Letter – Form letter a scare tactic

On June 10, the Leader-Telegram published a letter from Melania Madis denouncing President Bush’s efforts to reform Social Security.

However, that identical letter appeared last weekend, under different names, in both the La Crosse Tribune and the Janesville Gazette. That letter does not represent original ideas but rather AARP’s regurgitated talking points distributed for the sole purpose of scaring its membership and the local community.

To that end, our organization, FreedomWorks, has launched a Web site exposing AARPs scare-tactics and fear-mongering, called Take Back AARP at www.takebackaarp.com.

To be certain, even AARP’s membership supports personal accounts within Social Security. According to a poll done in March, 59 percent of self-identified AARP members thought personal accounts were a good idea when told that current and near-retirees’ benefits would not be cut.

Bush has gone to great lengths to assure seniors they will not be adversely affected by any reform of this critical program, yet AARP continues to spread lies about Personal Retirement Accounts.

AARP refuses to acknowledge the staggering long-term liabilities of the program, and it claims minor adjustments can fix whatever ails Social Security. With nearly $10 trillion in unfunded obligations, minor adjustments will mean tax increases of more than 20 percent on future workers’ paychecks and punishing benefit cuts for those who have been unable to save in AARPs mutual fund offerings or don’t have access to private pensions.

Social Security’s challenges need to be addressed now, and ignoring the problem and asking tomorrow’s workers to bear the burden is wrong.

CAMERON SHOLTY

Wisconsin State Director

FreedomWorks Inc.

West Milwaukee