Senator Harkin Launches Statewide "Fix it, don't Nix it" Social Security Tour

Take action by   Friday, April 29, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin has announced that he and his staff will embark on a Fix It, Don’t Nix It Social Security tour this month to talk to Iowans about the need to strengthen and protect Social Security. Harkin will hold meetings in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Mason City in late April while his staff will hold meetings in all 99 Iowa counties beginning April 12, 2005.

“The President’s risky privatization scheme is not about strengthening social security, it is about shrinking it,” said Harkin. “I want to work with President Bush to preserve and protect Social Security, but I want to do it right. That’s why I want to reach all 99 counties so I can hear what all Iowans have on their mind about Social Security.”

President Bush’s privatization commission has proposed creating private Social Security accounts that would cut benefits by one-third or more, even for those who choose not to invest in privatized accounts. Workers could invest two-thirds of their Social Security contribution in stocks and bonds, but those returns could not make up for the deep benefit cuts and would be subject to the whims of Wall Street.

Even many supporters of the President’s plan acknowledge that private accounts have nothing to do with ensuring the long-term financial health of Social Security. In fact, to fund the private accounts, the government would have to borrow almost $5 trillion dollars over the first 20 years- much of that from foreign countries like China and Japan – making Social Security’s financial problems much worse and even further from being solved. In addition, the recent Social Security Trustees report confirmed that Social Security is on solid financial ground for years to come.

The President’s privatization plan would also jeopardize Social Security disability benefits, which are a lifeline to more than six million Americans. For many, that disability benefit check is 100 percent of their income. But the President’s privatization commission strongly indicated that disability benefits would be cut the same as retirement benefits.

“I hope that after the President finishes his campaign to privatize Social Security, he will realize that the math simply does not work and that he has not thought this through,” said Harkin. “I hope that he will sit down with Congress to come up with a reasonable, bipartisan plan for strengthening Social Security.”

Attached is an initial schedule for Harkin’s Fix It, Don’t Nix It Social Security tour. Additional dates and locations will be added throughout as they are scheduled.

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Harkin Fix It, Don’t Nix Social Security Events

April 23

Cedar Rapids Grant Wood Area Education Association 4401 6th St SW 1:00 p.m.

Davenport St. Ambrose University Rogalski Center, Corner of Lombard and Riley 10:00 a.m.

Mason City Mason City Public Library 225 2nd Street SE 3:45 p.m.

April 24

Des Moines Northwest Community Center 5110 Franklin Avenue 12:30 p.m.

Harkin Fix It, Don’t Nix It Social Security

Staff Mobile Office Tour

Additional events will be added on a rolling basis. Please contact Senator Harkin’s Office at 202-224-3254 for additional information.

April 12

12:00 p.m. Wartburg College

Waverly, IA

12:30 p.m. Simpson College

Indianola, IA

April 14

10:00 a.m. Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, IA

April 15

10:00 a.m. Southwestern Community College

Creston, IA

April 18

10:00 a.m. DMACC Carroll Campus

Carroll, IA

April 19

10:00 a.m. DMACC Newton Campus

Newton, IA

10:00 a.m. Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville Campus

Estherville, IA

1:00 p.m. Iowa Lakes Community College Emmetsburg Campus

Emmetsburg, IA

April 20

1:00 p.m. Eastern Iowa Community College

April 21

10:00 a.m. Western Iowa Tech Community College

Sioux City, IA

10:00 a.m. Kirkwood Community College

Iowa City, IA

April 26

10:00 a.m. University of Dubuque

Dubuque, IA

April 29

10:00 a.m. Iowa Central Community College

Webster City, IA