According to the New York Times, to Provide "Political Cover for his Party." "The White House and its allies are increasingly prodding, imploring, mocking, daring and threatening Democrats in the hopes of forcing them to put on the table their ideas for dealing with the retirement system's projected long-term problems. But the ideas alone are not what Mr. Bush really needs, though if he is to attract Democrats to the fold he will have to incorporate some of their proposals into any legislation that might emerge. Rather, what he needs most is the political cover for his party that Democrats would provide by expressing support for the benefit cuts, tax increases or other painful changes widely seen as necessary to assure Social Security's solvency as the population ages." [New York Times, 5/9/05]