Mike McGavick in The Washington Times

On Social Security: Personal accounts for younger workers, but not privatized

A: You heard no plan from the incumbent for how to save Social Security. You only heard a list of what the incumbent opposes. I do have a proposal. First, we must guarantee benefits to those who are retired or are nearing retirement. Second, to get at the financial crisis, encourage those who have enough from their private planning for retirement, to throw their Social Security back into the system, to prolong it for all of us. Third, for younger workers, there should be personal accounts. But, I oppose them being privatized. I think that’s a mistake. I don’t trust Wall Street to manage this money, and I don’t trust the individuals to manage this money. It should be a government-run program with continued guaranteed benefits.

On War & Peace: Cannot give Iraq to the terrorists or they’ll follow us here

McGAVICK: We have got to win the war against radical Islamic terrorism. Sen. Cantwell voted for the war, and she was a strong supporter of the war. As the election has gone on, we’ve heard more about troop withdrawals. To suddenly withdraw from Iraq would give our enemy heart, and would give them a staging ground for terrorism against us. Now, I’m not satisfied with the progress we’re making. We need a select bipartisan group of Senators to develop alternative ways forward, to prevent creating a vacuum that would give Iraq to terrorists and allow them to follow us here.

GUTHRIE: Currently in Iraq we have a civil war. Our brave soldiers are doing their best, but we need to bring them home as quickly as is consistent with their safety.

CANTWELL: We do need to change the course in Iraq. To say that we’re going to stay there as long as it takes, or even indicate that we’re going to have permanent bases, is the wrong message.