Issue Position: Social Security & Our Seniors

Issue Position

I believe we need to strengthen and expand Social Security benefits for our seniors. About a third of Maine's seniors are living solely on Social Security, and the current benefits are not covering their cost of living. Hunger is a growing problem among Maine seniors. In the twenty-first century, there's no reason for retirees to go hungry to protect the very wealthy.

Eliminating the Social Security Tax Break for the Very Wealthy

Social Security is funded by an outdated system that caps taxpayer contributions to a percentage of the first $117,000 they earn. That means millionaires and even billionaires pay the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes . . . $117,000 a year. Nobody thinks it's fair, everybody knows it has to change -- and Congress hasn't done anything about it. I support a solution called "Scrap the Cap" that eliminates the taxable cap and makes sure the highest-paid Americans pay their fair share. This is the fiscally responsible way to expand Social Security benefits.

Expanding Benefits to Meet People's Needs

I am passionate about strengthening and expanding Social Security benefits for our seniors and future generations. About a third of Maine's seniors are living solely on Social Security, and the current benefits are not covering their cost of living. Hunger is a growing problem among Maine seniors. In the twenty-first century, there's no reason for retirees to go hungry to protect the very wealthy.

I support legislation that would expand Social Security benefits like the "Strengthening Social Security Act of 2013 and the RAISE Act, which helps widows, widowers, divorcees and the children of deceased disability benefit recipients. Benefits should be linked with a more realistic Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers that takes into account the high costs seniors face with healthcare and housing. We need to ensure meaningful cost of living increases.

With corporations cutting worker pensions, Social Security benefits are more important than ever. We can't cut our way to prosperity. As Maine's next U.S. Senator, I will stand up for seniors to strengthen Social Security benefits, not cut them.

More Cuts Won't Work

My opponent, Republican Susan Collins, has voted multiple times to cut Social Security benefits. She voted against including a $250 benefit check to Social Security recipients as part of the Recovery Act. In 2011 she voted for a radical Republican budget that would have cut $624 million from the Social Security Administration and caused staff furloughs - a measure that thankfully failed when the Democratic Senate majority said no. That same year she voted against ending debate on an even more extreme plan that, as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said in a legislative analysis, "would inexorably subject Social Security and Medicare to deep reductions."

I strongly oppose privatization of Social Security and proposals like means testing or raising the retirement age that would undermine the fundamental promise of Social Security.

Strengthening Medicare

My mother is a home healthcare nurse, and I have learned a lot from her about the challenges and opportunities in our healthcare system. I believe that healthcare is a human right, and I support universal healthcare access for all Americans at every stage of life. Medicare, in its 50th anniversary, has demonstrated that we can provide universal, affordable coverage that preserves patient choice and reduces administrative costs. I support expansion of Medicare to cover all Americans in a universal, single-payer healthcare system that lowers costs and allows for more effective medical fraud prevention.

To strengthen our existing Medicare system, we should allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies to reduce costs. I support strengthening the benefits provided for long-term care to allow seniors to stay in their homes and receive quality care that is lower cost in the long run than institutionalized care. I will always stand up for the provisions of Medicare that make it so successful including preservation of patient choice to use the doctors they trust and coverage of a broad set of defined benefits.

Civil & Economic Rights for Seniors

As a civil rights leader with the American Civil Liberties Union, I have been a longtime advocate for ending discrimination, including age-based discrimination, in employment, housing and education. I was proud to partner with the AARP to successfully oppose a voter ID in Maine, and I will be a leader on voting rights at the national level to ensure that seniors are not denied their constitutional right to vote.

At the ACLU I also advocated for family medical leave policies that included caregivers, and I will advocate for policies at the federal level that support paid leave for caregivers. I will also support expansion of health insurance coverage to provide comprehensive coverage for long-term care, so that we can lower costs and preserve quality care for seniors and people with disabilities in their homes.

Seniors have so much to give to our communities, and as U.S. Senator, I will support job training programs like the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) to help adults 55 and older get the job training and assistance they need to find good work. I will work to strengthen and expand intergenerational engagement in our communities through support for the Corporation for National Service and programs like Senior Corps, ENcorps and RSVP. As an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, I saw firsthand how paid volunteer service benefits communities in need. As a VISTA volunteer I worked to create incentives for saving, including individual development accounts for youth, and I will support legislation that makes it easier for families to save for their retirement. We can grow our economy and promote financial independence for our seniors by expanding employment, training and savings opportunities for our seniors.

At the same time, we must be sure to support the social safety net that protects our most vulnerable seniors. I will be a strong advocate for expansion of SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps, and federal funding for food and heating assistance programs that protect our friends and neighbors.

I will always be a strong advocate for civil rights and economic security for Maine's seniors today and for generations to come.

The people of Maine know what we need: expanded Social Security benefits funded by the very wealthy paying their fair share. That's going to take stronger leadership for retirees and Social Security recipients, and that's what I'll provide as your next Senator.

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