Americans United Launches Radio Ad Against Bachmann’s ‘Wean’ Comments About Social Security (AUDIO)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
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Americans United For Change has a new radio ad up in Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) district, hammering the Congresswoman for saying that the country should “wean” people off of Social Security and Medicare.

“Congresswoman Bachmann actually said we should be ‘weaned’ off our Social Security and Medicare,” a woman says. “She wants to privatize Social Security and replaced Medicare with some kind of voucher system that won’t even cover the full cost of medical care or prescriptions.”

This radio ad could leave the impression that Bachmann would want to take current retirees or those about to retire out of the system. From her previous statements, it would appear that she would preserve the program for those people who already receiving benefits.

To be exact, Bachmann said: “So, what you have to do, is keep faith with the people that are already in the system, that don’t have any other options, we have to keep faith with them. But basically what we have to do is wean everybody else off. And wean everybody off because we have to take those unfunded net liabilities off our bank sheet, we can’t do it.”

Woman: Did you hear what that Michele Bachmann said this time?

Man: No, what was it?

Woman: Congresswoman Bachmann actually said we should be “weaned” off our Social Security and Medicare. She wants to privatize Social Security and replaced Medicare with some kind of voucher system that won’t even cover the full cost of medical care or prescriptions.

Man: So let me get this straight. Congresswoman Bachmann wants me to gamble with my Social Security on Wall Street?

Woman: Yup, she wants us to hand over our Social Security to the same greedy reckless CEOs responsible for crashing our economy. That’s just plain crazy.

Man: No thanks. Privatization was a bad idea when President Bush tried it, and it’s even worse today.

Woman: And Congresswoman Bachmann actually wants me to trade in my Medicare for some voucher that’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. She should spend less time on national TV, and more time worrying about senior citizens back home in Minnesota.

Man: Let’s call Congresswoman Bachmann right now at 320-253-5931 and tell her, ‘Hands off my Social Security and Medicare.”

Woman: Paid for by Americans United For Change.

Late Update: Americans United’s communications director Jeremy Funk gives us this comment:

Star Trib: “Bachmann’s spokester Dave Dziok cites a potential fix based on a proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., which resembles a reheated version of Bush’s personal retirement accounts.”

She supports Ryan’s proposal that would carve into the Social Security trust fund and push tomorrow’s retirees towards risky private accounts – what he proposes may be voluntary at first, but let’s not forget that this would mean massive benefit cuts across the board for people left in the system that don’t choose to go the retirement account route.

The script is accurate. Bachmann does very much “want” the working husband and wife in the ad to gamble their Social Security on Wall Street when they hit retirement age. Sure it would be voluntary at first, and very risky to those who do – and very costly to the people left in the system.

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