Raise Social Security Benefits. Stimulate the Economy!

[sabrina 1]

Social Security is still one of the most popular and successful fiscal programs among Americans across political lines.

A recent poll shows that:

Americans Will Pay to Shore Up Social Security: Poll

Most Americans think it's important to preserve adequate Social Security benefits for younger generations — and they may even be willing to pay more taxes to get that assurance, a new survey finds.

The survey, released Thursday by the nonprofit National Academy of Social Insurance, found that about eight in 10 Americans think it is critical to support Social Security even if it means that working Americans have to pay more in taxes. A slightly higher percentage of the 2,000 people surveyed said they think it's critical to save Social Security even if wealthy people have to pay more.

Social Security had nothing to do with the Deficit, it didn't create or contribute to it. Yet we still hear the words 'SS and the Deficit' linked together each time politicians talk about the DEFICIT. The effort to create the impression that SS had something to do with the Deficit is obvious. And false.

The CPI is a cut in benefits to SS and is being used to sell the lie that SS had something to do with the Deficit.

None of this makes sense because SS has its OWN fund paid for by the people for their retirement.

The SS Fund has a two trillion dollar surplus.

People who are dependent on the benefits THEY PAID FOR are spending those benefits, putting their money into the Economy.

Increasing benefits means more money goes into the economy and doesn't have to come from the General Fund.

It also means that Republicans cannot claim that we 'cannot afford a Stimulus Package'. Maybe the Federal Budget can't, but the SS Fund can.

Elizabeth Warren: Don't Cut Social Security Benefits Expand Them

“Over the past generation, working families have been hacked at, chipped, and hammered. If we want a real middle class — a middle class that continues to serve as the backbone of our country — then we must take the retirement crisis seriously. Seniors have worked their entire lives and have paid into the system, but right now, more people than ever are on the edge of financial disaster once they retire — and the numbers continue to get worse.

“That is why we should be talking about expanding Social Security benefits — not cutting them. Senator Harkin from Iowa, Senator Begich from Alaska, Senator Sanders from Vermont, and others have been pushing hard in that direction. Social Security is incredibly effective, it is incredibly popular, and the calls for strengthening it are growing louder every day.”

As Noam Scheiber detailed in his big cover story on why Warren is a threat to Hillary Clinton in 2016, many of the issues that Warren has been championing for years now — Wall Street accountability and oversight of the big banks; stagnating middle class wages; the need for financial reforms designed to address the ways the economy is rigged in favor of the financial sector and against working Americans — are emerging as central to a larger argument over what the Democratic Party should stand for and who it really represents.

By planting a flag on the need to expand Social Security, Warren may have just added this issue to the pantheon of preoccupations that are driving those who want to see the party embrace a more economically populist posture going forward. Liberal bloggers such as Atrios and liberal groups like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, have been pushing for a Social Security expansion, arguing that Democratic priorities should be centered on the idea that declining pensions and wages (and savings) are undermining retirement security, and that the party should above all stand against undermining the social insurance system.

So why is this not happening?

We KNOW that when there is a surplus in the SS Fund, the Govt can't keep their hands off it. They spend it on Wars and Tax Cuts for the Wealthy who hoard it in offshore accounts depriving the US economy of money it badly needs.

Congress should EXPAND Social Security benefits, not cut them

In 2013, we made "expand Social Security -- don't cut it" a mainstream opinion in American politics.

Polls show that expanding Social Security is even popular by 2 to 1 in Kentucky and 3 to 1 in Texas! In 2014, we'll make this a campaign issue.

Join over 650,000 Americans who are going on offense on Social Security. Sign on the right.

SIGN THE PETITION TO CONGRESS: With corporations cutting worker pensions, Americans rely on Social Security more than ever. Congress should expand Social Security -- not cut it.

There is a good video of Rachel and Warren at the link also.

There is NO reason not to raise SS benefits. There is every reason why they should.

AND once again: Social Security had Zero to do with the Deficit!

[reformist2]

1. It's time to give money to everyone, not more to select groups.

[sabrina 1]

2. Could you be more specific? I don't understand your comment. Giving a raise to SS beneficiaries

is not 'giving money' to a 'select group'. They PAID for that retirement policy so the money is theirs.

But maybe that's not what you meant?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

8. Unconditional Basic Income perhaps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income

Switzerland will be having a referendum on it this year. Recently, a similar initiative failed to gain the required signatures for a EU referendum.

[sabrina 1]

10. Sounds like a good idea. I read about that a few months ago and hope they pass it next time.

The income gap here is an outrage and getting wider every year. Yet, Congress seems either unwilling or unable to do anything about it.

Just asking the wealthy to pay their fair share would be a start. Asking them to create jobs HERE rather than taking advantage of their tax breaks and their subsidies to exploit workers in countries that have zero labor laws, would help.

Iow, if you want tax breaks and subsidies and you take your business out of the country, you must abide by US Labor laws AND minimum wage requirements. Otherwise no subsidies and you still have to pay the same tax rate everyone else pays. We can't afford this welfare for the wealthy anymore.

[Progressive dog]

7. Who does the money come from,

if everyone gets more?

[sabrina 1]

9. I wasn't sure what reformist meant. S/he might have been talking about how much we've just given

to the wealthy while giving little if anything to the working class, so 'give everyone' might have meant 'the working class and the poor also'.

Which is why I asked for a clarification.

Some people don't seem to understand that SS is earned. It isn't a giveaway, although more and more now seem to be getting that.

[Cleita]

3. Most of us on Social Security could use an extra

$500 to a $1,000 a month to raise us to living wage. There is I believe a trillion plus in the fund right now. I see no reason why they can't do this and put a tax on those over $500,000 a year in income as has been suggested to make up for it.

[sabrina 1]

6. Yes, 'put a tax on those over $500,000 a year'. And polls show that most Americans

favor that. So there really is no excuse not to.

[KoKo]

4. Recommend for Exposure...Informative post

Thanks!

[Broward]

5. Someone should tell Obama.

[sabrina 1]

11. Yes, someone should. Let's hope the Democratic Congress will tell him. Because I haven't seen him

say that he opposes the CPI yet despite the huge opposition to it from those who elected him and from all the Liberal Orgs and the Social Security Advocacy Groups who have tried to tell him that WE KNOW that the CPI means cuts to SS and he needs to be clear that he has no intention of supporting it.

[bvar22]

12. Raise-the-Cap on SS and INCREASE benefits!!!

Seniors are NOT going to stash a Social Security Increase in their Offshore Accounts.
They will SPEND it,
providing an immediate STIMULUS.

Save the Economy by putting money into the hands of those that will SPEND IT!

[sabrina 1]

13. That was Candidate Obama. But now he supports cuts to SS. Or is he not aware of what the CPI

is?

Still waiting to hear that he opposes the Chained CPI, but so far, I have not heard that from the WH.

[woo me with science]

14. K&R