Texas 2006 Senate Debate: on Social Security


Barbara Radnofsky: Privatization is a terrible idea

Q: How do we afford growing Social Security entitlements while we extend tax breaks?

JAMESON: The entitlements, such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, are not actually legal obligations. Those are things that are given out at the discretion of the government. The Social Security system is not sustainable and I think we should look at market alternatives.

RADNOFSKY: Privatization is a terrible idea. It would cost trillions if we do privatize, and everybody knows that. We must protect the Social Security fund from raiding.

HUTCHISON: We do need to reform Social Security and we do need to make sure we are taking out the waste & fraud. We owe it to our younger people to make sure that Social Security is there, and safe and solid for them. That means we need to reform Social Security now, because it will be much easier, and the longer we wait, the harder it will get.

Source: Texas 2006 Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV-TX (X-ref Hutch) Oct 19, 2006

Kay Bailey Hutchison: Reform Social Security now, while it’s still easy

Q: How do we afford growing Social Security entitlements while we extend tax breaks?

JAMESON: The entitlements, such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, are not actually legal obligations. Those are things that are given out at the discretion of the government. The Social Security system is not sustainable and I think we should look at market alternatives.

RADNOFSKY: Privatization is a terrible idea. It would cost trillions if we do privatize, and everybody knows that. We must protect the Social Security fund from raiding.

HUTCHISON: We do need to reform Social Security and we do need to make sure we are taking out the waste & fraud. We owe it to our younger people to make sure that Social Security is there, and safe and solid for them. That means we need to reform Social Security now, because it will be much easier, and the longer we wait, the harder it will get.

Source: Texas 2006 Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV-TX Oct 19, 2006

Scott Jameson: Replace entitlements with market alternatives

Q: How do we afford growing Social Security entitlements while we extend tax breaks?

JAMESON: The entitlements, such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, are not actually legal obligations. Those are things that are given out at the discretion of the government. Last year they brought in $800 billion in Social Security taxes, and they paid out $500 billion. The other $300 billion disappeared. That kind of misappropriation of funds is why we’re told it’s going bankrupt. The Social Security system is not sustainable and I think we should look at market alternatives. The average Texan makes $40,000. If they invested their money in the market at 4.8%, they would be able to retire with $6,600 a month instead of $1,100 a month.

RADNOFSKY: Privatization is a terrible idea. It would cost trillions if we do privatize. We must protect the Social Security fund from raiding.

HUTCHISON: We do need to reform Social Security and we do need to make sure we are taking out the waste & fraud.

Source: Texas 2006 Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV-TX Oct 19, 2006

  • The above quotations are from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) & Scott Lanier Jameson (L) debate at KLRN Studios in San Antonio. This is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Texas. Moderated by Yolette Garcia, Oct. 19, 2006..
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Social Security.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Barbara Radnofsky on Social Security.
  • Click here for more quotes by Kay Bailey Hutchison on Social Security.
Candidates and political leaders on Social Security:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 26, 2019