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News
Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina
June 15, 2005
Contact:
Sara Lang
Phone:
(202) 225-4531
Etheridge, National Leaders Launch Rural Americans for a Secure Future
WASHINGTON - As a new report was released showing that rural communities would be hit hard by President Bush's proposal to privatize Social Security, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) joined national leaders today to launch a major Social Security effort in rural America.
"As a farmer and someone who has lived in rural North Carolina all my life, I know that my neighbors are counting on Social Security to take care of them in their golden years," Etheridge said. "Three out of four farmers fund their own retirement and depend on Social Security when the crop yield is low or the weather is bad. The President's plan to dismantle Social Security betrays rural America. Farmers in rural America pay into Social Security with each and every paycheck, and deserve to have their full benefits when they need them the most."
The new report by the Institute for America's Future finds that rural communities depend on income from Social Security nearly twice as much as non-rural communities. For example, the Institute found that Social Security accounts for 8.5 percent of the income in rural North Carolina, compared to 5.5 percent in the urban areas of the state. Additionally, rural communities have a higher percentage of seniors, as 20 percent of rural Americans are 60 years old or older.
Farm families are especially dependent on Social Security for retirement. According to a study by the American Corn Growers and Americans for Secure Retirement, less than 25 percent of farmers participate in a retirement plan sponsored by their employer.
In response to the needs of rural communities, Etheridge, along with
U.S. Senators Max Baucus Max Baucus (D-MT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Reps. Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), John Salazar
(D-CO), Charlie Melancon (D-LA) and Marion Berry (D-AR),
today helped launch Rural Americans for a Secure Future. Rural Americans
for a Secure Future is a national coalition of farm and rural advocacy
groups, including the League of Rural Voters, the National Farmers Union
and the Center for Rural Affairs, concerned about proposals that would
privatize Social Security and slash retirement and disability benefits.
This effort represents the most significant and organized activity to
date to educate the public and the Congress about the importance of Social
Security in rural communities and to protect it from privatization schemes
or other proposals which would undermine the most important safety net
in rural areas for retirees, survivors and the disabled.
"I am pleased to help launch this effort to educate rural Americans about the President's plan to privatize Social Security and to involve them in the ongoing national discussion about the future of Social Security," Etheridge said. "Rural Americans are independent-minded people who prefer real results to politicians playing politics. They want leaders who are willing to stand up for them. Today I stand up with my colleagues for rural America, and promise to protect their hard earned retirement savings."
Please click here to read the full report by the Institute for America's Future.
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