''Bush succeeded in the past three elections, including the midterm, demonstrating that Republicans could bring up Social Security and survive," said Paul Gigot, editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal, a leading voice of free-market economic opinion. ''What he has not demonstrated is that anyone will pay a price for opposing reform."
They may be retreating, but they live in a fantasy world. I remember during the 2002 elections. Republicans who talked about privatizing did a big about face when people said no way. Here is the rest of the article.
MKC
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/04/29/many_of_bushs_allies_retreating_on_
private_accounts/