Right now in Washington, members of Congress are attempting to divide the American people over Social Security – pitting current and future retirees against people with disabilities.
We must fight back!
Please read the following message from Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans & sign the petition today!
This week, Social Security celebrates its 80th birthday. And thanks to you, we are changing the national conversation around earned benefits away from cuts toward one of expansion. In fact, 79% of likely voters – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – support expanding Social Security and paying for it by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share.
Sadly, our success has only emboldened Wall Street CEOs and Washington politicians who seek to cut and privatize the program. Earlier this year, House Republicans manufactured a Social Security crisis by passing a rule, which next year will result in either a 19% cut to Social Security disability benefits or cuts to retirement benefits.
These Washington politicians are cynically pitting current and future retirees against people with disabilities and giving the American people a false choice between cuts to disability benefits or cuts to retirement benefits. This is shameful when all we really need to do is ask the wealthy to start paying their fair share and we can not only extend the lifespan of the Social Security trust fund, we can increase benefits for the majority of Americans.
On Social Security’s 80th birthday, we should not be forcing unwanted and unneeded cuts to the most successful social program in our country’s history. Please stand with the Alliance for Retired Americans and our coalition partners in calling on Congress and all 2016 presidential candidates to expand, not cut Social Security.
Expanding Social Security could take several forms. It could mean updating the formula used to calculate cost of living adjustments to better reflect the out-of-pocket expenses of older adults. It could mean bolstering the economic prospects of unpaid caregivers by allowing them to receive Social Security benefits. Or, it could mean increasing benefits across the board and paying for it by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share.
At a time when 38.3 million working age households have zero retirement savings, Congress cannot sit by and ignore the very real retirement savings crisis. And the best way to address this crisis is by expanding the only guaranteed source of retirement security: Social Security!