The issue of Social Security privatization got a lot of attention the last time that U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Westwood) was challenged in Ohio's 1st Congressional District.

State Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Price Hill) is going after Chabot on the issue once again.

The Driehaus campaign started the melee by questioning whether Chabot "still supports the Bush plan to privatize the Social Security."

"Steve Chabot supports the Bush plan to privatize Social Security and put people's retirement savings at risk in the stock market," said Driehaus campaign manager Melissa Wideman. "In Congress, Chabot has failed to hold Wall Street accountable, voting instead to decrease regulations on investment bankers while taking over $400,000 from the banking industry. Cincinnatians deserve a Congressman who will put their interests first, not gamble with Social Security like Steve Chabot has."

The Driehaus camp says that Driehaus has vowed to strengthen Social Security "without slashing benefits that Americans have earned and adding to the deficit."

The Driehaus camp points to quotes from Chabot to Gannett News Service in 2005 and the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2002 in which he indicated he supported privatizing Social Security.

The Chabot camp, however, says that Chabot is for options, not privatization.

"He is not for privatization of Social Security, as Mr. Driehaus would have voters believe, but rather, he thinks workers should have the option of investing a portion of their money into a personal account to try to improve their return," said Chabot spokesperson Katie Fox.

"Congressman Chabot has serious concerns with proposals that would reduce Social Security benefits or raise taxes," Fox continued, pointing to a Web site where the Democratic Policy Committee highlighted Congressman Chabot as "speaking out" against the Bush proposal to privatize by saying he would have serious concerns about proposals the reduced benefits or raised taxes.

The Driehaus campaign said that Chabot has "supported raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for out-of-control government spending." The pointed to 2005 and said Chabot "voted for both a budget conference report and a budget resolution that would spend $1.1 trillion of the Social Security Trust Fund over five years to pay for other government spending.

The Chabot camp indicated Chabot's position is the exact opposite.

"Congressman Chabot is a longtime cosponsor of what is commonly known as the ‘lockbox legislation,'" Fox said. "The bill, officially named the Social Security Preservation Act, would prohibit Congress from raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to spend those funds on unrelated programs."

Driehaus called Social Security is a critical safety net that millions of America's senior citizens depend on. 

"The Wall Street meltdown underscores the need to protect Social Security and not gamble people's money in the stock market," Driehaus said. "In Congress, I pledge to vote against any proposal to privatize Social Security.  I will work to strengthen the program and help families save for retirement by expanding access to 401(k), IRAs, and other pension accounts.  We need to shore-up Social Security without slashing benefits that Americans have earned and adding to the deficit."