2020 NM Senatorial race: on Social Security

Bob Walsh: Transition to a voluntary system as soon as possible

A: No such guarantee is possible. The Social Security Trust Fund contains only 20% of the amount required to be solvent. It was never planned to have a sound actuarial basis. Most contributions have been spent on retiree benefits instead of investment in the trust fund for current workers. The system envisions workers supporting retirees forever. It is not possible to guarantee that future generations will continue this system. We favor a transition to a voluntary system as soon as possible, recognizing that the victims of this scheme may need the help of, once again, voluntary associations of people with a sense of responsibility to their local communities

Gavin Clarkson: Put the Trust Fund in a lockbox with no government key

A: Put it in a lockbox. The best lockbox to keep Washington bureaucrats from taking away your retirement is one they don't have the key to. I would also enthusiastically support Senator Rand Paul's Penny Plan budget, which would cut spending by 2% for five years in a row, thus eliminating the federal budget deficit without cutting Social Security benefits.

Tom Udall: If you paid into system, you can rely on benefits

Tom believes that retirement security must be preserved. We need to protect Medicare for our seniors and Medicaid for the most vulnerable among us. Whether it's reimbursement rates through Medicare or closing the "doughnut hole" that made it harder for seniors to afford life-saving prescriptions, Tom always fights for New Mexico's seniors.

Seniors shouldn't be forced to choose between buying their groceries and buying their medication. They shouldn't have to worry about affording their mortgage payments and affording their health care. Our seniors have earned their benefits. Tom is committed to making sure those benefit programs remain intact.