Former Congressman Penny Makes Progress in New Hampshire

August 14, 2003

A July 31 article on New Hampshire's Citizen Online reports on a forum at the Opechee Park Clubhouse Wednesday evening featuring Tim Penny, who sought to "raise awareness on the importance of Social Security reform." Penny served as a Democrat in the House of Representatives for twelve years, beginning in 1982 and ran and an independent in 2002 for governor of Minnesota.

"Since retiring from office, Penny has served on a congressional committee that looked into the immediate needs of Social Security, and is the National Advisory Board Chairman of For Our Grandchildren, a national organization aiming to get people aware of the need for reform within the Social Security system."

At the forum, Penny spoke before an intimate group of residents "about the need for Social Security reform sooner rather than later."

"For reform, Penny believes that people should have the opportunity to invest their money in private accounts in order to better prepare for the future." He admits that while transition does not come without costs, reform is still necessary. "He is against people 'having to pay more and get less.'"

Penny said: "'When Franklin Delano Roosevelt set up Social Security, he said at the time that it wasn't supposed to be the panacea for people to retire on. He said that businesses should still provide pensions and that people should invest on their own. I don't think we've done a good job passing legislation to reinforce those other two.'"

This forum was part of the "Choose Your Future" tour, sponsored by For Our Grandchildren and the New Hampshire Citizens for a Sound Economy. The purpose of the tour, as Penny said, is "to raise awareness of the need for Social Security reform in states where media attention will be focused come primary season. Similar events are being sponsored in Iowa, Arizona, and South Carolina."

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