Yesterday, President Obama announced that it’s time to make “Social Security more generous so today’s retirees and future generations get the dignified retirement that they have earned.” Eric Kingson, candidate for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 24th congressional district, and co-founder of Social Security Works and the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, had this to say.
“I applaud President Obama for joining the growing movement in the Democratic Party to expand Social Security — for today’s seniors, workers, persons with severe disabilities, and for generations to come. With two-thirds of today’s working persons, especially those in their late 40s and 50s, facing a personal retirement income crisis, yes, it’s time to expand benefits. With the Social Security benefits for today’s seniors averaging just $14,000, today’s older Americans need benefit increases, and they need fairer cost-of-living adjustments. With the United States being one of only three nations that do not provide paid maternity benefits at birth or adoption, it’s long past time to add up to 12 weeks paid family and sick leave to our Social Security.
Hopefully, Representative John Katko and the Republican Party will also come to the realization that Americans — Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike — want to see benefits increased, not cut, not privatized as Speaker Paul Ryan has long advocated.
I am proud to play a leadership role in this movement. Social Security Works and the Strengthen Social Security Coalition of 300 organizations that Nancy Altman and I co-founded in 2009 is widely recognized as playing a central role in stopping cuts, and putting the goal of expanding Social Security on the map. I am proud of my colleagues at Social Security Works and the many organizations who worked side by side to change our nation’s discussion about the future of Social Security.”
Lauren Livingston, co-campaign manager, noted that “Eric is the only candidate for Congress in New York’s 24th District who, without being in Congress, has actually made a difference in the lives of everyone in the district. In Congress, Eric will keep fighting for everyone’s Social Security, and he will apply his knowledge of how to make change to many other concerns of Central New Yorkers — job development, infrastructure investment, renewable energy, education, debt reduction for college graduates and free college education.”
Late in May, the three candidates addressed this very issue during a debate on WRVO radio. When questioned about whether or not to remove the Social Security cap so that millionaires and billionaires make payroll contributions on all their earnings, just like everyone else who earns less than $118,500, both candidates running against Kingson were unable to give a specific answer, committing only to the possibility of considering it. After Deacon stated we should, “put all options on the table…we need to look at the cap,” Williams promptly challenged Deacon saying, “I don’t know what ‘we need to look at something’ means.’ ” Williams does not favor removing the cap but felt there “needs to be an economic study.” Grant Reeher, host of WRVO’s Campbell conversations was quick to point out that also, “sounds like we’re taking a look at it.”