One oft-cited reason to support immigration reform is to help Social Security's finances by introducing young workers into an aging system. Official figures bear out this presumption, but these figures are based on models that assume that legal immigrants are effectively identical to workers already in the U.S. But they are not.

What Republicans need, in other words, is a compelling vision for Social Security reform -- one that is consistent with principles of limited government and individual responsibility. 

With graduation season nearly finished, another cohort of young workers is set to enter the labor force. Members of this cohort confront an immense challenge in planning for retirement: There is a great deal of uncertainty about the Social Security taxes and benefits they will face.

But the chained CPI really isn't being proposed as a Social Security reform, as a way to make the program more solvent or better-functioning. True Social Security reforms think about ways to better protect the poor, or to encourage longer work lives, or increase retirement saving. The chained CPI, by contrast, is about producing savings within the 10-year budget scoring window. 

But by eliminating the cap, a person earning $225,000 would pay roughly four times more in taxes than he'll receive in benefits. A growing resemblance to a welfare plan would be inescapable. 

A New America Foundation proposal would cost 3.7 percent of GDP and crowd out the private saving that drives our economy. 

The narrative is already forming that President Obama only proposed using the chained CPI to appease congressional Republicans. But why should Republicans take the rap for a measure that weakens Social Security for the least well-off and institutes a large and regressive tax increase? Higher taxes and a less effective Social Security program - what's not to dislike?

AEI economist Sita Slavov spoke at an AARP event on the Hill on Social Security and cost-of-living adjustments.

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama urged Congress to "act soon to protect future generations." He was talking about addressing environmental issues. But there's an easier, more obvious step we can take to improve the lives of our children and grandchildren. We can act now to fix Social Security.

David Certner, legislative counsel and director of legislative policy for government affairs at AARP, and AEI’s Andrew G. Biggs will discuss how the Chained CPI should fit into our thinking regarding Social Security and the federal budget.