Issue Position: Seniors

Issue Position

Social Security

For too long, Washington spent your Social Security benefits on their pet projects without worrying about seniors and their financial future. Congress voted to raid Social Security 16 times, and took more than $4 trillion from Social Security to pay for excessive spending.

We need real leadership in Washington. Leaders with the courage to speak out, honestly and clearly -- whether Democrat or Republican. Leaders who will fight to protect Social Security.

I strongly believe that benefits should be protected, the retirement age should not be raised, and taxes should not be increased on current enrollees because doing any of those things would alter the terms of the agreement between our nation and seniors. I'm ready to stand up and fight to protect your Social Security in Congress.

*I oppose any attempts to cut Social Security benefits.
*I oppose any attempt to raise the retirement age.
*I oppose any attempt to privatize Social Security. Anyone who says I do is lying. I want to make it absolutely clear: I am against privatizing Social Security.
*I'm against personal Social Security savings accounts.

Deficit Reduction and Social Security

Cutting Social Security benefits to current seniors and future retirees is not a legitimate solution to the problem of our debt and deficit.

Instead, we should be looking to offset new spending initiatives with corresponding cost savings in existing programs. Members of Congress can start in their own pockets. Since 1990, members of Congress have given themselves 13 pay raises -- including $4,700 a year in 2009 and $4,000 a year in 2008. For comparison, the average Social Security recipient got a $1,044-a-year raise since 2008.

One of my first priorities in Congress is to reduce deficit spending and support legislation what will create jobs. Once we get the economy back on the right track, I will support meaningful, bipartisan reform to the Social Security system -- reform that will protect current and near-retirees throughout the process.

Healthcare 'reform' and Medicare

In March 2010, Congress passed the massive healthcare reform bill. Because of the healthcare reform bill: Medicare Advantage payments will first be frozen in 2011, then will be cut by $200 billion over the next several years. As a result, more than 11 million seniors will likely see their Medicare Advantage premiums rise significantly or their benefits noticeably lessened. Medicare Advantage plans, which currently attract almost one in four seniors, will see enrollment cut roughly in half over the next 10 years. Senior citizens will have to be more dependent on traditional Medicare than they are today and will have fewer health care choices. (The Wall Street Journal)

Taxes on medical devices will increase beginning in 2013. This will dramatically affect seniors, as they are more heavily dependent on those products. Doctors will be restricted from referring Medicare patients to specialty hospitals where they have an ownership interest. This will reduce patient choice and hurt patient care.

The tax deductibility of the federal subsidy for employers who provide drug coverage for retirees will disappear in 2013. This will likely cause many employers to cut back or end drug coverage for retirees.

There will be a new 3.8 percent "Medicare tax" imposed on unearned or investment income beginning in 2013. This tax will cut into retirees' investment incomes.

All told, there are 165 provisions relating to Medicare in the healthcare reform law. These changes aren't just going to affect future generations -- they're going to affect today's senior citizens and near-seniors.

Medicare Fraud

Each year, there's more than $60 billion in Medicare fraud and abuse. This abuse raises the cost of the program -- and hurts seniors who rely on Medicare. I support legislation currently before Congress that would prevent Medicare abuse. This legislation can save an estimated $65 billion to $100 billion over the next 10 years. And this legislation is endorsed by the AARP and the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association.

Economic Security / Jobs

There are more seniors than teens in the workforce for the first time in our country's history. Within the next decade, older Americans are expected to make up as much as one-quarter of the workforce. As more and more seniors delay retirement or transition back to work, we must remove barriers to economic growth and job creation that lead to a "jobless recovery" and fewer positions for all job-seekers.

Programs that encourage unemployed workers to engage in education and training as a condition of receiving benefits can be especially helpful to seniors who seek to adapt a lifetime of skills to the changing employment landscape. We need to get America back to work to restore our economic security and create necessary jobs for everyone -- including seniors.

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