Two Strikes for Social Security
Millions of Americans are still waiting for answers
John Locher/AP
The candidates have largely steered clear of Social Security.
You may have strong feelings about who won last night’s debate, but here’s who lost: 170 million Americans who work hard, pay into Social Security and wonder if it will be there when they need it.
Once again, we had a presidential debate without a single question on Social Security. Instead, the concerns of millions of Americans were ignored in favor of a nasty, personal verbal brawl.
Now, as the 2016 presidential campaign goes into its final weeks, millions of Americans are still waiting for answers.
And you can bet this issue is going to end up on the next president’s desk. If our leaders don’t commit to act, future retirees could lose up to $10,000 per year.
But the candidates have largely steered clear of Social Security. Yes, they’ve put out some information, and that’s good. But most of it’s way too general. Neither candidate has laid out the details of how he or she would keep Social Security financially sound.
By failing to ask a single question about this program, the debate moderators ignored thousands of voters who reached out to them directly on Facebook and Twitter — voters who urged Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz to press the candidates on how they would show leadership and really fix Social Security.
I’ve met voters like them all over the country, people who care about the financial security of their kids and grandkids. They deserve to know how their family — and all Americans — would be affected by the candidates’ plans.
And they still have no real idea.
Video: Before You Vote: Take A Stand - Before you vote, make sure you know where your candidate stands on Social Security.
Twice now, debate moderators have overlooked how important this issue is to voters.
A battleground AARP survey of boomer women found that 71 percent want the next president and Congress to address Social Security immediately. It also showed how badly the program has been overlooked in this campaign, with more than two-thirds of respondents saying they had heard nothing about the candidates’ plans.
But we still have one more chance. The final presidential debate is scheduled for October 19, and Take a Stand is keeping up the push to focus on Social Security.
But we need your help. If you go to this link, you can send moderator Chris Wallace a message on the critical need to ask the candidates a question about Social Security.
Time is running short, and the stakes are high.
Voters deserve to get their questions about Social Security answered before Election Day.
