While Mark Green runs and hides,Ryan will debate on Social Security

Rep. Paul Ryan is one Republican who has not shied away from the hot potato of Social Security, unlike some other Wisconsin members of Congress like Mark Green, who pretends he never heard of the issue.

Now he's agreed to a debate Tuesday night in Janesville with someone who really knows the subject, and it's co-sponsored by at least one group that's hostile to Ryan's plan. He deserves some points, at least, for going into the lions' den. What a contrast with Green, who has refused to talk about the subject or even hold a town meeting.

Ryan has been upfront about his position and has not backed off, as the Racine Journal Times reports:

Despite stinging skepticism and opposition from high-ranking officials within the Social Security Administration, 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan is continuing his aggressive campaign to make personal retirement accounts a part of Social Security. Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, has pushed ahead as one of the most aggressive proponents of Social Security reform who faces re-election next year.

Ryan co-authored a bill introduced last month in the House of Representatives that would take surplus Social Security dollars and put them in personal investment accounts for those paying into Social Security. According to the bill, the personal accounts would be established for all workers under the age of 55, unless they choose to opt out.

The Social Security Administration's chief actuary said using money from the Social Security surplus to create personal retirement accounts would add $851 billion to the national debt over 11 years.

Ryan will debate Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He is the co-author of a book, "Social Security: The Phony Crisis," published by the University of Chicago Press.

The debate will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9, at Parker High School, 3125 Mineral Point Ave., Janesville. It is free and open to the public. Its sponsors include Wisconsin United to Protect Social Security, a coalition of groups opposed to privatization.

Wisconsin United to Protect Social Security has bedeviled Green to try to smoke him out and get him to speak publicly about the issue. But Green, a candidate for governor, has seen the polls telling him he's on the wrong side and has clammed up. The group has invited him to an event in Appleton next Saturday, but -- no surprise -- he hasn't responded.