Social Security

I will work hard with the President and Congress to ensure that this legislation remains for as long as possible while we explore new options for retirement for Americans that want it. 

For decades now, the social security system in this country has existed as an agreement between the generations to financially support one another. Before the social security program older people were either supported by their children or lived in what we called “poorhouses” for seniors.

I’ve traveled to developing nations and seen firsthand what it’s like for a country to be without a social security program or Medicare program; without a program to assist seniors and disabled persons. It’s not pretty. Social security remains the foundation of economic security for millions in this country.

Just a few years ago, 63+ million Americans collected social security. It’s hard to imagine what they would have done without it. With people living longer now more than ever it’s going to be important to make sure the social security program stays replenished and preserved. 

As it stands, our senators want to reform social security when their only job is to make sure it stays replenished. We also need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to add to the labor force and create new sources of revenue so that we can be sure to meet the number of future beneficiaries without raising payroll taxes. 

We must not forget. It was after seeing the impact of the Great Depression on millions of Americans’ lives that President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted social security in 1935. It was for the elderly, the unemployed, and the disadvantaged based on a lifetime of work. It’s what allowed my grandmother, Annie Mae Robinson from Laurel, Mississippi, to have hope in raising her seven children alone after my grandfather died. President Roosevelt created what he believed would be a perfect, permanent financial net for Americans. It’s not much, but it’s more than what Americans would have had if they chose to live in other less fortunate parts of the world. 

As a future U.S. Senator, it would be my proud duty to: 

• Ensure that social security remains for years to come as President Franklin D. Roosevelt intended and to reject any idea or proposal for cuts or removal without replacement

• Support and encourage 401Ks and IRAs as retirement options only for Americans who can afford them or want them

• Ensure the program remains vital and strong