Michelle Lujan-Grisham on Social Security

	Michelle Lujan-Grisham on Social Security

Eliminate taxation of Social Security benefits

I feel the same way about the taxes that are taken out of social security benefits. New Mexico is one of only a few states that taxes social security. I am calling today for that taxation to end. We must unburden the New Mexicans who rely on social security benefits by cutting their taxes. This is good government, serving the people who have asked us to serve them. New Mexicans deserve it. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to New Mexico legislature , Jan 18, 2022

Dedicated her life to fighting for seniors

Michelle's plan will cut taxes for the middle class and small businesses invest in renewable energy and upgrade New Mexico's critical infrastructure. She will stand fast to protect and improve Social Security and Medicare to make sure America never breaks its promise to our citizens.

As a young attorney she worked for the Lawyer Referral for the Elderly Program of the State Bar of New Mexico. Michelle fought to protect seniors from scam artists, safeguard them from abuse and neglect, and helped them to remain in their homes.

Because of her tireless work on behalf of seniors, four-term Governor Bruce King to appointed her to head the New Mexico State Agency on Aging; she served as the state's first Secretary of Aging and Long Term Services when the department was elevated to a cabinet position.

Source: Vote-USA.org on 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial incumbents , Nov 1, 2018

Oppose any effort to privatize Social Security and Medicare

Michelle has spent a lifetime standing up for seniors. She knows that across New Mexico, many of our neighbors and relatives rely on Social Security and Medicare to make ends meet and provide the health care they need. New Mexico's seniors have paid their dues by contributing to these programs. They need know that Social Security and Medicare will be there for them. Michelle strongly opposes any effort to privatize Social Security and Medicare and believes we must ensure the solvency of these programs for the next generation without raising the retirement age or affecting benefit levels for current recipients.

Empower home caregivers. With the proper support, more seniors can continue to be active in their own communities and to be healthy in their own homes.
Pushing for tougher laws to crack down on financial crimes against seniors. Scam artists who defraud vulnerable seniors need to be brought to justice.

Source: 2012 House campaign website, michellelujangrisham.com , Nov 6, 2012

Opposes personal retirement accounts.

Lujan Grisham opposes the PVS survey question on privatization

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?'

Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q6 on Aug 30, 2012

Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance.

Lujan Grisham scores 100% Alliance for Retired Americans

Scoring system for 2014: Ranges from 0% (supports privatization and other market-based reforms) to 100% (supports keeping federal control over Trust Fund and Social Security system).

About ARA (from their website, www.RetiredAmericans.org):

The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with now over 4.2 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape our lives. The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.

Alliance members visit the polls in record numbers. We use the power of our membership and our Congressional Voting Record to educate and mobilize seniors to elect leaders committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans.
We are effectively warding off cuts to our most important social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Our Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in the summer of 2013 took place in more than 50 cities and mobilized support for stopping this cut to earned Social Security benefits.
We blocked the privatization of Social Security with our Social Security `Truth Truck` delivering 2.1 million petitions to Members of Congress and other tactics.
The Alliance makes its voice heard on the issues that matter not just to current retirees, but to all Americans who hope to retire one day. We were a leading voice in recent debates considering changes to Medicare, like replacing guaranteed benefits with a voucher system, and remain so in 2014.

Source: ARA lifetime rating on incumbents of 113th Congress 14_ARA on Jan 1, 2013