Times|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050923024100/http://news.ft.com/cms/s/00d6ee20-2b9f-11da-995a-00000e2511c8.html|archive-date=September 23, 2005|access-date=September 9, 2007}}</ref>