Crowd Tells Smith – Oppose Social Security Privatization

(4/26/2005) -- Today, a crowd of 250 urged Senator Gordon Smith to oppose President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security. Holding signs reading “Hands off my Social Security” and “Social Security – Fix it, Don’t Privatize it!,” the crowd roared its approval as speaker after speaker implored the junior Senator from Oregon to do the right thing and oppose the privatization scheme.

People attending varied widely in age and background. While a large number were members from the Oregon AFL-CIO, Jobs with Justice, unions and organizations such as ACORN and ARA, a surprising number of attendees simply heard about the event from radio, newspaper and web reports.

The event was organized by Oregon United to Protect Social Security, the state chapter of a national coalition opposed to President Bush’s scheme to privatize Social Security.

At the rally outside Senator Gordon Smith’s District office, Dan Gardner, Oregon Labor Commissioner, and Oregon ARA President Verna Porter, were among the speakers. The event was part of the National Day of Unity to Protect Social Security and Stop Privatization. Oregon United and its coalition partners sent a clear message publicly to President Bush and Senator Smith that the people of Oregon oppose the privatization of Social Security on the same day the U.S. Senate Finance Committee holds its first hearing on Social Security reform in Washington, DC.

“Across Oregon and our nation, thousands of people are rallying today to send a clear message to President Bush and Congress: that says Hands off my Social Security,” said Dan Gardner, Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries. “Retirement should not be a risky investment. We are here today to show the Senate Finance Committee the people of Oregon are united against privatization.”

This rally was one of more than 35 such events taking place in 35 states across the United States on Tuesday in opposition to the President’s scheme to privatize Social Security. The rally coincided with a major rally expected to draw thousands of concerned citizens from around the country in Washington, DC.

“Congress, including Senator Smith, knows there is right side and wrong side to this debate and we are standing strong today in telling them to oppose any sort of privatization plan,” said Verna Porter, Oregon ARA President. “Social Security is the foundation of retirement security for most Americans – especially seniors – and we need to protect our nation’s oldest safety-net.”

President Bush’s scheme to privatize Social Security would undermine Social Security and replace it with an expensive and risky privatization scheme that will end the guaranteed benefit which has been the foundation of financial security for seniors, survivors and the disabled for the better part of 70 years, and create massive new national debt.

As the President winds down his failed 60 day campaign to promote his plan to privatize Social Security, he has turned to the Senate Finance Committee for his salvation. Having lost the battle to convince the public to support his plan, he is turning to his allies on the Hill in a desperate attempt to regain momentum on an issue on which he has lost significant ground with the public and on which he has lost the credibility to lead.