Thomas: VAT Could Hold Key to Social Security Reform

Washington -- Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., who earlier made headlines when he said partisan infighting would render any Social Security reform pushed by the Bush administration a "dead horse," has reiterated his call to examine the creation of a value-added tax as part of potential reform solutions for the 70-year-old program.

Thomas' appeal exhorted colleagues to seek other strategies toward Social Security reform other than boosting payroll taxes and slashing benefits.

Thomas, who appeared on the weekly program "Meet the Press," said changes to current payroll taxes and benefits weren't long-term solutions to permanent Social Security reform.

Some Democratic lawmakers, however, are resisting the idea of implementing a VAT. For example, Harry Reid, D-Nev. the Senate Minority Leader, said bluntly that any VAT proposal would be "dead on arrival."

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