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In reply to the discussion: Mixed signals from Obama/Biden on Social Security [View all]woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Last edited Wed Sep 19, 2012, 08:29 AM - Edit history (1)
If Obama is going to campaign on being different from Romney and the candidate who cares about ALL people and their ability to buy food and afford basic necessities, this is the time to demand specific vows to protect Social Security benefits, reject the chained CPI or any other reductions in projected benefits, and reject increases in eligibility ages for Medicare.
Biden's words so far do NOT represent a "rock solid" defense of Social Security. He promised only that the Social Security program itself would not be changed. He did NOT rule out a chained CPI, which does not change the program directly, but would lower projected benefits indirectly by changing the numbers that get plugged into the program. Backers of the vicious chained CPI have often attempted to defend it by arguing that it is not an actual change to Social Security...even though it lowers projected benefits increasingly viciously over time.
It is important to be clear about this, because these are exactly the cuts that the President put on the table last April.
Also listen very carefully in the promises for the language used when talking about projected benefits. It is important not only that benefits not be CUT, but also that their growth NOT BE SLOWED. We must demand that the candidates be specific about what they mean and that they clarify that they will reject any cuts or slowing in projected benefits. If you are a senior citizen on Social Security, and your SS goes up by one percent, but food costs increase by 15 percent, you have suffered a cut in your ability to purchase food even if some politician says your benefits have not been "cut."
If anything, benefits should be increased significantly. Seniors have already been deprived of necessary increases in recent years.
It is imperative that Biden and Obama be pinned down and forced to state clearly that they will reject not only direct changes to the Social Security program that lower or slow projected benefits, but also indirect measures that have the effect of reducing or slowing projected benefits, like the chained CPI.