Tucson, Ariz. – Jonathan Paton, Jesse Kelly and Brian Miller are locked in a bitter fight for the Republican nomination, but they have one issue they can all agree on: Social Security must be privatized and gambled on Wall Street.

This Saturday, August 14, Americans will commemorate the 75th birthday of Social Security. Most 75th birthdays are marked with family dinners, birthday cakes and homemade cards from grandchildren. But CD8 GOP candidates Jonathan Paton, Jesse Kelly and Brian Miller have a different idea for Social Security.  They want to privatize it. They refuse to explain where the money for current retirees will come from if people under 55 can opt out of the system in favor of Wall Street.

In numerous recent articles and debates, Miller, Kelly and Payday Paton called for bringing back the failed plan to privatize Social Security – a death sentence for the  ‘third leg of the stool’ that Southern Arizona seniors depend on for retirement savings.  At a recent debate on KUAT-TV, Kelly explained that the purpose of Social Security privatization would be to “phase it out.”

None of the three have bothered to explain how current retirees’ benefits could be met under this risky privatization plan. And while both Paton and Kelly advocate for gambling Social Security in the stock market, neither support the recent Wall Street reforms that make the markets more transparent and hold Wall Street accountable for abuses.

Southern Arizona seniors do not support the CD8 GOP frontrunners’ risky Social Security gamble. Between the declining home values highlighted on the cover of today’s Arizona Daily Star and the near collapse of the stock market in recent years, Southern Arizona seniors cannot afford this dangerous risk.

Gabrielle Giffords is committed to protecting – not privatizing – Social Security, so that future generations will be able to rely on it as one leg of retirement security.

Gabrielle Giffords is a third generation Southern Arizonan and the only military spouse in Congress. Gabrielle is not like other politicians. She’s voted against a Congressional pay raise every time one has come up, and she doesn’t make earmark requests for campaign contributors. She takes an independent view on the issues and was rated Arizona’s most moderate member of Congress by the National Journal in 2009. Most importantly, Gabrielle stands up for Southern Arizona by working across the aisle to secure the border, protect our servicemen and veterans and create jobs by investing in solar energy.