Social Security - Let's Talk About It
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, signed Social Security into law on August 14, 1935.
Republican politicians have been trying to destroy this safety net for seniors, survivors, and the disabled ever since.
What should be done and who can do it? Read further.
Ravalli County Democrats support strengthening Social Security
Democrat plan to strengthen Social Security includes:
- Fully funding Social Security now and into the future.
- No privatization of Social Security.
- No benefit cuts.
- No increase in the retirement age.
Did you know:
If you are middle-class or lower-income, you pay Social Security taxes on ALL of your yearly earnings, but people making $168,600 or more stop paying once they have reached that “cap.”
Congress should immediately raise the Social Security income cap so that wealthy people pay their fair share of the cost of Social Security.
Montana Republicans would like to diminish Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age
Governor Gianforte thinks we should never retire but continue working until we drop:
“How old was Noah when he built the ark? 600. He wasn’t like, cashing Social Security checks, he wasn’t hanging out, he was working. So, I think we have an obligation to work.” (Republican Greg Gianforte, February 2015)
- Republicans want us to have less Social Security benefits.
- Republicans want to raise the retirement age to 69.
Republicans say these changes will not affect people currently retired or about to retire.
But Republicans won’t say who will be affected. People now in their fifties might not have Social Security as we have now.
Montanans have earned and are entitled to Social Security
True or False? Social Security will be bankrupt in 2037.
False: The truth is there will be a 23% cut in benefits in 2041 unless we act now. A 23% cut is not good, but this is far from going “bankrupt.”
From the Social Security Administration:
“Will Social Security still be around when I retire?” Yes.
The Social Security taxes you now pay go into the Social Security Trust Funds and are used to pay benefits to current beneficiaries. The Social Security Board of Trustees now estimates that based on current law, in 2041, the Trust Funds will be depleted.
Because people are living longer and the birth rate is low, the ratio of workers to beneficiaries is falling. Therefore, the taxes that are paid by workers will not be enough to pay the full benefit amounts scheduled. However, this does not mean that Social Security benefit payments would totally disappear.
