FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
April 10, 2013 Jim Centner (412) 562-2575
President Obama’s Proposed Budget is Disappointing
Nation’s Debt Should Not Be Balanced on Backs of Seniors
The following statement was issued today by Jim Centner, Director of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR):
(Pittsburgh) -- President Obama’s budget proposal released today is disappointing. While we acknowledge that it does not change the Medicare eligibility age, it still targets those most vulnerable in our society.
Cuts to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and to Medicare programs places the burden of our nation’s debt unfairly on the back of seniors.
The proposed chained CPI formula to determine Social Security COLA benefits will mean an immediate, and long-lasting, benefit cut for millions of Social Security beneficiaries, including seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and others.
Social Security has not contributed a single penny to the federal deficit. The program is funded by workers’ and employers’ contributions and should be excluded from any budget discussion.
SOAR members are troubled by the inclusion of the chained CPI in the President’s budget. Using the chained CPI to cut Social Security COLA benefits in the name of deficit reduction wrongly burdens those that can least afford it.
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2 comments:
policy proposal is more than disappointing, it is a betrayal of workers once again. how many companies will wish to switch to chained cpi as opposed to cola next round of contract talks?
A good point, Gary. Never thought of that. Another point brought to my attention today is that people need to understand that the Chained CPI would mean the cut would affect two Social Security incomes in a family where both were on Social Security.
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