Gingrich Gives GOP Social-Security Advice: "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says Republicans should rework their argument about Social Security because Americans aren't buying the idea that a crisis is near.

"'As a practicing politician, you can't get the American people worried about 2018,' Gingrich said Friday at the American Enterprise Institute. 'If I called you and said, '10 years from today your roof is going to need (to be) fixed, would you like to sign the contract this afternoon?' You'd say to me, 'How about calling me back in nine years, 10 months.''

"Gingrich praised President Bush's plan to allow young people the option of privately owned Social Security accounts, but he said immediate benefits not future concerns should be the focus of the campaign.

"'The urgency ought to be simpler,' Gingrich said. 'Every day young people are denied the opportunity to have a personal Social Security savings account, they are cheated out of that day's compound interest.'"