Forbes challenges gore to debate Social Security proposals

By Douglas Kiker, Associated Press, May 19, 1999

WASHINGTON -- Challenging Vice President Al Gore to debate Social Security, the Republican presidential candidate, Steve Forbes, said yesterday that GOP candidates must begin addressing key issues or risk losing to Democrats in the 2000 elections.

"Let's have an open, honest conversation," Forbes said in a speech to small business owners. "Not here in Washington, but in the heart of America."

Forbes told Republicans that they must begin addressing issues that are important to the American people, particularly in light of a GOP poll made public Monday that indicated a belief among voters that Republicans were not focusing on issues that they care most about.

"Americans may climb a mountain simply because it is there," Forbes said, "but they will not vote for a political party simply because it is there."

Forbes's proposal to replace Social Security with a private retirement system followed his call in March for reforming the health care system. He plans to detail his vision of conservatives' role in the 2000 election in a speech today in New York. He speaks this weekend in Georgia on education reform.

A Forbes spokesman, Greg Mueller, said the speeches reflect a Forbes campaign plan: Build a good organization and then focus on the "politics of substance." Many of Forbes's opponents, most notably George W. Bush and Elizabeth Dole, have been accused of not discussing issues such as Social Security and health care.

Forbes called a Clinton administration plan to reform Social Security "pension fund socialism." He challenged Gore to debate the issue.

In his speech, which echoed many themes from his failed 1996 presidential bid, Forbes called for the privatization of Social Security.

Forbes' plan would use the Social Security surplus to help establish a new system of personal savings, or Personal Retirement Accounts. By allowing people to invest retirement funds privately, Forbes said the potential returns are far beyond what the current system provides.