Social Security to Play Roll in PA Elections

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party has launched a new coalition that will try to focus voter’s attention on Social Security issues. The party announced Wednesday that “Pennsylvania Seniors to Save Social Security” will spend the next few weeks running senior-to-senior phone banks and holding events in key congressional districts. Party staffer Mark Metcalf says the efforts will try to inform voters, especially those at or near the age of receiving Social Security benefits, about plans moving in Washington to privatize the program and trim benefits. Seniors manning the phone banks will give their personal stories of how Social Security has made their lives better and then point out the differences among the candidates. Metcalf says he thinks the phone banks and the in-district events will reach the key voters and will make a big difference in November.

Congressman Mike Doyle (D- Swissvale) says protecting Social Security needs to be a part of every Pennsylvania voter’s decision process. The state has one of the highest populations of seniors by population and by percentage. He says in his district alone there more than 100-thousand Social Security recipients and some two million in the state. Doyle says there is a strong movement among some key Republicans make the changes.