State of Connecticut secondary Archives: on Social Security

Matthew Corey: Social Security isn't an entitlement but a benefit

We have 59 million Americans receiving benefits from Social Security. This benefit is not an entitlement. The people, who are not entitled to it, are the politicians who borrow from it. We need to get the 94 million people that are out of work back to work who are not yet of retirement age. We also need to raise the contribution cap. We need to give social security to those who need it most. We need tax free retirement savings accounts. We also need to look at increasing the retirement age. Source: 2018 Connecticut Senate campaign website CoreyForSenate.com Dec 12, 2017

Dan Malloy: 78% of our state pension fund is making up for past mistakes

Our pension systems for Connecticut's state workers, educators, and retirees were created 80 years ago, but not a single dime was deposited into the account during the first 30 years of its existence. It was a pay-as-you-go system. Over many decades, legacy costs, insufficient contributions, lower-than-assumed returns, and early retirement packages left us with a significant unfunded liability in the state's employee & teacher retirement systems. The stark reality is that, after 80 years, the state has set aside only 1/3 of the money necessary to responsibly fund its obligations.

Let me put it in context. Of the $1.65 billion that we will pay next year into the state retirement systems, 78% of that--or nearly $1.3 billion--is what we're paying to make-up for what past administrations and past legislatures failed to do. Simply put, our generation is paying for Connecticut's past mistakes. Is it frustrating to do that? Of course. Is it necessary? Absolutely. It's also the right thing to do.

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Connecticut Legislature Jan 4, 2017

Dan Malloy: Restructure pension benefits to address chronic underfunding

Restructure pension benefits to address chronic underfunding After years of underfunding our pensions, a $4.5 billion payment would have been required in the year 2032. It would not have been possible.

We restructured our payments to reverse years of chronic underfunding. We're saving Connecticut taxpayers

Source: 2013 Connecticut State of the State address Jan 9, 2013

Linda McMahon: Don't take benefits away from seniors

McMahon said, "Medicare is part of this whole total health care reform that we have to look at. I don't think it's like picking one thing out of it at a time".

McMahon, of course, is hardly alone among candidates in avoiding committing herself to cutting Medicare, Social Security, or any of the other federal spending programs. There is a reason Medicare and Social Security are known as third-rail issues: touch them, and die. "I don't want to take any benefits away from seniors," she said.

Source: Mark Pazniokas in The Connecticut Mirror Mar 19, 2010

Joseph Lieberman: I looked at privatization but decided against it

LAMONT: I think it’s so important that the Democrats stand up and present a constructive alternative to the Bush administration. I find that Sen. Lieberman too often is willing to undermine the Democrats, be it on issues like the war in Iraq, or on a variety of other issues, be it Social Security, be it affirmative action, be it vouchers. These are important issues that say a lot about what we stand for. We stand for the public good. We stand for public education. We stand for universal health care for every American, and when Democrats say that, that’s when we start winning again.

LIEBERMAN: On Social Security privatization--I looked at it in the late 90s. I decided it was a bad idea. I opposed it in 2000. I voted for resolutions against it. On the day that Pres. Bush started his campaign to privatize Social Security in 2005, I was one of 41 Democratic senators to say explicitly that I think it’s a bad idea, it would hurt Social Security. So why don’t you stop spreading that kind of untruth?

Source: 2006 Connecticut Democratic Senate Primary debate Jul 6, 2006

Ned Lamont: No common ground with Bush on privatization

I will not find common ground with the Bush administration when they are trying to privatize Social Security. I’ll fight for Social Security. I’ll fight for our constitutional liberties. And rather than spending $250 million a day in Iraq, we’re going to invest. We’re going to invest in grade schools and clean energy and affordable housing and public transportation. We’re going to bring our cities back as great as they were 100 years ago. Source: 2006 Connecticut Democratic Senate Primary debate Jul 6, 2006

The above quotations are from State of Connecticut Politicians: secondary Archives. Click here for definitions & background information on Social Security. Click here for other issues (main summary page).
*2020 Presidential contenders on Social Security:*
	*Democrats running for President:* Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO) V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE) Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC) Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT) Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ) Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX) Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI) Rep.John Delaney (D-MD) Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA) Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT) CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA) Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Marianne Williamson (D-CA) CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY) *2020 Third Party Candidates:* Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI) CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV) Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI) Howie Hawkins (G-NY) ~~Gov.Gary Johnson~~(L-NM) ~~Howard Schultz~~(I-WA) Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)	*Republicans running for President:* ~~Sen.Ted Cruz~~(R-TX) ~~Gov.Larry Hogan~~ (R-MD) ~~Gov.John Kasich~~(R-OH) V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN) ~~Gov.Mark Sanford~~ (R-SC) Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY) Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL) Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY) *2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:* Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA) Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC) Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK) Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA) Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO) Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA) Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL) Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA) Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX) Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA) Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA) Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Oct 10, 2021