All of that ended in 1999 when Republicans pressured a Democrat-controlled White House to put aside the practice and save Social Security first. By agitating for less government spending that year, it was Republican leadership that ended the raid on Social Security. Its surpluses are now used to repay the public debt, the part of the national debt the government can and should repay. NO ONE would have predicted even five years ago. This plan will effectively eliminate the debt over the next ten years.
Republicans believe repaying debt is the right thing to do.
It is wrong for this generation to saddle future generations with debts. This plan is also sound economically. But, debt reduction must also be accomplished responsibly, with an eye toward avoiding unhealthy economic choices similar to raiding Social Security. To contrast GOP plans to move emerging surpluses out of Washington and away from higher spending programs, Democrats have devised an unworkable debt strategy. It seems the same party that created a panoply of Big Government spending programs now wants a debt repayment bidding war with the party that created the surplus.