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"That's what happens when you have a shopping consumer environment," he said.

DeMint, who took his Senate seat in January 2005, spent most of his three U.S.

House terms working on another system some describe as collapsing: Social Security.

But it's unlikely that issue is moving forward anytime soon - and particularly not in an election year.

The issue ran "into too many obstacles last year.

We need a bipartisan effort of some kind," DeMint said.

That opposition may change "after this election when they take another hit in the gut" for "cheering themselves for doing nothing," DeMint said.

Bush shares the blame for the issue being sidelined, DeMint said.

"I don't think we did a good job selling that," DeMint said.

"From the president's perspective: He talked too much about the problem and then when he talked about the solution, he mentioned benefit cuts.

That shouldn't be a part of any plan." Instead, the message needs to be an effort "to stop the raid on Social Security," DeMint said.

At least now it is "safe politically to talk about it and it's good politics, so it's going to be back.

We've got to solve the problem." email this print this News About the Real ...

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