CD-7 candidate Ed Perlmutter focused on social security yesterday when he delivered the Democratic response to President Bush’s weekly radio address. Last week, his opponent Rick O’Donnell ramped up a campaign to convince voters he no longer wants to eliminate social security.
An excerpt from Perlmutter’s speech:
“When Republicans say they are going to reform Social Security, they mean they are going to privatize it, and by privatizing it they’ll cut the guaranteed monthly benefit we have promised generations of Americans. We can and we must stop them – right now, before it’s too late. Just last year, Democrats stood up to President Bush and the Republicans in Congress, and fought back against this dangerous proposal and defeated it.It was defeated because the overwhelming majority of Americans know how risky it is to privatize Social Security. The GOP scheme would threaten senior citizens who worked hard, played by the rules, and simply seek to live their golden years with some financial stability and security.
O’Donnell denies he wants to privatize social security but continues to face that accusation from Democrats because of his call for “personal social security lockboxes.” In his address, Perlmutter claimed privatizing social security will be on the Republican agenda “early in 2007.”
Although the national audience probably included few people who can actually vote for Perlmutter, he didn’t pass up the chance to campaign:
“If you are like most Americans, and you want to change the direction our country is headed in, you have to start by changing the people you send to Congress. That is why this election is so very important. When I get to Washington I will continue the fight that I have waged for families here in Colorado. I will work hand-in-hand with Democrats and Republicans to try to heal the partisan divide raging in Congress because seniors and their families are counting on us.”
Perlmutter also manged to squeeze in a little Saturday morning humor:
“My opponent and his Republican friends in Washington must be fans of the TV show Jeopardy. Because that’s the position they’ll put seniors in if they succeed in their plan to privatize Social Security.”
Fortunately, the candidate has no plans for a campaign comedy tour.
