Bera Commits to Keep Social Security from Being Privatized

On 75th anniversary of Social Security Bera makes pledge

In a celebration marking the 75th anniversary of Social Security, Dr. Ami Bera, M.D. signed a pledge today to keep the program from being privatized. Bera is the Democratic candidate for California's Third Congressional District who is challenging Republican incumbent Dan Lungren in a race that has drawn national attention.

Speaking at the Eskaton Senior Village in Carmichael, Bera signed a pledge to preserve the program and challenged Lungren to do the same.

“After celebrating the 75th birthday of Social Security with the great residents of Eskaton Senior Village, I've signed a pledge to fight against any efforts by Washington D.C. to privatize Social Security," Bera said. "I challenge Congressman Dan Lungren to make that same pledge."

For his part Lungren has consistently advocated to privatize Social Security since he returned to congress in early 2005. During the early days of Bush's second term, Lungren characterized Bush's privatizing proposal as brave.

In an interesting Elk Grove townhall meeting that Lungren conducted in early 2005, Lungren floated a test balloon on the matter that quickly deflated. One person, Mark W. Bradley, confronted Lungren on the matter. ( Read Bradley's account here. Listen to a radio interview with Bradley here.)

Lungren has recently voiced support for Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) so-call "Roadmap' budget reduction plan that among other things calls for a reduction in Social Security benefits and the creation of private accounts. When asked about his support of Ryan's plan at a recent townhall meeting in Carmichael, Lungren, perhaps being keenly aware of his vulnerability, was evasive in his answer.

See his response in this video.