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Angus King on Social Security
Independent Former ME Governor
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No major changes needed for long-term stability
Q: How would you protect Social Security for today's seniors and strengthen it for future generations?A: Social Security was put on a sound financial basis in 1986. For this reason, no major changes are needed to assure its long-term stability.
Most studies recommend relatively minor changes-a gradually phased-in increase of the retirement age to 69 by 2075, for example-and an increase in the base upon which
Social Security taxes are applied above the current cut-off of $106,000 in annual income. What we don't need, and what I oppose, is any effort to privatize or means-test Social Security.
The program is too important to too many people (over 300,000 in Maine) to make it subject to the ups and downs of Wall Street.
Source: Bangor Daily News in 2012 AARP Senate Voter Guide
, Aug 24, 2012
Opposes GOP budget plan as threat to Social Security
He saved his most heated comments, however, for the Republican budget plan--often known for its architect, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. "It's a disaster. In a finite number of years, seniors will be back to where they were in 1955.
I don't know what they're thinking. Except, I think that proposal represents a strain of thinking that goes back to--they want to get rid of Social Security and Medicare."
Source: Steve Peoples, Associated Press, on Salon.com
, Apr 9, 2012
Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare.
King adopted the National Governors Association position paper:
The Issue
With the first federal budget surplus in a generation and estimates of non-Social Security surpluses ranging from $750 billion to $1.9 trillion over the next decade, the issue is whether Congress and the President will agree to dedicate a portion of the projected surplus to tax cuts and, if so, what the impacts on states might be.Tax issues raise several concerns for states. - How much of the potential non-Social Security surplus should be dedicated to tax cuts and breaks?
- Absent any consensus on long-term legislation to ensure solvency of Social Security and Medicare, would major federal revenue losses for tax cuts risk shifting substantial entitlement burdens to states?
- How would federal tax changes affect state income taxes?
- What are key elements for states of any future major tax bill? In school construction? For retirement? For housing and economic development? For health care?
NGA’s Position
NGA opposes reductions from current discretionary spending levels or changes that could risk the long-term solvency of the nation’s Social Security and Medicare systems. NGA supports provisions to ensure reduced barriers to state and local capital finance through tax-exempt bonds and to ensure maximum flexibility in setting and maintaining state retirement plans and programs.
Source: National Governors Association "Issues / Positions" 01-NGA16 on Aug 1, 2001
Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance.
King scores 100% Alliance for Retired Americans
Scoring system for 2014: Ranges from 0% (supports privatization and other market-based reforms) to 100% (supports keeping federal control over Trust Fund and Social Security system).
About ARA (from their website, www.RetiredAmericans.org):
The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with now over 4.2 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape our lives. The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.
- Alliance members visit the polls in record numbers. We use the power of our membership and our Congressional Voting Record to educate and mobilize seniors to elect leaders committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans.
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We are effectively warding off cuts to our most important social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Our Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in the summer of 2013 took place in more than 50 cities and mobilized support for stopping this cut to earned Social Security benefits.
- We blocked the privatization of Social Security with our Social Security "Truth Truck" delivering 2.1 million petitions to Members of Congress and other tactics.
- The Alliance makes its voice heard on the issues that matter not just to current retirees, but to all Americans who hope to retire one day. We were a leading voice in recent debates considering changes to Medicare, like replacing guaranteed benefits with a voucher system, and remain so in 2014.
Source: ARA lifetime rating on incumbents of 113th Congress 14_ARA on Jan 1, 2013
Page last updated: Dec 16, 2021