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Beto O`Rourke on Social Security
Democratic candidate for President; Texas Senator nominee
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2012: Protect retirees, but make changes for the future
O`Rourke campaigned during his 2012 congressional race on a platform that called for possibly changing Social Security, specifically citing means-testing and extending the retirement age."The people who paid into Social Security and who are
earning their checks back from investment in Social Security, that needs to be protected. That's inviolable. But going forward for future generations, we need to look at things like means testing,"
O`Rourke said. "We need to look at perhaps a later age at which my kids are going to retire."
On his campaign YouTube page, he said preserving Social Security required future generations "retiring at a later age, paying a greater percentage of
their income into Social Security and making other necessary adjustments to make sure that that program is around for all those that work and contribute to the benefit of this country."
Source: CNN KFile on 2020 Democratic primary contenders
, Mar 19, 2019
2012: Maybe raise age; 2019: Against raising age
[In first Congressional campaign, suggested raising retirement age and means testing.] O`Rourke's campaign spokesman, said O`Rourke opposed efforts in Congress to increase the retirement age. "On Social Security, Beto was acknowledging that it's
very possible Congress would look at that debate around raising the age in the future. He does not say he supports it or recommends it. Beto was interested in looking at possible ideas for ensuring the solvency of Social Security for future
generations," the spokesman said. "He ultimately found a solution that he endorsed and co-sponsored called the Social Security 2100 Act, which extends the solvency
of the program without raising the retirement age. While Beto has not taken any action to raise the retirement age, he has opposed efforts to raise the retirement age and voted against measures to privatize Social Security."
Source: CNN KFile on 2020 Democratic primary contenders
, Mar 19, 2019
2012: raise retirement age; apply means-testing
During his first run for Congress O'Rourke did a campaign video to tell people that "we'll have to look at future generations retiring at a later age, paying a greater percentage of their income into
Social Security and making other necessary adjustments." And, the Wall Street Journal reports, "in a candidate questionnaire published two days before the May 2012 primary,
Mr. O'Rourke called for raising the Social Security eligibility age and means-testing federal entitlements." After becoming a congressman, O'Rourke backtracked and, as
Politico reports, "co-sponsored legislation that would increase Social Security benefits--without raising the retirement age."
Source: Common Dreams "Reinventing Beto," on 2020 Democratic primary
, Mar 1, 2019
Opposes personal retirement accounts.
O`Rourke opposes the PVS survey question on privatization
Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.
Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?'
Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q6 on Aug 30, 2012
Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance.
O`Rourke scores 100% Alliance for Retired Americans
Scoring system for 2014: Ranges from 0% (supports privatization and other market-based reforms) to 100% (supports keeping federal control over Trust Fund and Social Security system).
About ARA (from their website, www.RetiredAmericans.org):
The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with now over 4.2 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape our lives. The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.
- Alliance members visit the polls in record numbers. We use the power of our membership and our Congressional Voting Record to educate and mobilize seniors to elect leaders committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans.
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We are effectively warding off cuts to our most important social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Our Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in the summer of 2013 took place in more than 50 cities and mobilized support for stopping this cut to earned Social Security benefits.
- We blocked the privatization of Social Security with our Social Security "Truth Truck" delivering 2.1 million petitions to Members of Congress and other tactics.
- The Alliance makes its voice heard on the issues that matter not just to current retirees, but to all Americans who hope to retire one day. We were a leading voice in recent debates considering changes to Medicare, like replacing guaranteed benefits with a voucher system, and remain so in 2014.
Source: ARA lifetime rating on incumbents of 113th Congress 14_ARA on Jan 1, 2013
Page last updated: Dec 15, 2019