IDP Holds Todd Young accountable for anti-Hoosier record

INDIANAPOLIS – On Friday morning, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and area seniors and students held a press conference to highlight Congressman Todd Young’s record of harmful policies that fail to look out for Hoosiers.

The event was the start of the Congressman Young “Harmful for Hoosiers” Tour, which is shining a light on how Congressman Young has turned his back on Hoosier workers, manufacturers, seniors and students.

Speakers discussed how Todd Young has repeatedly pushed policies that jeopardize Hoosiers workers, including his opposition to the auto rescue that saved 100,000 Hoosier jobs. They also criticized Young for his vote to keep tax breaks for companies like Carrier who ship jobs overseas, but then voted to eliminate the Trade Adjustment Assistance program that helps Hoosiers who lose their jobs due to outsourcing like those at Curtiss Wright Controls in South Bend.

“When you look at the issues—from wanting to shut down Indiana’s auto industry to describing Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme,” it’s clear from Congressman Young’s record that he is not the right person to represent Hoosiers in the Senate,” said Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend. “We need problem solvers today, but Todd Young has done the political route at the expense of Hoosier seniors, students, and workers.”

Congressman Young’s policies to make college less affordable—which include significant cuts to the Pell Grant program and a doubling of student loan interest rates—were also slammed during the event.

“As part of a generation of college students who are in danger of drowning in student loan debt, I know how important it is that we do everything we can to make college more affordable, not less affordable,” said Andrew Galo, a student at Notre Dame. “That’s an issue that everyone should agree on, regardless of political affiliation. But unfortunately, Congressman Young helped draft and voted for a plan that would drastically cut the Pell grant program and cause more than 32,000 students in Indiana to lose access to this important program. Todd Young isn’t looking out for college students and that’s not the kind of leader we want to see representing us in Washington.”

The “Harmful for Hoosiers” Tour also highlighted Todd Young’s radical plans to voucherize Medicare, reopen the donut hole, and privatize Social Security has put our seniors at risk. Under Congressman Young’s plan, they would have to pay an average of $6,400 in out-of-pocket costs for crucial prescription drugs, a cost that not many Hoosier seniors can afford.

“Congressman Young’s plans for Hoosier seniors is dangerous,” said Judy Grzegorek, a retired medical professional in South Bend. “He called Medicare ‘welfare.’ Well, it’s not welfare. Seniors like myself have paid into this program our entire lives. We’ve earned these benefits, and we’re not willing to risk them for the special interests. We can’t trust Todd Young to look out for us if he is elected to the U.S. Senate.”

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