(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Borrowing a line from a popular cable television show, U.S. Senator
Max Baucus, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today warned young people
not to “get punk'd" by plans to privatize Social Security.
Baucus invoked the phrase today on Capitol Hill as he joined other Senators, college
students, and officials from Rock the Vote in opposing the plan to privatize Social Security. He
said plans to privatize the important retirement plan would cut future benefits for today's young
workers.
The music video station MTV airs a show called “Punk'd," which was created and
produced by actor Ashton Kutcher. The premise of Kutcher's show is to dupe, trick, or otherwise
“punk" people into falling for practical jokes and gimmicks.
“Don't get punk'd," Baucus said while flanked by young people and Senators who want to
strengthen Social Security for the long term. “Privatizing Social Security will take dollars out of
young folks' pockets. If this proposal moves forward, workers today will not only see their
benefits drastically reduced when they are ready to retire, but they will also bear the brunt of
trillions of dollars added to the national debt because of this plan. I want young people to know
the facts and avoid getting punk'd or duped by the plan to privatize Social Security."
At the press conference, the senators and college students used a Social Security
calculator to demonstrate the impact privatizing Social Security would have on young adults'
retirement accounts.
Hans Reimer, Washington, D.C. Director for Rock the Vote, used the calculator to
demonstrate how he would be affected by privatizing Social Security. Reimer is 33 years old and
would lose $6590 under the plan to privatize Social Security.
“Young people in the work force have a lot at stake as the Social Security debate
progresses and I encourage them to take an active role in shaping Social Security reform,"
Baucus said. “The plan to privatize Social Security is not all it's cracked up to be and I want to
work together with young people and my Congressional colleagues alike to make sure that the
changes made to Social Security benefit people instead of hurting them." (WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Borrowing a line from a popular cable television show, U.S. Senator Max Baucus, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today warned young people not to “get punk'd" by plans to privatize Social Security.
Baucus invoked the phrase today on Capitol Hill as he joined other Senators, college students, and officials from Rock the Vote in opposing the plan to privatize Social Security. He said plans to privatize the important retirement plan would cut future benefits for today's youngworkers.
The music video station MTV airs a show called “Punk'd," which was created andproduced by actor Ashton Kutcher. The premise of Kutcher's show is to dupe, trick, or otherwise“punk" people into falling for practical jokes and gimmicks.
“Don't get punk'd," Baucus said while flanked by young people and Senators who want tostrengthen Social Security for the long term. “Privatizing Social Security will take dollars out ofyoung folks' pockets. If this proposal moves forward, workers today will not only see theirbenefits drastically reduced when they are ready to retire, but they will also bear the brunt oftrillions of dollars added to the national debt because of this plan. I want young people to knowthe facts and avoid getting punk'd or duped by the plan to privatize Social Security."
At the press conference, the senators and college students used a Social Securitycalculator to demonstrate the impact privatizing Social Security would have on young adults'retirement accounts.
Hans Reimer, Washington, D.C. Director for Rock the Vote, used the calculator todemonstrate how he would be affected by privatizing Social Security. Reimer is 33 years old andwould lose $6590 under the plan to privatize Social Security.
“Young people in the work force have a lot at stake as the Social Security debate progresses and I encourage them to take an active role in shaping Social Security reform,"Baucus said. “The plan to privatize Social Security is not all it's cracked up to be and I want towork together with young people and my Congressional colleagues alike to make sure that thechanges made to Social Security benefit people instead of hurting them."
