Boswell Signs "Golden Promise" Pledge to Protect Social Security and Stop Privatization
Boswell Signs "Golden Promise" Pledge to Protect Social Security and Stop Privatization
Today, in a rally on the West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Congressman Leonard Boswell joined other Democratic Members of Congress in signing the "Golden Promise" Pledge to protect Social Security and stop privatization.
Boswell, speaking to hundreds of senior citizens said, "Social Security is a trust between the workers of this great nation and our government, and I, for one, will do everything I can to ensure that trust is not broken. I will not support any risky privatization scheme that will jeopardize the solvency of the program."
Below is the full text of Boswell's remarks.
"We are here today because Democrats care about Social Security. We care about what is going to happen to arguably the single most successful program in the history of our great nation. We care about those who benefit from the program, whether they receive retirement benefits, disability benefits, or survivor benefits. And we care about those who will benefit from Social Security in the future."
"To me, Social Security is a trust between the workers of this great nation and our government and I, for one, will do everything I can to ensure that trust is not broken. I will not support any risky privatization scheme that that will jeopardize the solvency of the program."
"Now the course of action we consistently hear from the current majority is we need to privatize the program. That's all we hear. What we don't hear is that privatizing Social Security could slash benefits for Middle-Class Americans by more than 40% for future retirees. What we don't hear is that privatizing Social Security will drive up the already unstable nation debt they created by $5 trillion over 20 years. What we don't hear is that privatizing Social Security will weaken the Social Security trust fund and threaten the benefits of current retirees."
"I've said it before, and I will say it again: Social Security is probably the most successful program in our nation's history. It is responsible for keeping seniors, many of them women, out of poverty. When I am back in my district and talking to seniors, they want to know that the government is not going to put them into the poor house by dismantling the Social Security system."
"When there is new leadership in the Congress, we will all be able to go back to our districts and give our seniors this assurance."
"Thank you very much."
http://boswell.house.gov/article.asp?id=558