Commission Proposal Unfair to Retirees

In response to the defeat of recommendations by the leaders of the National Commission on Fiscal Reform and Responsibility today, SC Alliance for Retired Americans President Julie Harbin issued the following statement.

“South Carolina retirees temporarily dodged a bullet when Commission members today rejected their co-chairs’ proposal to drastically cut Social Security benefits and increase the retirement age. We should never try to balance the budget on the backs of current and future retirees, particularly when Social Security has not added one cent to the deficit.

“Now that the Commission has closed its doors, we hope that we can have a more honest debate on federal spending. While it was encouraging to hear panel members acknowledge there is no link between Social Security and the deficit, it was also galling that many of the Commission members pushing draconian cuts in Social Security are also the ones leading the fight to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

“Social Security is one of America’s greatest success stories, one that has kept generations of seniors out of poverty. We hope that today is the beginning of a new chapter in the debate on the future of retirement in America, one that seeks to strengthen – not weaken – the economic well-being of millions of seniors who are struggling to make ends meet.

“Social Security did not create our nation’s fiscal problems, nor should it be used to fix them.  On behalf of the members of the SC Alliance for Retired Americans, I want to thank the Commission members who had the courage to stand up for our nation’s retirees and workers.”