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Cory Booker on Social Security

Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator; 2020 presidential contender (withdrawn)

 


Raise the cap on Social Security taxes to fund system

Fixing Social Security is not as complicated as people make it. It is unfair that if you're making $100,000, $150,000, you're paying a higher percentage of your income into Social Security than somebody who's paying a million dollars. We need to make sure that we create a fairer, more progressive Social Security tax situation so that if you're making a million dollars, you're paying more into that system. Having changes to that cap to Social Security would more fully fund Social Security.
Source: CNN Town Hall: 2020 presidential hopefuls , Mar 27, 2019

COLA adjustments needed for retirement plans

Senator Booker is working to ensure that the promise of Social Security is preserved for generations to come. He understands the vital role that Social Security plays in the lives of many New Jerseyans and knows that Social Security is an absolutely essential cornerstone of Americans' retirement plans. Senator Booker signed on as a cosponsor of the Seniors and Veterans Emergency (SAVE) Benefits Act of 2015, which would help address the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for Americans in 2016.

Senator Booker is also fighting to make saving for retirement easier and ensure that Americans' retirement savings are not depleted by unnecessary fees and bad advice.

Source: 2017 Press Release from Senate office booker.senate.gov , Apr 1, 2017

Once supported raising retirement age; now opposes it

BROKEN PROMISE: : Booker said he "opposes raising the retirement age for most people in the country - except, perhaps, for people in their 20s or younger." Booker's campaign "hint" was followed by repeated retractions--i.e. he learned his lesson and has taken a hard-line against all discussions of reforms ever since. We rate this an "evolution" because Booker has now kept up that hard line for years.

ANALYSIS: Booker touched "the third rail" with his truthful sentiments on Social Security--that he believed that reforms might apply to younger workers. President George W. Bush made Social Security reform a valid topic for discussion, in his rhetoric of the early 2000s, but that only defused the third rail for Republicans. For Democrats like Booker, reforms are still something not even to be discussed--and Booker has paid the price for his honest indiscretion.

Source: Cory Booker 'Promises Broken,' by Jesse Gordon, p. 74 , Apr 1, 2017

Opposes raising the retirement age for several decades

Q: How would you protect Social Security for today's seniors and strengthen it for future generations?

A: As the unpredictability and hardship of the last five years has made even clearer, we must make good on our promise to seniors and fight to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits.

For Social Security, Booker said he opposes raising the retirement age for most people in the country--except, perhaps, for people in their 20s or younger--because the country made promises to them. Cory Booker said he supports expanding Social Security and Medicare hours, following a press conference where his opponents challenged Booker on the issue. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee held a morning rally in Trenton with Booker's opponents pressing Booker on the Social Security issue. Later Booker took to Twitter to say that he wants to expand, not cut Social Security and Medicare, and that he opposes raising the retirement age. A week ago Booker said that he would consider voting to raise

Source: Link , Aug 31, 2014

Don't raise retirement age, except maybe for young workers

Booker has been deemed suspicious when it comes to entitlement reform. The sole concrete criticism was Booker "hinting that he'd be open to raising the Social Security retirement age for young people -- before backtracking furiously when progressives called him on it." Booker had been paraphrased in the Bergen Record as saying that he "opposes raising the retirement age for most people in the country -- except, perhaps, for people in their 20s or younger." When the vagueness of that position prompted furious criticism, Booker tweeted that he opposes all cuts to Social Security and Medicare; would, if anything, expand the programs; and also opposes raising the retirement age and curbing benefits through the "chained CPI" inflation index.

But the case against Booker seems to rest chiefly on tone and approach. It seems clear Booker will not be riding to Washington on a wave of esteem from national progressives.

Source: The Atlantic, "Why Do Liberals Hate Booker," by Molly Ball, , Aug 23, 2013

Opposes raising retirement age; expand entitlements

Cory Booker said he supports expanding Social Security and Medicare hours, following a press conference where his opponents challenged Booker on the issue. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee held a morning rally in Trenton with Booker's opponents pressing Booker on the Social Security issue. Later Booker took to Twitter to say that he wants to expand, not cut Social Security and Medicare, and that he opposes raising the retirement age. A week ago Booker said that he would consider voting to raise the retirement age for those in their 20s or younger.

In response to the PCCC, Booker said that he believes that tying Social Security benefits to the Consumer Price Index or a change in the retirement age would constitute cuts to the program. Booker has found himself pressed by his opponents on the Social Security issue in recent weeks, [based on] the mayor's ties to Wall Street interests. Booker has long been a recipient of campaign contributions from those in the financial services sector.

Source: Huffington Post on 2014 New Jersey Senate race , Aug 1, 2013

  • Click here for definitions & background information on Social Security.
  • Click here for a profile of Cory Booker.
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  • Click here for AmericansElect.org quiz by Cory Booker.
Other big-city mayors on Social Security: Cory Booker on other issues:

Tom Barrett (D,Milwaukee)
Bill de Blasio (D,NYC)
Rahm Emanuel (D,Chicago)
Bob Filner (D,San Diego)
Steven Fulop (D,Jersey City)
Eric Garcetti (D,Los Angeles)
Mike Rawlings (D,Dallas)
Marty Walsh (D,Boston)

Former Mayors:
Rocky Anderson (I,Salt Lake City)
Tom Barrett (D,Milwaukee,WI)
Mike Bloomberg (I,New York City)
Cory Booker (D,Newark,NJ)
Jerry Brown (D,Oakland,CA)
Julian Castro (D,San Antonio,TX)
Rudy Giuliani (R,New York City)
Phil Gordon (D,Phoenix)
Tom Menino (D,Boston)
Dennis Kucinch (D,Cleveland,OH)
Michael Nutter (D,Philadelphia)
Sarah Palin (R,Wasilla,AK)
Annise Parker (D,Houston)
Jerry Sanders (R,San Diego)
Antonio Villaraigosa (D,Los Angeles)
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Page last updated: Mar 25, 2021