Boehner, the poster boy for social security privatization, has pledged to renew push

Jacobs: After the financial crisis, you'd have to be crazy to think that handing our social security dollars over to Wall Street is a good idea

Democrats blasted GOP congressional hopefuls Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25) and Chris Gibson (NY-20) for campaigning with the poster boy for social security privatization, Congressman John Boehner.  Boehner has repeatedly attacked the current social security system, spearheaded the disastrous effort to privatize Social Security in 2005, and pledged to make privatization a top priority once again.

Rather than distance themselves from Boehner and his pro-privatization world view, Buerkle and Gibson have welcomed Boehner into their districts, enlisted him to campaign with them, and turned to him for campaign cash.  Boehner will headline a Gibson fundraiser and campaign alongside Buerkle later this month. (Times-Union Capitol Confidential, 8/9/10, click; Syracuse Post-Standard, 8/9/10, click)

 “After the worst financial meltdown in a generation, you’d have to be crazy to think that handing our Social Security dollars over to Wall Street is a good idea, but that’s just what Congressman John Boehner stands for.  And you know who’s standing with him?  Ann Marie Buerkle and Chris Gibson.  Their decision to invite the poster child for Social Security privatization into their districts says more about their backward views on Social Security – the most popular and effective social program in history – than any campaign ad ever could,” said Jay Jacobs, Chair of the NYS Democratic Committee.

“Privatization is nothing but a risky scheme that seniors can’t afford right now.  Buerkle and Gibson must have learned a different set of lessons than the rest of us from the Great Recession.  They should be safeguarding the integrity of the program, not backing someone who wants to send our Social Security dollars to Wall Street and gamble with the retirement security of millions of Americans.”

BACKGROUND

Boehner pledged to make Social Security privatization a priority as Speaker of the House.  In 2006, Boehner said, "If I'm around in a leadership role come January, we're going to get serious about it." This came after the previous attempt to privatize the system had failed in the face of widespread public opposition. (Washington Times, 7/31/06)

Boehner has long supported privatization.  In May 2001, Boehner co-signed a letter to the President’s Commission to Strengthen Social Security demanding that privatization be included in any reforms of the system. The letter said that “Social Security reform must” include privatization. (Letter to The Social Security Reform Commission, 5/24/01)

Boehner described Social Security as “a broken system.” In response to a question about why he supported privatization, Boehner argued that “We can't be blinded by nostalgia for a broken system…” (US Federal News, Boehner Answers Community’s Questions, 4/29/05)