2012 AARP Senate Voter Guide

AARP released the “You’ve Earned a Say: Vote for Retirement Security” 2012 Voters’ Guides, featuring information from presidential, senatorial and congressional candidates – in their own words – on their plans to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and financial security. The 2012 presidential Voters’ Guide will also appear in the next issue of AARP The Magazine, arriving in homes beginning in late August 2012. AARP’s federal Voters’ Guide poses three questions on Social Security, Medicare, and Financial Security:

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Budget & Economy     Albert N. Gore: Save $500B by eliminating subsidies.     Dan Bongino: Economic principles: reduce taxes; push foreign investment.     Deb Fischer: Make the Bush tax cuts permanent.     Heidi Heitkamp: Balance the budget by cutting government spending.     Joe Kyrillos: It's not a political problem; it's a math problem.     John Barasso: Rein in wasteful spending; reduce size of government.     Richard Carmona: Invest in long-term jobs, not just speculator profits.     Tim Chesnut: #1 problem is nation's $14 trillion debt.     Tommy Thompson: Addressing runaway spending is defining issue of our day.

Corporations     Charlie Summers: Create a national small business advocate.     Elizabeth Emken: Foster free market capitalism; promote business growth.     John MacGovern: Entrepreneurs are engine of growth for creation of jobs.

Education     Scott Howell: We must provide good jobs for our college graduates.

Energy & Oil     Heidi Heitkamp: Use all our rich energy resources wisely.

Government Reform     Cynthia Dill: Stop sending corporate-funded candidates to Congress.

Health Care     Albert N. Gore: Make illegal workers pay into Medicare and Medicaid.     Angus King: Transition to wellness-based prevention system.     Bob Kerrey: Maintain Medicare as defined.     Charlie Summers: Medicare must remain solvent.     Cynthia Dill: Strengthen Medicaid and Medicare.     George Allen: Root out $50 billion a year in Medicare waste.     Joe Donnelly: Protect Medicare for future generations.     John Barasso: Preserve and strengthen Medicare for future generations.     John MacGovern: Reform Medicare to reduce out-of-control spending.     Josh Mandel: In order to save Medicare, we must change it.     Paul Sadler: No Medicare overhaul; just strengthen the system.     Scott Howell: Don't force seniors into private market.     Ted Cruz: Save Medicare by raising eligibility age.     Tom Smith: Allow individuals to opt out of Medicare.

Immigration     Albert N. Gore: Illegal workers do jobs Americans will not take.

Jobs     Joe Donnelly: Protect American jobs.     Ted Cruz: Extending unemployment benefits exacerbates joblessness.

Social Security     Angus King: No major changes needed for long-term stability.     Bob Kerrey: Raise retirement age & income cap.     Charlie Summers: Stop robbing the Trust Fund.     Cynthia Dill: Increase income cap & reduce costs with discipline.     Deb Fischer: System is unsustainable and must be reformed.     Elizabeth Emken: Never alter or limit current benefits.     John Barrasso: A sacred trust: people paid in & expect it back.     Linda McMahon: Bipartisan reforms but no privatization.     Paul Sadler: Modest reforms but no overhaul; system is sound.     Ted Cruz: Raise retirement age; cap increases to inflation rate.     Tom Smith: Reform should include personal retirement accounts.     Tommy Thompson: Make Social Security solvent.

Tax Reform     Bob Kerrey: Support the Buffett rule: lower tax on wages.

Technology     Paul Sadler: Investing in infrastructure secures economic future.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Albert N. Gore Democratic Challenger Mississippi Angus King Maine Former Independent Governor (1995-2002) Bob Kerrey Democratic Challenger (previously Senator) Nebraska Charlie Summers Secretary of State; Republican Senate Challenger Maine Cynthia Dill Democratic Senate Challenger Maine Dan Bongino Republican Challenger Maryland Deb Fischer Republican Senate Challenger Nebraska Elizabeth Emken Republican Challenger California George Allen Republican Heidi Heitkamp Democratic Challenger North Dakota Joe Donnelly Democratic Challenger Indiana Joe Kyrillos Republican Challenger New Jersey John Barasso John Barrasso Republican Jr Senator Wyoming John MacGovern Democratic Challenger for VT Senator Vermont Josh Mandel Former Republican Nominee (withdrew 2018) Ohio Linda McMahon Connecticut Small Business Administration Paul Sadler Democratic Challenger Texas Richard Carmona Democratic Challenger Arizona Scott Howell Democratic Challenger Utah Ted Cruz Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Tim Chesnut Democratic challenger Wyoming Tom Smith Republican Challenger Pennsylvania Tommy Thompson Cabinet-2005