Because Social Security has not contributed to our debt, Americans should be skeptical of any politician who says that benefits Americans have earned must be reduced in order to address our national debt.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Our constituents paid into Social Security, and they want it paid back to them when they retire. Cutting Social Security benefits that Americans have earned should always be a last resort.
Social Security not only helps Americans enjoy a secure retirement, it has also kept millions of Americans out of poverty.
We do ourselves a disservice when some of us cave to the myth that Social Security somehow drives the deficit.
Social Security is legally prohibited from contributing to the deficit. It cannot use debt to pay out benefits.
Social Security is not just another government spending program. It is a promise from generation to generation.
I think it's very important not to confuse the importance of dealing with Social Security in the long term with these short-term deficit reduction challenges. They're different issues.
The Bush Administration claims there is a Social Security crisis only to distract Americans from its serious mismanagement of the federal budget.
Social Security is not just the foundation of America's retirement dignity and security, it ensures the economic stability and strength of our families and our state's economy.
However, the Administration's plan to privatize Social Security will undermine retirement security for all Americans by cutting guaranteed benefits by more than 40 percent, and risky private accounts won't make up for the loss of benefits for millions of Americans.
You know, we've got to be responsible about our debt. We don't want the United States to ever be a dead beat, and not be able to pay its bills, either to our soldiers who are fighting or to Social Security recipients.