Rep. Dan Lungren told a packed house why he wants them.

“This is an opportunity hopefully for me to listen to you and hear what you have to say,” he said. “(And) to give me some insights about what is happening in our area that I can bring back to Washington, D.C.”

Lungren (R-Gold River) was sworn in last month after winning last year’s race for the Third Congressional District. On Feb. 23, he came to Elk Grove’s Council chambers to explain what he has been doing in Congress since January, and to receive the public’s questions and concerns about federal issues. Most of the vocal concerns regarded Social Security’s future.

Elk Grove City Council member Jim Cooper introduced Lungren; mentioning his offices held like California’s attorney general, and the U.S. Representative of the Long Beach area for 10 years.

“Based on his record, I know that Congressman Lungren shares the city of Elk Grove’s commitment to public safety services, and to keep our residents and businesses protected,” Cooper said.

Lungren said that the 9/11 attacks inspired his interest in running for Congress again. His family lost two friends in the tragedy.

“(The attacks) made me realize that perhaps the best thing I could do is to go back into public service, Lungren said.

The congressman added that his membership on various House committees relate to that commitment. On Jan. 10, he was selected to serve in the House Judiciary Committee, where he addresses issues like immigration, border security, and terrorism. He also became the chair of a House subcommittee that focuses on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence-gathering capability for preventing terrorist attacks.

Later in the meeting, Elk Grove Fire Marshall Steve Foster announced that the Elk Grove Community Services District is requesting federal funding for its vehicle safety operations course, along with a new communications system to monitor the city’s energy facilities. Foster asked Lungren if he supports their efforts.

Lungren said that he is concerned about the lack of a strong communications network between first-time emergency responders in his district and the nation at large, three years after 9/11.

Before beginning the public comment session, Lungren repeated the main reason why he ran for Congress again.
“It is to protect my children and grandchildren, and your children and grandchildren,” he said, before regarding Osama Bin Laden’s 1998 fatwa or authorization to Muslims to indiscriminately kill Americans.
Most of those who spoke addressed the Social Security issue.

Lungren presented the Bush Administration’s view of what dangers lay ahead for Social Security.
The congressman said that as the population of retirees grows, there would be less workers paying for Social Security funds than those receiving the benefits after 2018. He said that the federal government’s accumulated IOUs for Social Security would lead the system into bankruptcy by 2042 - leaving today’s youth little when they retire.

“I’m old enough that I’ll probably do OK,” Lungren said. “But guess what’s going to happen to my children…they’re going to suffer a real rude awakening.”

Lungren promoted the Bush Administration’s controversial idea of allowing taxpayers to voluntarily invest their Social Security funds into personal retirement accounts; critics believe that translates to having corporations to privatize Social Security.

While some attendees shared their support of Lungren’s preference, many others questioned or criticized it.
One woman asked Lungren if the private companies could be trusted to handle Social Security funds.
“If you have a personal savings account, I as a congressman can’t get my grubby hands on it,” Lungren replied. “That’s the only way to really police it.”

A man sitting before Lungren asked why federal income tax cuts for the wealthy are persevered, instead of using their taxes to strengthen Social Security. He drew applause.

The congressman said that even the wealthiest taxpayers could not cover the projected Social Security shortfall.
Mark Bradley, a teacher at Sacramento’s Rio Tierra Junior High School, suggested that Lungren clarify that the Bush Administration’s personal investment solution is where high fortunes are given to their corporate campaign contributors like the scandalized CEOs of Enron and WorldCom.

Lungren first said that the Bush Administration is currently prosecuting the corporate chairmen that Bradley mentioned.
“If you reject capitalism, I understand that,” he said. “You criticize George Bush because we would possibly have billions or trillions of dollars going into the capitalist system, the private sector – which is the job-creation engine of America – and somehow you’re saying he’s doing that to try to help one CEO or another.”

Bradley said the he does not reject capitalism, but rather “crony capitalism.”

After the meeting, Lungren said that he was ultimately satisfied with the meeting.

“The whole idea is to get people energized and to have them talk about important issues,” Lungren said. “Like Social Security, I’m not looking for immediate answers, I’m looking for people to get energized about this to be a serious issue to deal with.”

Bradley shook Lungren’s hand.

“I thought it was helpful for people to tell him their various viewpoints on the issues. I don’t agree with the congressman, but it was brave of him to open this up for a dialogue. It was not a canned situation,” Bradley said.