Elizabeth Warren Wants to Expand Social Security

[n2doc]

by ALLIE JONES

Congress has to pass a budget by roughly December 13. Republicans want to cut Social Security benefits; Democrats want to cut benefits as long as they can also raise taxes on the wealthy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren doesn't want to do any of that. In a floor speech Monday afternoon, she insisted that the federal government could increase benefits.

"Today, Social Security has a $2.7 trillion surplus," the Massachusetts Democrat argued. "If we do nothing, Social Security will be safe for the next 20 years and even after that will continue to pay most benefits. With some modest adjustments, we can keep the system solvent for many more years — and could even increase benefits."

Warren insists that there is a retirement crisis, and that cutting benefits is not the way to fix it. She called out Democrats (including President Obama) who support "chained CPI" — a less generous way of calculating cost-of-living adjustments to Social Security benefits:

Supporters of the chained CPI say that it’s a more accurate way of measuring cost of living increases for seniors. That statement is simply not true. Chained CPI falls short of the actual increases in costs that seniors face, pure and simple. Chained CPI? It’s just a fancy way of saying cut benefits.

This speech shows the increasing divide in the Democratic party over economic issues — one that Warren is happy to call attention to, apparently. In the 2016 fantasy, Warren is the populist progressive in favor of financial regulation and social programs, while Hillary Clinton is the center-left liberal sitting in the pocket of big Wall Street donors.

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http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/11/elizabeth-warren-wants-expand-social-security/71728/

[NYC_SKP]

1. Please run for POTUS, Senator. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Amen!

Change we can believe in. In the right direction, that is.

[blue14u]

3. She will have my vote!

I will write her in if she is not on the ballot...

[silvershadow]

4. Good on her. It is much needed. That should also take the wind out of the sails of

the chained-CPI crap.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. I say we lower the age to 55 and open up the job market to younger workers....

Companies are dropping them to avoid paying their pensions and health care and the job market is flooded with these Al Bundy types that are in terrible physical condition who would drop dead if they had to do anything too strenuous.

[FogerRox]

11. Feeling hate for older people

Sorry pal, I aint done yet, If you and your types want to take me down, do it with a gun, cause I am NOT FUCKING going to take that shit without a flight.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. LOL!! Sounds like someone I know....

He's a high school English teacher who's been at it for almost 40 years.

I asked him if he plans to keep at it until he's too old to enjoy his retirement.

It's not the JOB he loves. It's more like "Breaking Bad" where he's watching the retirement money pile up. (It just passed a million).

[SHRED]

6. Flat tax for Social Security, across the board, at all income levels...solved.

[ReRe]

7. K&R

In praise of Sen Elizabeth Warren!

Allie Jones is cute and intelligent and all, and she had me right up to the Hillary Clinton "center-left liberal bit. My mind did a boomerang "bow-ingggg," and my eyes crossed when she said that. "Huhhhh?" I wouldn't call her liberal at all. Center Democrat, yeah. "Left liberal?" Hell, no!

This is the way they've got us. All things lead back to 2016, even if it's a story reporting what Elizabeth Warren said, re Social Security. It's like they have all been told to work 2016 into their reporting, even if it's an article about Donald Duck at Disneyland. I took an oath to not discuss 2016, and here I'm K&Ring an article with 2016 in it.

2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014! 2014!

[Scuba]

8. Thank you Elizabeth! Please, please, please consider running for President!

[Wilms]

9. ^

[Laelth]

10. k&r for Elizabeth Warren. n/t

-Laelth

[FogerRox]

12. U go girl, KnR.