Social Security Roundup for 2/22

I’m writing a series of posts as a blogging fellow for the Strengthen Social Security Campaign, a coalition of more than 270 national and state organizations. This first post is an introduction to the series of posts I’ll be writing which will keep you informed about Social Security, the impact of the program and proposed changes on Florida and the future of the program. There will be posts that include both commentary and round-ups of the latest news.

Before going forward, I want to talk about the basic principles that will guide my series of posts and my commentary:

-Social Security is something that the people are entitled to, both by law and by basic human rights.

-Social Security is a successful program that took the senior population in the U.S. from one of the poorest groups of seniors in the world to one of the wealthiest.

-Social Security does not add to the deficit, not one cent. It has a dedicated revenue stream.

-There is no Social Security crisis. There is a potential partial shortfall in nearly 30 years and no problem with the program in the present.

-Draconian cuts and significant changes do not need to be made to the program. Ever.

-The solution to the potential problems with Social Security involve increasing revenues, not in making cuts.

-I oppose all cuts in benefits, raising the retirement age, cutting cost of living adjustments and the privatization of Social Security.

-Social Security benefits are already modest and cuts would cause damage to the most vulnerable seniors.

-Social Security is particularly important to minorities and suggestions that minorities get a “bad deal” from Social Security ignore facts and are based on a significant misinterpretation of statistics.

-Any support by Democratic politicians for any cuts or privatization of Social Security is a disasterous idea that will not only hurt Americans, it will be an electoral disaster.

So, I will start doing story and commentary roundups tomorrow, with these premises as my guide…