There’s No Shortage of Bad Ideas on Social Security
Social Security Works, a left-wing group, was quick on the draw. Within an hour of Senator Marco Rubio’s announcement that he was running for president, it issued a news release attacking him: “If Senator Marco Rubio had his way, Social Security’s very modest benefits, averaging just $1,330 a month for retired workers, would be cut.” That’s not true. A spokesman for the group says it had in mind Rubio’s proposal to increase the retirement age and his openness to reducing cost-of-living adjustments, which many economists believe overcompensate for inflation. But neither of those steps would cause average monthly benefits to be lower than they are today.
Social Security is an emotional topic, made more so by misinformation….
Republicans, too, have some bad ideas about Social Security. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has just suggested gradually ending benefits for retirees with incomes of $80,000 to $200,000. He’s right to favor lower benefits for affluent people, but this is the wrong way to go about it. Read more…