Social, and Political, Security

It seems that every week another political debate erupts over the future of Social Security. Yesterday, it was the partial privatization of the retirement system that prompted a war of words, as two dueling groups are pushing to put lawmakers on the record before the Nov. 5 election.

While Democratic congressional leaders are pressuring candidates to oppose creation of individual savings accounts, several GOP interest groups want them to support it, even though, in the face of a plummeting stock market, GOP strategists have quietly urged candidates to play down privatization.

A new nonprofit group, Social Security Choice.Org, is launching a $ 500,000 advertising campaign to promote the accounts. Funded by groups including Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens for a Sound Economy, National Taxpayers Union and 60 Plus, it has already signed up 20 congressional candidates who back such a plan.

President Bob Costello said the group was gearing up for next year’s legislative fight over Social Security. But Democrats are not standing idly by. Yesterday, House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) attacked Costello’s group on the floor by name, saying “a coalition of right-wing organizations” is having GOP candidates sign their pledge “in order to give them cover on the issue of privatizing Social Security.”

Gephardt and Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) will offer a counterpledge at a news conference today with the Campaign for America’s Future. It, unsurprisingly, would commit candidates to oppose individual accounts.

Gephardt called for a vote on privatization before leaving for the year. “Let’s conduct a free and fair debate in the open, in the sunshine, in the public about the consequences that will be caused by the privatization of Social Security.”

Sound familiar? Hawaii’s attorney general is asking that state’s Supreme Court to ignore a deadline and allow the Democratic Party to replace the late Rep. Patsy Mink on the November ballot, a move that could potentially save the state $ 2 million.

The 12-term member of Congress died Sept. 28, days after the state’s deadline for replacing candidates on the ballot. That could force Hawaii to hold as many as three elections: There is the Nov. 5 contest, in which Mink’s name would appear with that of Republican nominee Bob McDermott; a Nov. 30 election to determine who will serve the rest of Mink’s current term; and, if she wins on Nov. 5, a third election in early January to find her replacement for the next term.

It is that third potential vote that the state’s Democratic administration would like to eliminate, saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. Attorney General Earl Anzai said he was encouraged by the U.S. Supreme Court decision not to overturn a New Jersey court decision to allow Democrats to replace Sen. Robert Torricelli’s name on the ballot with that of former senator Frank Lautenberg.

But McDermott said the proposed change is unfair and is designed to ensure that Democrats hold on to the seat. “It shows that the Democrats will do anything, from sea to shining sea, to retain power,” he said.