State of Arkansas Archives: on Social Security
Conner Eldridge:
Protect seniors from privatization and Wall Street gambling
Conner's plan to protect Arkansas's seniors- Protect Social Security and Medicare from privatization so that seniors' hard-earned benefits aren't gambled on Wall Street.
- Ensure Social Security funds are only used for Social Security and
not to pay for other cash-strapped government programs.
- Oppose any and all efforts to raise the retirement age or cut benefits for current beneficiaries.
- Recalculate the formula that determines cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for
Social Security recipients because as inflation and prices go up, so should their COLA.
Conner firmly believes seniors should have a choice in how they retire and how they get their health care. In particular, Conner will fight to preserve
Social Security and Medicare and will fight any and all attempts to privatize these important promises to our seniors. These are not entitlement programs--they are fulfilling a covenant made and benefits earned after a lifetime of hard work.
Source: 2016 Senate campaign website, ConnerForArkansas.com
Aug 31, 2016
Curtis Coleman:
Divert some FICA taxes into personal retirement accounts
Q: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
Coleman: Yes
Source: Vote Smart Arkansas 2016 Political Courage Test
Sep 1, 2016
French Hill:
Keep our promises, and enhance 401k's & reverse mortgages
Social Security and Medicare are promises between the federal government and the hard-working Americans who have paid into these programs over the years. Since 1935, American workers have contributed to Social Security. This valuable program provides
many seniors with a reliable pension. However, lack of government oversight and frequent abuse has weakened this program. Through strong leadership and common sense, I believe we can strengthen Social Security for today's seniors and future beneficiaries
I support policies that help hard-working Americans save for retirement and health care independent of government aid. We must enhance 401(K)'s, IRA's, and health savings accounts so seniors can have security and peace of mind. We should protect and
promote the FHA's successful reverse mortgage program, which offers seniors increased liquidity based on the years of accumulated equity. However, these meaningful improvements will only matter if we control Washington's spending addiction.
Source: 2014 Arkansas House campaign website, ElectFrench.com
Nov 4, 2014
Mark West:
System going bankrupt; cautious transition to privatization
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Privatize Social Security"?
A: Support because the current system is going bankrupt so we have to begin a cautious transition for those who choose to self-direct
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Arkansas governor candidate
Apr 28, 2018
John Boozman:
Private accounts should be looked at as an option
Lincoln criticized Boozman's past support of allowing workers to invest their Social Security taxes in private accounts , saying it would privatize the system and hurt retirees. She also criticized Boozman for co-sponsoring legislation that would replace
the federal income tax with a national sales tax. "The 23 percent sales tax is just a bad idea for Arkansans," Lincoln said. "It is replacing your federal income tax with a 23 percent consumption tax on anything you purchase, anything from your
bread to your tires to your home to your car."
Boozman defended his position on Social Security and said that private accounts should be looked at as an option.
Boozman said that he's open to the idea of the national sales tax and said it would simplify taxes for Americans.
"I think it's something that needs to be looked at. I would love to get rid of the IRS," Boozman said.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Arkansas Senate debate
Sep 10, 2010
Tom Cotton:
Oppo AdWatch: supports Privatizing social security
Democrats are back on the air in Arkansas, attacking Senate candidate and Rep. Tom Cotton (R) as a "politician we just can't trust." The latest ad, backed by a $150,000 TV buy from the pro-Democratic super-PAC Patriot Majority, attacks Cotton as a pawn
of Wall Street."The real Tom Cotton? Just scratch the surface," the ad's narrator says as Cotton's face is shown on a scratch-off lottery ticket. "Cotton made hundreds of thousands of dollars working for corporate interests.
In Congress he takes their campaign cash, luxury trips around the country, and then backs their schemes: Privatizing social security, gambling it on Wall Street, pledging to keep tax breaks that ship jobs overseas. The real Tom Cotton?
A politician we just can't trust."
Cotton and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) are locked in a hard-fought race in conservative Arkansas. Both sides have been spending heavily on TV ads for months.
Source: The Hill e-zine AdWatch on 2014 Arkansas Senate race
Mar 19, 2014
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023