Congressman Clay Shaw: Flip-Flopper or Just Full of It?
Americans United, FCAN Delivers Social Security Birthday Cake to Rep. Shaw Marking Program's 71st Anniversary, Calls on Him to Change Pro-Privatization Tune and Rebuke President Bush's Renewed Effort to Dismantle Program with a Risky Investment Scheme
Congressman Shaw accepted cake in person and promised to oppose any privatization of Social Security, despite co-sponsoring legislation last year to do just that
West Palm Beach, FL – Florida Consumer Action Network, a state affiliate of USAction and national partner of Americans United, delivered a special 'Social Security Birthday Cake' to Rep. Clay Shaw (R-FL-22) at his constituent office in West Palm Beach today as this week marks the 71st anniversary of the day the Social Security Act was signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Americans United and FCAN called on Rep. Shaw to rebuke President Bush's renewed effort to privatize Social Security -- a risky investment scheme that would slash guaranteed benefits and further balloon the national debt by nearly a trillion dollars. Congressman Shaw accepted the cake in person and told a representative of FCAN that he is opposed to any privatization of Social Security; however, the Congressman skirted any and all questions about his co-authorship of HR.3304 – legislation that would use the Social Security surplus to help fund private accounts. [HR 3304, 7/14/05]
"Clay Shaw, like many of his friends in Congress, likes to play word games with his position on Social Security reform – "No Privatization," his ads claim on TV," said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United. "The fact is, just one year ago, Congressman Shaw was a co-sponsor of legislation that would have used the Social Security surplus to help fund private accounts. That's privatization -- pure and simple. Pro-privatizers like Clay Shaw can call their risky investment scheme anything they want, but the result is still the same: massive benefit cuts for the middle-class and nearly a trillion dollars in new debt."
President Bush first hinted at an effort to resuscitate his hugely unpopular privatization proposal during a speech in Washington D.C. on June 27th, assuring his audience that "now is the time" and that "If we can't get it done this year, I'm going to try next year. And if we can't get it done next year, I'm going to try the year after that." On July 11th, Bush took action with the release of his administration's Mid-Session Budget Review. The President's budget includes a proposal to divert $721 billion from the Social Security trust fund to private accounts over the next 10 years – virtually the same proposal which was overwhelmingly rejected by the American public in 2005. On July 31st, House Majority Leader John Boehner, one of the President's most powerful allies in Congress, promised to do everything in his power to advance the effort next year, telling the Washington Times : "If I'm around in a leadership role come January, we're going to get serious about it."
"President Bush and his allies in Congress are rolling out the same reckless privatization proposal that was overwhelmingly rejected by Floridians last year. Privatization was a terrible, irresponsible idea in 2005; it's every bit as bad today. And nothing will change the fact that privatization wouldn't add a day to the life of Social Security – not one single day," said Funk. "It's not surprising that Clay Shaw would try to deny his pro-privatization record given how hugely unpopular it is in Florida; but given that he helped write and aggressively promoted a privatization proposal just last year, he's going to have a tough time pulling the wool over his constituents' eyes."
Americans United, the group which led the fight to beat back the Bush-privatization proposal in 2005, has renewed their national campaign to get privatization off the table once and for all. Last week, AU unveiled a new TV ad running in 5 states, including Florida, which highlights the President's renewed effort to privatize Social Security. The ad can be viewed here:
http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/dont_cut_social_security/
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