Dear Lucas,
It has been 37 days since my Republican opponent, medical debt collector Tom Reed, told a Rochester newspaper that he supported denying Social Security benefits using so-called "means testing" and that all options should be on the table - including privatization.
At a time when more Americans than ever are depending on Social Security to keep from falling into poverty, senior citizens here in Western New York and the Southern Tier have been asking where Tom Reed really stands on privatization and cutting benefits.
Now we have the answer: He stands with the national Republican party and the special interests who want to cut Social Security, dismantle it, and turn Americans' retirement security over to Wall Street banks.
This Saturday, the national Republican party in Washington is sending Republican Minority Leader John Boehner to Rochester to prop up Tom Reed's campaign. Boehner is one of the loudest voices in Washington calling for privatization, and has vowed to make it a priority if Republicans take over Congress.
Even though Tom Reed is trying to hide his real views on Social Security, his party leader John Boehner has been outspoken about undermining the program.
- Cutting Benefits: Just two months ago, Boehner said he'd favor increasing the Social Security retirement age to 70 for people who have at least 20 years until retirement, tying cost-of-living increases to the consumer price index rather than wage inflation, and limiting payments to those who need them. [Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 6/29/10]
- Promised to Privatize Social Security: In 2006, Boehner said he'd push to privatize Social Security if he was in charge. "If I'm around in a leadership role come January, we're going to get serious about it." [Washington Times, 7/31/06]
- Supported Privatization for Years: In May 2001, Rep. John Boehner co-signed a letter to the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security urging for privatization. The letter read, "Social Security reform must offer younger workers the opportunity to improve their rates of return using personal retirement accounts." [Letter to The Social Security Reform Commission, 5/24/01]
The last time they controlled Congress, Republicans tried to privatize Social Security - and if they had succeeded, millions of Americans would have lost everything when the stock market collapsed at the end of the Bush Administration.
We need to work together to protect and strengthen Social Security by rebuilding our economy and enacting a permanent ban on raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for government spending. Please join my team today and help me fight to protect Social Security from privatization and benefit cuts.
Sincerely,
Matt Zeller
Democratic Nominee for Congress
New York's 29th District
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Zeller for Congress | PO Box 47, Victor, NY 14564 | 585-869-5171
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