2024 WI Senate race: on Social Security


Eric Hovde: Trim benefits; raise the retirement age

Hovde has frequently referred to programs like Social Security and Medicare as "entitlements" rather than earned benefits that Americans paid into throughout their working lives--and has said benefits "absolutely" need to be trimmed. Last time Hovde ran for Senate, he talked repeatedly about the need to put Social Security benefits further out of reach from many Americans by moving the retirement age.
Source: Up North News on 2024 Wisconsin Senate race Feb 15, 2024

Eric Hovde: Adjust for younger people, life expectancy going up

Hovde: I believe we need to protect Social Security. Keep it sacrosanct for everybody who is on Social Security or getting ready to retire. If you want to know why Social Security is in trouble, it is simple. We have taken federal debt from $5.5 billion to $36 trillion. We would have kept Social Security in a trust and not pilfered from it like you have. We have to look at things for Social Security for those younger people because life expectancy is going up, make adjustments for that.

Baldwin: We can extend the solvency of Social Security very easily. It's called lifting the income cap. Right now, multimillionaires like my opponent pay minute amounts. They are not doing their fair share. If we lifted that income cap, the solvency would be extended for many years. Let me tell you about something even more troubling: The plan that reverts and resets spending levels to levels from the last decade would cut social security by 28%.

Source: C-Span transcript of 2024 Wisconsin Senate debate Oct 18, 2024

Tammy Baldwin: Extend solvency of Social Security by lifting income cap

Baldwin: We can extend the solvency of Social Security very easily. It's called lifting the income cap. Right now, multimillionaires like my opponent pay minute amounts. They are not doing their fair share. If we lifted that income cap, the solvency would be extended for many years. Let me tell you about something even more troubling: The plan that reverts and resets spending levels to levels from the last decade would cut social security by 28%.

Hovde: I believe we need to protect Social Security. Keep it sacrosanct for everybody who is on Social Security or getting ready to retire. If you want to know why Social Security is in trouble, it is simple. We have taken federal debt from $5.5 billion to $36 trillion. We would have kept Social Security in a trust and not pilfered from it like you have. We have to look at things for Social Security for those younger people because life expectancy is going up, make adjustments for that.

Source: C-Span transcript of 2024 Wisconsin Senate debate Oct 18, 2024

  • The above quotations are from 2024 Wisconsin Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Social Security.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Tammy Baldwin on Social Security.
  • Click here for more quotes by Phil Anderson on Social Security.
Candidates and political leaders on Social Security:
Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ) 		2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Oct 30, 2024