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Eric Swalwell on Social Security
Withdrawn Democratic Presidential Challenger; CA Rep
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Wants more payroll tax to keep Social Security solvent
I am committed to protecting our seniors and preserving the programs that have kept so many out of poverty. In Congress, I will work to preserve and protect Social Security, for example by raising the cap on earnings subject to the payroll tax.
I strongly oppose using the Chained Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for Social Security Benefits. While the budgetary challenges we face are serious, we should not be balancing the budget on the backs of seniors.
Source: 2020 presidential campaign website swalwell.house.gov
, May 2, 2019
Raise cap on payroll tax so wealthy pay more
In office, he has said he wanted to raise the cap on the
Social Security payroll tax so the wealthy pay more into the program.
Source: Axios.com "What you need to know about 2020"
, Apr 9, 2019
Ensure our successful government programs for long-term
Social Security is one of our most successful government programs, lifting seniors out of poverty and offering most seniors the only means of retirement income. To ensure the long-term viability of the program,
I support lifting the cap on wages above $110,000 and also support raising the retirement age gradually and tying it to life expectancy rates.
Source: 2012 House campaign website, swalwellforcongress.com
, Nov 6, 2012
Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance.
Swalwell 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: May 23, 2020