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Sherrod Brown on Social Security

Democratic Sr Senator; previously Representative (OH-13)

 


No full nor partial privatization of Social Security

Q: Support full or partial privatization of Social Security?

Sherrod Brown (D): No. Strong opponent.

Jim Renacci (R): Partial. Allow workers "to privately invest a portion of their payroll taxes."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Ohio Senate race , Oct 9, 2018

Don't raise retirement age; system has been reliable

Mandel said he "has not come out in support" of Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan's budget plan, which called for reshaping Medicare."I believe it is unfair to change Medicare or Social Security for my grandmother and her generation and my parents and my generation," he said, before accusing "politicians in Washington" of stealing from the Social Security Trust Fund. "We need to make common sense cuts in other parts of our government in order to fund Social Security and Medicare far into our future." He said he'd consider raising the retirement eligibility age for "folks at least my age, probably some who are older," but not for baby boomers.

Brown, meanwhile, said he wouldn't raise the retirement age for either program, saying it's unfair to ask working class people to work until they're 70. He said the programs are "reliable and will be reliable for this generation and the next generation."

Source: Dayton Daily News on 2012 Ohio Senate debate , Oct 25, 2012

Don't balance budget by going after entitlements

I know from watching Republicans--I saw them in the House when they moved toward Medicare privatization in 2003, 2004, and 2005. They had some success. Fortunately, we were able to beat back most of it. I remember that in 2005, President Bush spoke repeatedly about privatizing Social Security. I know that is what they want to do. In the 1990s, Speaker Gingrich--fortunately beaten back by President Clinton--tried to privatize Medicare.

That is the way they cut the budget, they go after Medicare and Social Security. So it is pretty clear to me how this [Obama-Republican tax deal] jeopardizes Social Security, how it jeopardizes Medicare, how it will force more cuts and more pressure on those programs that have lifted so many people into the middle class. In 1965, when Medicare was first passed, half of the senior citizens in this country had no health insurance. Today 99% of seniors have health insurance, something like that.

Source: The Speech: A Historic Filibuster, by Bernie Sanders , Dec 10, 2010

Privatizing undermines Social Security's finances

A balanced Social Security plan for guaranteed benefits
AARPSupports
Sherrod BrownSupports
Mike DeWineOpposes
Using Social Security taxes for private accounts
AARPOpposes
Sherrod BrownOpposes
Mike DeWineOpposes
Q: Will you support or oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts?

A: Private account proposals advanced by the Bush Administration would actually undermine Social Security's finances. By creating multiple and self-reinforcing incentives to move contributions from the Social Security Trust Fund to risky commercial markets, they would also compromise retirement security. Private accounts should supplement, not replace, the Social Security Trust Fund.

Source: 2006 AARP Senate candidate questionnaire , Sep 29, 2006

Reject proposals for private saving accounts.

Brown co-sponsored rejecting proposals for private saving accounts

To reject proposals to partially or completely substitute private saving accounts for the lifelong, guaranteed, inflation-protected insurance benefits provided through Social Security. The Congress finds the following:

  1. President Bush promised to partially privatize Social Security, and appointed a commission to develop a plan on his behalf.
  2. The commission developed three alternative plans that would partially privatize Social Security.
  3. The plans divert substantial monies from the Social Security Trust Funds to pay for the private accounts, which threatens benefits for current beneficiaries by significantly weakening the financial condition of the Trust Funds.
  4. The plans` cuts in disability and survivor benefits directly contradict the President`s promise that disability and survivor benefits would be preserved under privatization.
  5. Furthermore, these reductions in guaranteed benefits apply to all workers, regardless of whether they chose to have an individual account or not.
  6. Substituting private accounts for guaranteed Social Security benefits increases financial risk for retirees, disabled workers and their families.
  7. Moreover, other proposals to privatize Social Security, such as the `Social Security Guarantee Plus` plan or the `Social Security Ownership and Guarantee` plan, establish private accounts that directly or indirectly reduce Social Security benefits.
Source: H.R.4780 02-H4780 on May 21, 2002

Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record.

Brown scores 100% by the ARA on senior issues

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. The Alliance believes that all older and retired persons have a responsibility to strive to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights and that retirement provides them with opportunities to pursue new and expanded activities with their unions, civic organizations and their communities.

The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization`s preferred position.

Source: ARA website 03n-ARA on Dec 31, 2003

Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age.

Brown signed the Social Security Protectors Pledge

Some 200 Democratic House and Senate candidates have signed on to a pledge rejecting any effort to privatize or scale back Social Security benefits or raise the retirement age. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee sponsored this pledge among Congressional candidates.

Source: PCCC Survey 10-PCCC on Aug 11, 2010

Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI".

Brown co-sponsored Resolution on CPI

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION expressing the sense of the Congress that the Chained Consumer Price Index (CPI) should not be used to adjust Social Security benefits.