Group Plans Youth Protest of Rock the Vote's SS Hypocrisy on Wednesday
6/6/05

WASHINGTON -- The free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity Foundation today called on U.S. Sen. John McCain to use his acceptance speech at this week's Rock the Vote Awards Dinner to confront the left-leaning organization about its hypocritical opposition to Social Security reform. Sen. McCain, a supporter of Social Security reform and allowing young workers to invest some of their Social Security taxes in higher-yielding personal retirement accounts, is scheduled to accept the "Rock the Nation" award from the anti-reform youth group on Wednesday night.

"Senator McCain has a built a reputation for straight talk, and we certainly hope his 'Straight Talk Express' rolls into Rock the Vote's Awards Dinner on Wednesday night," said Americans for Prosperity Foundation executive vice president Michelle Korsmo. "Young workers have the most to lose if the current Social Security system is not reformed, and Rock the Vote is not acting in the best interests of young people when they fight against letting them have a little more control over their own tax dollars. Hopefully, Senator McCain will confront Rock the Vote's hypocrisy head on."

Personal accounts would allow millions of younger workers to have part of their Social Security taxes automatically invested in secure, diversified bond funds and stock funds, similar to what many workers already do with 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). A new Zogby poll released last week shows that the strongest support for personal accounts comes from citizens under age 30, who embrace the idea by a margin of 66 percent to 23 percent.

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation kicked off a campaign to expose Rock the Vote's hypocrisy on the Social Security reform last week. The campaign, known as "Rock the Hypocrisy," will include a youth protest of the Rock the Vote Awards Dinner on Wednesday.

The protest will begin at 5:30 p.m. outside the National Building Museum, which is located at 401 F St., NW , near the Judiciary Square Metro station. More information about the protest, the t-shirts and Rock the Vote's true political agenda is available at www.RockTheHypocrisy.com.