Aug 30, 2010
DCCC TV Ad Hits Sean Duffy (WI-07) on Privatizing Social Security
The DCCC released today its first Independent Expenditure campaign TV ad of the cycle, hitting Sean Duffy (WI-07, open) on his support of privatizing Social Security. The DCCC ad will begin running tomorrow.
Sean Duffy will claim that he does not support privatizing Social Security, but he has twice stated his support for Congressman Paul Ryan’s “budget blueprint” that would privatize Social Security. Ryan is the House Republicans’ point man on the budget.
Watch the ad hitting Sean Duffy for his support of privatizing Social Security:
http://dccc.org/blog/archives/dccc_tv_ad_hits_sean_duffy_wi-07_on_privatizing_social_security/
“House Republican leadership’s “budget blueprint” written by Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the Budget Committee, privatizes Social Security, gambling seniors’ hard-earned benefits on Wall Street, and eliminates Medicare by turning it into a voucher program that would force seniors to buy coverage from insurance companies.”
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions said that if Republicans become the Majority party, their plan is to go back to their “exact same” agenda under President George W. Bush. Privatizing Social Security was a top priority for President Bush and strongly supported by Republican Leader John Boehner and his colleagues in the House.
BACKGROUND ON SEAN DUFFY’S SUPPORT OF PRIVATIZING SOCIAL SECURITY
Duffy Supported Congressman Paul Ryan’s Extreme Budget Blueprint
In 2010, Duffy was asked if he supported Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget. Duffy replied, “I do.”
From tracker footage:
Q: Are you a supporter of Paul Ryan’s budget?
A: I think Paul Ryan’s a rockstar. I think Paul Ryan’s a rockstar, so thank you. I don’t regret his roadmap for America. (unintelligible) to get our country back on track. I think it’s a starting point to, uh, to, uh, (unintelligible) fiscal responsibility.
Q: Ah, so, that was actually another point. So, to kind of clear up the first point, yes you do support it?
A: I do.
Q: OK, excellent. [YouTube, “Sean Duffy Supports Paul Ryan Budget (WI-07)”]
Duffy: “I think Paul Ryan has some very good ideas in his Roadmap for America”
On Mike Gousha’s Upfront show in May, Duffy again endorsed Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap for America.”
When asked what he would do to address Medicare and Social Security costs, Duffy said, “I think Paul Ryan has some very good ideas in his Roadmap for America.”
Duffy went on to say, “Social Security, um, people [who] are 55 and older are looking for that in their retirement, but folks that are in their early 50s, 40s, in the late 30s like me, we realize that that system’s not going to be there for us when we get to the age of retirement.” [Upfront with Mike Gousha, 5/23/10]
Ryan Budget Would Privatize Social Security
According to CBO Analysis, under the Ryan Budget:
Traditional retirement benefits would be reduced below those scheduled under current law for many workers who are age 55 or younger in 2011... A system of individual accounts would be established in 2012. In that year, workers who are age 55 or younger would be able to participate in voluntary individual accounts, funded with a portion of their payroll taxes. [Congressional Budget Office, 1/27/10]
Ryan Budget Creates Private Accounts for Social Security
Ezra Klein of The Washington Post explains the implications Ryan's budget alternative would have on Social Security:“Social Security gets guaranteed, private accounts that CBO says will actually cost more than the present arrangement, further underscoring how ancillary the program is to our budget problem.” [Washington Post, 2/1/10]
CBPP: Ryan’s Plan Would Divert Funds From Social Security into Private Accounts
A July 2010 report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analyzing Representative Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap for America’s Future” included changes to Social Security including diverting large sums from Social Security to private accounts.
“It also would divert substantial sums from the Social Security trust funds into private accounts and then maintain Social Security solvency by transferring funds to Social Security from the rest of the budget.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/07/10]
Libertarian CATO Institute: There’s No Difference Between Privatization and Personal Accounts
According to the Star Tribune, “The word ‘privatization’ has been part of the Social Security debate for many years and has been used by many Republicans. The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington and an advocate of the idea, used to call its effort ‘the project on Social Security privatization.’” [Star Tribune, 8/5/02]
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