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Joe Biden on Social Security
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| Former Vice President; previously Democratic Senator (DE) |
Click here for 15 full quotes by Joe Biden
OR click here for Joe Biden on other issues.
- Increase benefits for widows/widowers instead of cutting. (Sep 2020)
- Protect Social Security & Medicare: "You have my word". (Aug 2020)
- Social Security is a sacred obligation. (Aug 2020)
- Increase Social Security benefits without cuts. (Mar 2020)
- 6.2% FICA tax on all earnings over $400,000. (Feb 2020)
- Restructure tax code while protecting Social Security. (Jan 2020)
- Freeze entitlements; don't favor special interests. (Aug 2018)
- Where would elderly be now if funds were in stock market? (Oct 2012)
- Raise the $97,500 cap, but don’t raise retirement age. (Sep 2007)
- Prevent senior fraud by educating seniors about caution. (Nov 2002)
- Voted NO on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt. (Apr 1999)
- Voted YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees. (May 1998)
- Voted NO on allowing personal retirement accounts. (Apr 1998)
- Voted YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes. (May 1996)
- Rated 89% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)
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Don Blankenship on Social Security
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| WV Senate contender and Constitution Party presidential nominee |
Click here for 3 full quotes by Don Blankenship
OR click here for Don Blankenship on other issues.
- No use of S.S. Number except Social Security business. (May 2020)
- Allow people to withdraw funds and privately invest them. (May 2020)
- Privatize Social Security, but pay current benefits. (May 2020)
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Mike Bloomberg on Social Security
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| Mayor of New York City (Independent) |
Click here for 5 full quotes by Mike Bloomberg
OR click here for Mike Bloomberg on other issues.
- 2009: Called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme". (Feb 2020)
- 2009: Social Security a Ponzi scheme, 2020: boost receipts. (Feb 2020)
- New minimum benefit; expand support for senior savings. (Jan 2020)
- Don't kick the can down the road with retirement funding. (Dec 2017)
- To reduce the deficit we must cut entitlements. (Mar 2013)
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Cory Booker on Social Security
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| Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator; 2020 presidential contender (withdrawn) |
Click here for 6 full quotes by Cory Booker
OR click here for Cory Booker on other issues.
- Raise the cap on Social Security taxes to fund system. (Mar 2019)
- COLA adjustments needed for retirement plans. (Apr 2017)
- Once supported raising retirement age; now opposes it. (Apr 2017)
- Opposes raising the retirement age for several decades. (Aug 2014)
- Don't raise retirement age, except maybe for young workers. (Aug 2013)
- Opposes raising retirement age; expand entitlements. (Aug 2013)
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Tulsi Gabbard on Social Security
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| Democratic Presidential Challenger; HI Rep. |
Click here for 3 full quotes by Tulsi Gabbard
OR click here for Tulsi Gabbard on other issues.
- Take money for Social Security from military & tax giveaways. (Nov 2019)
- No budget cuts to Medicare and Social Security. (Nov 2012)
- Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Kirsten Gillibrand on Social Security
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| Democratic Senator (NY); Democratic Candidate for President (withdrawn) |
Click here for 6 full quotes by Kirsten Gillibrand
OR click here for Kirsten Gillibrand on other issues.
- Against privatization. (Nov 2006)
- Strengthen Trust Funds and take them off-budget. (May 2001)
- Opposes private retirement accounts. (Aug 2010)
- Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age. (Aug 2010)
- Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI". (Apr 2013)
- Rated 92% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Mike Gravel on Social Security
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| Libertarian for President; Former Dem. Senator (AK); withdrew from Presidential primary July 2019 |
Click here for 2 full quotes by Mike Gravel
OR click here for Mike Gravel on other issues.
- Put real money in the Trust Fund & invest it properly. (Dec 2006)
- Let beneficiaries leave surplus funds to heirs. (Apr 2006)
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Kamala Harris on Social Security
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| Democratic candidate for President (withdrawn); California Senator |
Click here for 2 full quotes by Kamala Harris
OR click here for Kamala Harris on other issues.
- Trump deficits will endanger Social Security. (Jul 2019)
- Oppose entitlement cuts; strengthen these safety nets. (Aug 2016)
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Howie Hawkins on Social Security
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| Green Party Challenger for President |
Click here for 5 full quotes by Howie Hawkins
OR click here for Howie Hawkins on other issues.
- Supports doubling Social Security benefits. (Aug 2020)
- Apply FICA tax to all levels of income including investments. (Jul 2020)
- The most regressive tax of all is the FICA payroll tax. (Apr 2019)
- The most regressive tax of all is the FICA payroll tax. (Apr 2019)
- Universal Social Security via Basic Income Grants. (Nov 2006)
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John Hickenlooper on Social Security
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| Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrew, Aug. 2019); CO Governor |
Click here for 3 full quotes by John Hickenlooper
OR click here for John Hickenlooper on other issues.
- Protect Social Security; oppose attempts to reduce benefits. (Sep 2020)
- Protect and bolster Social Security, Medicare. (Jul 2020)
- Update constitutional barriers in state's retirement program. (Jan 2012)
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John Kasich on Social Security
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| Republican Governor; previously Representative (OH-12); 2000 & 2016 candidate for President |
Click here for 7 full quotes by John Kasich
OR click here for John Kasich on other issues.
- Deal with all entitlements or we'll drown in debt. (Aug 2017)
- Fix Social Security: keep the promise. (Apr 2017)
- Fix Social Security by lowering benefits. (Oct 2015)
- More 18-year-olds believe in UFOs than in getting Soc.Sec. (May 2006)
- Personal Retirement Savings Accounts invest 2% privately. (May 1999)
- Voted YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits. (Jul 2000)
- Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings. (Sep 1994)
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Amy Klobuchar on Social Security
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| DFL Sr Senator (MN); Democratic presidential contender |
Click here for 11 full quotes by Amy Klobuchar
OR click here for Amy Klobuchar on other issues.
- Raise cap above "donut hole": FICA over $250,000. (Feb 2020)
- Proposed new retirement accounts for those without. (Apr 2019)
- Address national debt without cutting entitlements. (Feb 2019)
- No raising retirement age; no cost of living increase. (Oct 2006)
- President’s privatization scheme puts us at risk. (Jan 2006)
- Raise cap from $90,000 for paying in. (Jan 2006)
- Privatization is a risky scheme. (Jan 2006)
- Make Social Security more secure for the long term. (Jan 2006)
- Incentives for private retirement options. (Jan 2006)
- Voted NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security. (Mar 2007)
- Rated 99% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Beto O`Rourke on Social Security
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| Democratic candidate for President; Texas Senator nominee |
Click here for 5 full quotes by Beto O`Rourke
OR click here for Beto O`Rourke on other issues.
- 2012: Protect retirees, but make changes for the future. (Mar 2019)
- 2012: Maybe raise age; 2019: Against raising age. (Mar 2019)
- 2012: raise retirement age; apply means-testing. (Mar 2019)
- Opposes personal retirement accounts. (Sep 2012)
- Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Barack Obama on Social Security
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| Democratic President (2009-2017); IL Senator (2004-2008) |
Click here for 22 full quotes by Barack Obama
OR click here for Barack Obama on other issues.
- MyRA: new savings bond for retirement. (Jan 2014)
- No new promises we can't keep; but keep promises we've made. (Feb 2013)
- Entitlements don't make us takers; they free us to take risk. (Jan 2013)
- Tweak Social Security like Reagan did, but keep entitlements. (Oct 2012)
- OpEd: Eliminating FICA ceiling means rich won't spend. (Apr 2010)
- Good health care and tax reform will save entitlements. (Oct 2008)
- 2007: Raise income cap to avoid future shortfall. (Aug 2008)
- What do we do with the losers of privatizing? (Jul 2008)
- Raise cap on payroll tax for 3% of earners over $102,000. (Apr 2008)
- Raise $97K cap on payroll tax exempting earnings under $250K. (Apr 2008)
- Must capture new revenue; no new Social Security Commission. (Apr 2008)
- Stop any efforts to privatize Social Security. (Feb 2008)
- FactCheck: Removing $97,500 cap would be $1.3T tax increase. (Nov 2007)
- Cutting benefits & raising retirement age are wrong answers. (Nov 2007)
- The wealthy should pay a bit more on the payroll tax. (Oct 2007)
- Privatization puts retirement at whim of stock market. (Sep 2007)
- Stop any efforts to privatize Social Security. (Aug 2007)
- No privatization; but consider earning cap over $97,500. (Jul 2007)
- Stock market risk is ok, but not for Social Security. (Oct 2006)
- Raise the cap on the payroll tax on wealthy individuals. (Jan 2006)
- $2000 tax credit for Working Families Savings Accounts. (Jul 2004)
- Voted NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security. (Mar 2007)
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Mike Pence on Social Security
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| Republian nominee for Vice President; Governor of Indiana; former Representative (IN-6) |
Click here for 9 full quotes by Mike Pence
OR click here for Mike Pence on other issues.
- We're going to meet our obligations to our seniors. (Oct 2016)
- We will keep promises to seniors. (Oct 2016)
- Personal investment for Social Security retirement. (Jul 2016)
- Cutting Social Security should be on the table. (Apr 2014)
- Social Security is a covenant but needs commonsense reforms. (Jan 2012)
- Reform Social Security to ensure its solvency. (Sep 2010)
- Down-the-road raising of the Social Security retirement age. (Aug 2010)
- Voted YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable. (May 2001)
- Rated 22% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)
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Bernie Sanders on Social Security
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| Democratic primary challenger; Independent VT Senator; previously Representative (VT-At-Large) |
Click here for 28 full quotes by Bernie Sanders
OR click here for Bernie Sanders on other issues.
- Incremental adjustments ok, but no Social Security cuts. (Mar 2020)
- Apply payroll-tax to income over $250,000. (Jul 2019)
- 2013: Expand benefits and create $2.8 trillion surplus. (Jul 2019)
- 2000: Fought IBM pension cuts; workers regained $320M. (Jul 2019)
- I helped create the Social Security Caucus. (Nov 2016)
- We have to do better on both SSDI and elder poverty. (Nov 2016)
- Lift cap on wealthy: at $250,000 program lasts 58 years. (Feb 2016)
- Criminal to not have COLA increases for seniors. (Oct 2015)
- Defend against chained CPI, and expand Social Security. (Oct 2015)
- No cuts; no privatization; even to deal with deficit. (Sep 2015)
- Raise the Social Security cap on taxable income. (Aug 2015)
- Strengthen the social safety net, instead of weakening it. (Mar 2015)
- We must strengthen the social safety net, not weaken it. (Jan 2015)
- Chairman of the Defend Social Security Caucus. (Jun 2012)
- Payroll tax holiday diverts revenue from Trust Fund. (Dec 2010)
- Most successful Federal program in history of our country. (Dec 2010)
- Despite GOP rhetoric, Social Security is NOT going bankrupt. (Sep 2006)
- It's regressive to increase taxable Social Security income. (Jun 1997)
- Voted NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security. (Mar 2007)
- Voted NO on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable. (May 2001)
- Voted NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits. (Jul 2000)
- Voted YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox. (May 1999)
- Changing Social Security disproportionately affects women. (May 2001)
- Reject proposals for private saving accounts. (May 2002)
- Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age. (Aug 2010)
- Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI". (Apr 2013)
- Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Mark Sanford on Social Security
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| Republican SC Governor; previously Representative (SC-1); GOP Presidential Challenger (withdrawn) |
Click here for 6 full quotes by Mark Sanford
OR click here for Mark Sanford on other issues.
- Off-budget accounting undermines trust in government. (Nov 2000)
- Voted NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits. (Jul 2000)
- Voted NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox. (May 1999)
- Sponsored bill for personal retirement accounts in Soc.Sec. (Jul 2000)
- Rated 0% by ARA, indicating a pro-privatization stance. (Jan 2013)
- Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings. (Sep 1994)
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Donald Trump on Social Security
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| 2016 Republican incumbent President; 2000 Reform Primary Challenger for President |
Click here for 12 full quotes by Donald Trump
OR click here for Donald Trump on other issues.
- Never cut Social Security; payroll tax cut won't affect it. (Sep 2020)
- Improve SSI youth transition to self-sufficient work. (Sep 2020)
- Going "full-steam ahead" on limiting disability benefits. (Mar 2020)
- FactCheck: Yes, "privatization would be good for all of us". (Oct 2016)
- I will save Social Security with more jobs, less waste. (Feb 2016)
- I'll give up my Social Security; leave it to each person. (Sep 2015)
- Cannot change Medicare or Soc.Sec. and still win elections. (Mar 2013)
- Social Security isn't an "entitlement"; it's honoring a deal. (Dec 2011)
- Disability Racket: $25B in fraudulent disability filings. (Dec 2011)
- Pay off debt; put $3T interest savings into Trust Fund. (Jul 2000)
- Let people invest their own retirement funds. (Jul 2000)
- No government investment of retirement funds. (Jul 2000)
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Arvin Vohra on Social Security
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| Libertarian candidate for President; Libertarian Party Vice-Chair |
Click here for 2 full quotes by Arvin Vohra
OR click here for Arvin Vohra on other issues.
- Supports privatizing Social Security. (Mar 2018)
- Wants to shut down the Social Security system. (Dec 2017)
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Joe Walsh on Social Security
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| Republican presidential primary challenger (former IL Rep.) |
Click here for 2 full quotes by Joe Walsh
OR click here for Joe Walsh on other issues.
- Gradually raising the retirement age beyond 67. (Nov 2010)
- Individuals set aside portion of own income for retirement. (Feb 2010)
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Elizabeth Warren on Social Security
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| Massachusetts Senator; former head of CFPB; Dem. Presidential Challenger |
Click here for 12 full quotes by Elizabeth Warren
OR click here for Elizabeth Warren on other issues.
- Create a payment floor; credits for caretaking. (May 2021)
- Create a payment floor & credits for caretaking. (May 2021)
- Add $200 per month to everyone on Social Security. (Oct 2019)
- System can be fixed if we have political will. (Apr 2019)
- Retirement benefits are about our values, not about math. (Nov 2014)
- Social Security & Medicare allow seniors dignity. (Sep 2012)
- No unnecessary cuts or risky privatization schemes. (Jul 2012)
- Modest changes will save Social Security, not privatization. (Apr 2012)
- One in eight older Americans lives in poverty. (Jan 2006)
- Opposes investing part of your payroll tax. (Oct 2012)
- Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI". (Apr 2013)
- Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance. (Jan 2013)
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Bill Weld on Social Security
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| Libertarian Party nominee for Vice Pres.; former GOP MA Governor; 2020 GOP Presidential Challenger |
Click here for 2 full quotes by Bill Weld
OR click here for Bill Weld on other issues.
- Will not abolish social security and receives it himself. (May 2016)
- Just started receiving Social Security and likes it. (May 2016)
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Andrew Yang on Social Security
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| Democratic Presidential Challenger & Tech CEO |
Click here for 5 full quotes by Andrew Yang
OR click here for Andrew Yang on other issues.
- Universal Basic Income recipients might lose other benefits. (Apr 2019)
- Disability creates a permanent shadow class of beneficiaries. (Apr 2019)
- Disability creates a permanent shadow class of beneficiaries. (Apr 2019)
- Optional automatic tax-free retirement investment vehicle. (Mar 2019)
- Fund Freedom Dividend payments with 10% VAT. ()
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