State of Kansas Archives: on Social Security
Barbara Bollier:
Committed to protecting Social Security & Medicare
It's vital that we maintain a strong commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare, especially now when so many Kansas families are struggling to make ends meet. Too often, income from Social Security is the only thing standing between a senior
and poverty. Barbara knows there are things that we can do to reduce costs from Medicare--including allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices--while still keeping the promises we've made to America's seniors.
Source: 2020 Kansas Senate campaign website BollierForKansas.com
May 28, 2020
Chad Taylor:
No privatization; but we need to discuss reforms
Q: What is your Social Security policy? A: We do not support privatizing. Social Security is a commitment we have made; citizens have a right to get back their retirement investment. The federal government has a responsibility to keep this entitlement
solvent.
Q: So what methods would you prefer for ensuring solvency? Raise the income cap? Raise the retirement age?
A: We don't have a particular solution in mind. When it came to agriculture policy, Chad went around the state seeking input from stakeholders at roundtable discussions. We would do the same for Social Security.
Let's get the stakeholders together and discuss possible solutions; there is no danger in conversation. That conversation has not occurred for Social Security for a couple of decades now.
Source: Phone interview: 2014 Kansas Senate race OnTheIssues
Sep 3, 2014
Dave Lindstrom:
More options on where to invest for younger generations
Q: How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?A: Promises made should be promises kept. I support ensuring that those who have already paid in for Social Security benefits should be guaranteed their benefits.
Any reform should impact younger generations and include more options on where to invest, including Health Savings Accounts. Then hard decisions need to be made on other unnecessary bloated budgetary items to be cut!
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Nov 3, 2020
Greg Orman:
Lack of economic growth drains Social Security
"The lack of a growing economy is the most significant issue facing Kansas and our nation today," Orman said. "It creates a cascade effect leading to increases in Social Security disability claims, healthcare, and an inability to properly educate our
children."As a business owner, he also discussed how we have a health care system that we cannot afford. Each year for the past 15 years, health care expenses have risen. These increases often come at the expense of better wages for employees.
Source: Independent Voter Project IVN.us on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jun 30, 2014
Jean Carnahan:
Save Social Security & strengthen Medicare
Jean Carnahan made speeches several days a week on her husband's Senate campaign trail and worked on state legislation for better health care and education. She advocated the Equal Rights Amendment, gun control, & workplace child-care centers. "Democrats
in Washington are struggling to save Social Security, to strengthen Medicare, to pay down the national debt, to provide a patient's bill of rights and to give targeted tax cuts that don't harm services to the neediest in our society," she said.
Source: [X-ref Health Care] Kevin Murphy, The Kansas City Star
Nov 4, 2000
Joan Farr:
Don't privatize Social Security
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?
A: OPPOSE
Source: OnTheIssues.org interview on 2022 Kansas Senate race
Dec 10, 2021
Kris Kobach:
Allow self-managed private retirement accounts
Kobach supports the following principles regarding Social Security.- Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
- Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
Source: 2004 Kansas Congressional National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2004
Pat Roberts:
All options for difficult choices for long term viability
Social Security is an important component of American workers' retirement planning. I have fought hard to protect and strengthen both Social Security and Medicare for generations to come.The problem that our country will soon face is the inability
to pay promised benefits to future workers. The demographic reality that the baby boomers will soon retire, causing significant financial strain on the program, looms over policymakers. At this point in time, all options must be put on the table
for debate. Congress must act thoughtfully and responsibly as we weigh the benefits and the risks of each proposal.
Let me be clear that any Social Security reform proposal considered by Congress must not impact current or near term retirees.
That said, we must work to ensure the long term solvency of this important program. Ensuring Social Security's long term viability--for our children and their children--will not come without difficult choices.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Apr 24, 2008
Patrick Wiesner:
Raise $180B for Trust Fund by mandated bond interest rates
A vital source of trust fund deposits is the interest earned on the US government bonds purchased when the Social Security has a surplus. Today, these earn about 3.3% interest per year. Twenty years ago, interest earnings were over 6.5%.
As your Senator, I will draft the law that raises the Social Security bond interest earnings to a fixed 9.3%. Interest deposits to the trust funds will increase by $180 billion each year.
This will replenish Social Security with enough reserves to carry the trust funds through the retirement of baby boomers and beyond.My plan does not increase payroll tax rates. We won't need to raise the retirement age, reduce benefits, or
incur more debt. Senators and House members will have to inform the lobbyists, special interests, and contractors that they will have to get their revenue from the private sector because the Social Security trust funds are short of money.
Source: 2016 Kansas Senate campaign website WiesnerForSenate.com
Aug 31, 2016
Randall Batson:
Opt in/opt out of payroll deduction choice
Personal Retirement Saving Plans: What if people were recipients of their own contributions? The idea is payroll deduction choice. Individuals could opt-in, opt-out, and adjust percentage payments anytime. Individual choice requires ownership.
Individuals would be owners of these savings accounts. Funds could be transitioned to existing pensions, 401K's, or savings accounts, IRA's, life insurance policies, CD's, savings accounts, or to spend as they like. We should not tax these investments.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate campaign site batson4senate.weebly.com
Aug 31, 2014
Randall Batson:
Opt in/opt out of payroll deduction choice
Department of Education: Federal involvement in public schools is unnecessary and has diminished our standing in the world. Private schools should be funded, and parents and students should be free to choose schools.
Teachers should compete for students. Eliminating the DOE is necessary to return states to their proper role in administering education.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate campaign site batson4senate.weebly.com
Aug 31, 2014
Randall Batson:
Strongly supports privatizing Social Security
Q: Do you support or oppose privatizing Social Security?
A: Strongly Support.
Source: Email interview on Kansas 2014 Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 19, 2014
Roger Marshall:
Look at raising retirement age for future generations
Q: How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?A: I came to Washington because I was worried we would be the first generation to leave this country worse off for our kids. Fixing Social Security is a large part of
that worry. It is imperative that we secure the current Social Security benefits for all Americans over the age of 55. Then we must take a look at solutions to secure it for future generations like raising the retirement age.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Nov 3, 2020
Laura Kelly:
Raise threshold for taxing Social Security to $100,000
Kansas retirees earning $75,000 per year or less don't pay state income tax on social security. But if they make one dollar more the entirety of their social security income becomes subject to state income tax. Our seniors have worked hard
for their entire lives--and their next chapter in life shouldn't be spent figuring out the Kansas tax code. Let's axe that tax cliff and raise the threshold to $100,000 so more of our seniors can enjoy their retirement.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature
Jan 24, 2023
Cindy Holscher:
Will work on protecting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid
Kansas State Senator Cindy Holscher has announced she is running for Kansas Governor. In her release, Sen. Holscher says she will work on protecting Social Security,
Medicare and Medicaid, investing in public education, providing tax relief for working and middle class Kansans, and lowering the cost of healthcare, housing and childcare.
Source: KSHB 41-Kansas City News, on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race
Jun 12, 2025
Laura Kelly:
Federal benefits should go to foster kids, not state agency
A new mandate from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly requires federal cash benefits, like social security and disability, to go directly to foster children after decades of using them to pay for state agency operating costs.
The policy change will create savings accounts for kids in state care, and those accounts will follow the child when they age out of the system.
Source: Kansas Reflector on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race
Jan 10, 2025
Roger Marshall:
Introduced bill to cut taxes on Social Security benefits
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall has introduced a bill that would cut taxes for many individuals who rely on Social Security benefits. "After four years of record-high inflation, the current tax on Social Security has been devastating to
America's retirees," Marshall said. "By cutting taxes on Social Security, this bill will ensure America's seniors can keep more of their hard-earned money and fix a fundamental flaw in our tax system."
Source: KSNT, "Cut taxation," on 2026 Kansas Senate race
Feb 5, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026