Issue Position: Social Security

Issue Position

A Commitment To Our Seniors. Social Security is an important promise to 50 million seniors and future retirees, and the government must meet its obligation to keep it solvent. But for the first time in its 75-year history, Social Security is paying out more than it is taking in and by all estimates the Social Security trust fund will be exhausted by 2037 if we do not act.

Washington politicians continue to threaten the solvency of Social Security by supporting additional spending and an expanding budget deficit and national debt. Corporate bailouts and the $787 billion stimulus bill only threaten Social Security's future, not enhance it.

We need a common sense, bi-partisan approach to securing Social Security, and the federal government has to stop borrowing from Social Security and begin dedicating funding to support it.

* Privatization is not, and will never be, an option.
* Cutting benefits to current seniors and future retirees is not an option.
* We must cut spending, reduce the budget deficit and pay down the national debt in order to stop borrowing from Social Security.
* We cannot raise the retirement age.
* Seniors should be assured of access to their doctor by reforming the system so there is an equitable payment formula for their services but also keeps costs in check.
* The prevention of Medicare fraud -- which costs an estimated $60 billion a year -- is important to controlling the growing costs of caring for our seniors.
* Above all, a free-market, pro-growth approach to the economy will create a climate that encourages job creation, helping increase the number of workers paying into Social Security.

"Social Security is a very important safety net for our seniors, and the government is going to have to meet its obligation to keep Social Security solvent. It's a promise we need to keep."
-- Richard Hanna

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