Brace yourselves, working class citizens, the Republicans are looking at deficits and debt and they have our Social Security in the cross hairs. Their reasoning is twofold. They argue that Social Security is going to run out of money and so, we need to cut back on payouts. Cutting back on payouts is only one of two solutions to the crisis. The other is to increase revenue. Increasing or eliminating Social Security’s cap on taxable wages, now $118,500 a year, would be a great solution to all of us not making more than $128,700 a year, which happens to be most of us.
Republican (and sadly, some Democrats) then argue that “Americans are living longer!” – to which I say, so what? Am I, as a working class American to be only valued as some cog in a machine that pumps out cash for the wealthiest nation in the world, and if I live longer, that only means I have to work more? The American working class already works more than any other working class in the developed world. The qualifying age used to be 65. Now it’s 67. Republicans want to raise that to 70, and once they get that, it’s onward to 75, and why not? Democrats seem to not want to get in the way. Of course, there is this: U.S. life expectancy just fell for the second straight year. If you think that the Republicans will use this data to argue to lower the age of eligibility, well, you’re an idiot.
Democrats need to stand for the working class on this issue and stand hard. There are good, sound, moral reasons to lower the age of eligibility for Social Security. Our working class is the most productive work force of all the major nations on earth. American workers deserve a fair share of that bounty and not be expected to work into their golden years just to survive. Democrats need to stand to lower the age of eligibility back to 65 and then back again after that.
I’m game. It’s an uphjill battle but it’s a good fight.
Let’s make it an uphill battle for Republicans. Social Security is a unifying issue for all working class citizens, all working class voters. If Republicans want to take the position that individuals making $128,700 a year can’t afford to pay a fairer share of the tax burden so that the people they depend on can live in peace and dignity in their golden years, let them take that side.
Democrats need to set the argument that individuals making $128,700 a year and more depend on ordinary working class Americans making, on average, about $32,000 a year in so many ways. From retail workers, ,warehouses, delivery services, child care, and more, citizens in the high wage brackets depend on these products and services and have a moral duty to the working class that provides them, a moral duty that provides these citizens with health care and a safe and secure retirement in their golden years.
If Republicans want to take the side of the Trumps, Romneys, and Koch family against grandma and grandpa, that’s a fight we can win.
I agree. This is a great issue all around. Another data point: the working class almost universally takes early retirement at 62. This means they are already heavily penalized by our current system having an unrealistic “full” retirement age.
I suppose it’s too early to run on a universal basic income, but I would like to see that socialized also. It will help move the Overton Window if nothing else.