State of Indiana Archives: on Social Security

Andrew Straw: Too many people rely on SSA to risk losses

A: Strongly oppose. Too many people rely on this for their sole income to risk losses. SSA should have the ability to invest the trust funds in very safe investments, such as certain government bonds that pay a certain amount of interest.

Luke Messer: Use Social Security to restrict aid to illegal immigrants

Luke Messer: Let retirees earn more

Eric Holcomb: No mandates to offer retirement plans, but voluntary IRAs ok

Eric J. Holcomb: Everyone should save for retirement and should be encouraged to do so. However, my administration cannot impose additional burdens upon private industry in the form of mandates to offer retirement plans. Nevertheless, I would encourage employers to offer direct deposit to individual retirement accounts as a way for those without employer-sponsored plans to save. Moreover, my Economic Development Plan is designed to foster better paying jobs that should facilitate a greater amount of disposable income to save for retirement.

John R. Gregg: It has to be easier for people to save. We should provide incentivizes to employers, and saving for retirement should always be an opt-out, not opt-in, system. I also pledge to always advocate federally to protect and strengthen our Social Security system.

John Gregg: Pledge to always protect & strengthen Social Security system

John R. Gregg: It has to be easier for people to save. We should provide incentivizes to employers, and saving for retirement should always be an opt-out, not opt-in, system. I will explore policies like AARP's proposed HERO legislation that give employers and employees better access to retirement savings opportunities through a state run portal. Creating employee saving opportunities aren't easy for small businesses who employ a majority of Hoosiers. We need to explore fiscally responsible ways to help them provide those benefits. I also pledge to always advocate federally to protect and strengthen our Social Security system.

Eric J. Holcomb: My administration cannot impose additional burdens upon private industry in the form of mandates to offer retirement plans. I would encourage employers to offer direct deposit to individual retirement accounts.

Evan Bayh: Raise Social Security age

Bayh: No, although earlier supported raising Social Security age.

Young: Yes. Strong support for privatization.

Todd Young: Strong support for privatization

Bayh: No, although earlier supported raising Social Security age.

Young: Yes. Strong support for privatization.

Mike Pence: Personal investment for Social Security retirement

Matthew Whitaker: No hope that Social Security will be there for future

"Let's be clear about this," Whitaker said, "my generation, my children that are here tonight, Social Security is a tax. Medicare is a tax. There is no hope that Social Security as it currently exists will be there be for me . or for anyone of our generation."

Richard Mourdock: Constitution mentions neither Social Security nor Medicare

Donnelly fired back, saying: "You know, I may have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night. When you meet with the Madison Tea Party and you say to them 'you show me where in the constitution it allows Medicare and you show me where in the constitution it allows Social Security,' we're not that dumb. We know what you were implying and we know what you were driving at."

Richard Mourdock: Raise the retirement age

Brad Ellsworth: Don't raise the retirement age; put people to work instead

Ellsworth said now isn't the time to raise the retirement age and that putting more people back to work would put more money into the system. Raising the retirement age would be fine for those who work at desks but "it's not fine for somebody who's on the end of a jackhammer," he said.

Daniel Coats: Save Social Security from itself; increase age & more

Ellsworth said now isn't the time to raise the retirement age and that putting more people back to work would put more money into the system. Raising the retirement age would be fine for those who work at desks but "it's not fine for somebody who's on the end of a jackhammer," he said.