Retiree group cautions Bee over Social Security

State Senate President Tim BeeTomorrow, as State Sen. Pres. Tim Bee (R-Tucson) tours a manufactory with media mogul and former Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes, their talk is scheduled to focus around the economy. One group, the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, is cautioning Bee to come out strongly in opposition to the privatization of Social Security - a position Forbes advocated during his 1996 and 2000 presidential bids.

In a statement put out by the organization's president, Doug Hart, he said: “Three years ago, the American people resoundingly rejected President Bush’s scheme to privatize Social Security. Retirees and seniors are paying close attention to where candidates stand on this issue, especially in light of a Wall Street Journal interview where Senator McCain said that he supports President Bush’s proposal.

“Under the Steve Forbes-Bush-McCain scheme, our Social Security benefits would be thrown to the whims of the stock market. We get all the risk, but Wall Street gets all the reward."

And AARA Board Member Vikki Marshall followed by saying, "As a constituent in CD 8 and a retiree, I’d like to know that the money that I’ve worked hard for will be there when I start collecting Social Security benefits. I worry whether Tim Bee will be influenced by Steve Forbes’ risky plan to jeopardize my retirement funds.”

Read the full press release.

Forbes and Bee will be touring the Abrams Airborne Manufacturing plant in Tucson tomorrow afternoon.