State of Maryland Archives: on Social Security


Thomas Perez: Enforce laws misclassifying workers to avoid taxes

Maryland's Workplace Fraud Act focuses on employee misclassification in the construction and landscaping industries. With the growing gig economy it is more important than ever to classify workers accurately. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor avoids taxes, unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. Tom will fight for workers and demand that employers properly compensate all citizens working in Maryland.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com Jul 18, 2021

Ian Schlakman: Don't privatize Social Security

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?

A: Strongly oppose

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate Aug 21, 2018

Shawn Quinn: Neutral on privatizing Social Security

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?

A: Neutral.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate May 13, 2018

Arvin Vohra: Supports privatizing Social Security

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?

A: Support. If elected, I will sponsor legislation that will pay people back what they paid in, and then shut down the Social Security program for good. If you paid in $20, you get back $20. If you paid in $200,000, you get that back. If you're a recent immigrant and paid in nothing, you get nothing.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Senate candidate Mar 30, 2018

Arvin Vohra: Wants to shut down the Social Security system

When we end the Social Security program and give Americans back all that they put in, we give them the opportunity to invest in a reliable retirement that the government can't steal from. If you put your money in any other program, you will have more money at retirement than if you gave it to the government, and you would be guaranteed that increased savings. You would be making interest, a thing that Social Security doesn't provide. Currently most people don't even get back what they put in.
Source: 2018 Maryland Senate campaign website VoteVohra.com Dec 12, 2017

Larry Hogan: Eliminate all taxes on retirement income

Let's work together to provide relief for Maryland's retirees. We are losing many of our best and brightest citizens to other states simply because they can't afford to stay in Maryland. Once our national economy is fully recovered and we dig out of the state's debt situation, I want to reach the point where we are able to eliminate all taxes on retirement income, just as other states have done.

But, let's get started moving toward that goal right now by passing the Hometown Heroes Act to eliminate income taxes on the pensions of those who have put their lives on the line for us: our retired military, police, fire, and first responders.

And let's work together to protect the integrity of our state pension system, which has an estimated $20 billion unfunded liability by passing the State Retirement Choice Act for the 21st Century Workforce, which contains common sense reforms to pay down our unfunded pension liability and to create a sustainable retirement system for the future.

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Maryland Legislature Feb 1, 2017

Jamie Raskin: Remove cap to preserve and strengthen Social Security

Protecting Medicare and Social Security For Those Who've Earned It: Jamie believes that we should preserve and strengthen Social Security without endangering the benefits seniors have earned after a lifetime of work. He'll work to remove the cap on Social Security taxes because teachers, small businesspeople and janitors shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than CEOs. Jamie will not only work to prevent cuts, but to expand the value of Social Security benefits to seniors.
Source: 2016 Maryland House campaign website JamieRaskin.com Nov 8, 2016

Kathy Szeliga: Adapt the way Social Security is currently managed

We absolutely must keep the promises we have made to seniors, and we also must also work to preserve Social Security for our children and grandchildren. As a mother and a grandmother, I want to make sure that future generations have the safety net of Social Security available to them. If we don't adapt the way Social Security is currently managed, we will leave future generations with nothing. [Source: www.kathyformaryland.com/issues ]
Source: Vote-MD.org profile for 2016 Maryland Senate race Aug 9, 2016

Chris Van Hollen: Keep a more generous cost-of-living formula

Edwards hit her rival on retirement programs, saying that "when it was time to cut a deal, Mr. Van Hollen was willing to consider--those are his own words--cuts to Social Security and Medicare." She also noted that he recently endorsed a bill that would expand Social Security benefits, which she also supports.

Van Hollen pushed back, saying he led the effort to persuade President Obama not to cut Social Security by using a less-generous cost-of-living formula.

Source: Wash. Post coverage of 2016 Maryland Senate debate Mar 5, 2015

Donna Edwards: Fought privatization in community AND in Congress

Edwards hit her rival on retirement programs, saying that "when it was time to cut a deal, Mr. Van Hollen was willing to consider--those are his own words--cuts to Social Security and Medicare." She also noted that he recently endorsed a bill that would expand Social Security benefits, which she also supports.

Van Hollen pushed back, saying he led the effort to persuade President Obama not to cut Social Security by using a less-generous cost-of-living formula.

Edwards, a community activist before taking office, painted herself as an outsider. Although Van Hollen said he fought President George W. Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security in Congress, Edwards--who was not elected until 2008--said that the outside pressure campaigns she was involved in had at least as much impact.

Source: Wash. Post coverage of 2016 Maryland Senate debate Mar 5, 2015

Martin O`Malley: Repeal income tax on retired veterans; & later all retirees

Nearly every day I hear from folks who say that they love the state of Maryland, that they have spent their entire lives here, and that they don't want to leave their kids and grandkids. But, that they simply cannot afford to stay here on a fixed income.

Eventually, once we solve our current budget crisis, and turn our economy around, I want to reach the point where we are able to do away with income taxes on all retirement income, just as many other states have done. This week, we will start heading toward that goal by submitting legislation that repeals income taxes on pensions for retired military, police, fire, and first responders. These brave men and women have put their lives on the line for us--they deserve it--and they have earned these tax breaks.

Source: State of the State address to 2015 Maryland Legislature Feb 4, 2015

Michael Steele: Flexibility for some ownership over retirement choices

We all know we have a problem with the solvency of our Social Security program. As you read this, our nation is faced with four choices: raise taxes, reduce spending, borrow money from the public, or comprehensively reform the system in order to pay for it. Sadly, Washington continues to fail our seniors by continuing to politicize this issue instead of securing and modernizing the program. It’s time to stop the noise about this issue and make some real reforms. I do not have a narrow view of the past or future of our Social Security system. My concern is for both my mother and my 17-year-old son. Our first priority must be ensuring that the system remain solvent and that the funds are in place for our seniors who are currently retired or nearing retirement. However, I would also support reforming the system to build in the flexibility necessary to allow the next generation of beneficiaries to have some ownership over their retirement choices.“
Source: 2006 Senate website, michaelsteeleformaryland.com, “Issues” Oct 25, 2006

  • The above quotations are from State of Maryland Politicians: 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)
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Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021