CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2015: on Social Security


Jeb Bush: Allow diverting over 10% to private savings accounts

While his brother, former President George W. Bush, pursued a controversial plan to privatize Social Security, Jeb Bush said in August that he doesn't plan to take a similar path. "It would have made sense back then, now we're way beyond that," Bush said

Earlier this year, Bush took heat from critics after saying that he wants "to phase out this program for others and move to a new system that allows them to have something." After Democrats pounced, accusing the candidate of wanting to destroy entitlements, Bush pushed back, saying he wanted to "reform" the program, not eliminate it.

To help increase retirement savings plans, Bush would encourage "starter 401(k) plans" for small business employees. He also favors the idea of letting small bu

Source: CNN 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 27, 2015

John Kasich: Fix Social Security by lowering benefits

We can't balance a budget without entitlement reform. What are we, kidding? He initially said young people would see "a lot" lower benefit, before correcting himself to say perhaps not "a lot," but some amount. Kasich told reporters that Democrats "basically allowed this program to get to a point where it could go bankrupt" and said they should focus on proposals to fix the problem.
Source: CNN 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Oct 10, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Raise the Social Security cap on taxable income

I believe that, as opposed to my Republican colleagues who want to cut Social Security, I believe we should expand Social Security by lifting the cap on taxable income. That's not Hillary Clinton's position.

I believe that we have got to raise the minimum wage over a period of several years to $15 an hour--not Hillary Clinton's position. I voted against the war in Iraq. Hillary Clinton voted for it.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 30, 2015

  • The above quotations are from CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2015
    (Candy Crowley interviewing candidates for 2015 and 2016 races).
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Social Security.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Rand Paul on Social Security.
  • Click here for more quotes by Jeb Bush on Social Security.
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: Nov 30, 2021