From Arizona GOP National Committeeman BRUCE ASH:
Hillary Refuses To Address Social Security Solvency Even As First Of 80 Million Baby Boomers Files For Benefits
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On Monday, The First Baby Boomer Filed For Social Security Benefits, Triggering Flood Of Federal Spending:
On October 15th, The First Baby Boomer Filed To Collect Social Security Benefits. "Kathleen Casey-Kirschling filed for early retirement Monday, becoming the first baby boomer to start collecting Social Security. Born one second after midnight in January 1946, the retired teacher leads the way for as many as 80 million individuals who will qualify for the retirement payout." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
"David Walker, The Comptroller General Of The Government Accountability Office, Congress' Legislative Arm, Warned The Social Security System Will Soon Have More Recipients Coming Than It Can Afford To Pay Out." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
Walker: "We face a tsunami of spending due primarily to the retirement of the baby boom generation and rising health care costs. ... So what's happened is we've gone from 16 workers paying into Social Security for every person drawing benefits in 1950 to 3.3 to one today, and we're going down to two to one by the time the boomers retire in big numbers and that's about where it will stay over the long run." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
"Under Current Law, Social Security Won't Have Enough Money To Pay Promised Benefits In 2041..." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
Social Security Hasn't Been A Priority For Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY):
Sen. Clinton: "Social Security is a problem, but it's not in my top five ..." (Thomas M. DeFrank, "Party Gotta Fight Back, Sez Hillary," [New York] Daily News, 4/12/05)
Sen. Clinton: "The so-called 'crisis' in Social Security does not exist. We do face two crises, in my opinion. We face the fiscal debt/economic crisis and we face a crisis in the funding of Medicare and health care. But Social Security is a problem we can deal with if we do so honestly." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Remarks At Brandeis University's Rabb Seminar, 1/23/05)
FLASHBACK: Then-First Lady Clinton: "[O]ne of the most critical challenges of our time [is] preserving and strengthening Social Security for future generations." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At White House Event On Social Security, Washington D.C., 2/17/99)
Hillary's Plan To Preserve Social Security Is Unclear At Best:
The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore: "Hillary Clinton's Plan To Rescue Social Security From Financial Disaster Is As Clear As Mud." (Stephen Moore, Op-Ed, "Hillary's Entitlement Bailout Tax?," Opinion Journal''s "Political Diary," 9/7/07)
The Washington Post: "The Candidate Has No Plan To Fix Social Security." (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
Hillary Says "We Must Make Bold Decisions Now" To Save Social Security, But "She Just Won't Tell Us What Those Bold Decisions Are." "So just what is Mrs. Clinton's Social Security plan? Here's Hillary on the subject one last time: 'It's in all our interests to preserve and strengthen Social Security into the next century. And if we don't want to burden our children and grandchildren -- if we want to make sure S ocial Security remains solvent well into the 21st century -- we must make bold decisions now.' She just won't tell us what those bold decisions are." (Stephen Moore, Op-Ed, "Hillary's Entitlement Bailout Tax?," Opinion Journal''s "Political Diary," 9/7/07)
Hillary Makes It Sound As If "Nothing Ails Social Security That A Little Bit of Fiscal Responsibility Wouldn't Cure." "But listening to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), you'd think nothing ails Social Security that a little bit of fiscal responsibility wouldn't cure. If something more is needed, Ms. Clinton isn't saying what. Private accounts are off the table and, Ms. Clinton adds, cutting benefits or raising the retirement age is 'not an answer.'" (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
The Washington Post: "Fiscal Responsibility First Is Fine; Fiscal Responsibility Only Is An Irresponsible Dodge, As Ms. Clinton Well Knows." (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
The Washington Times: "How Are We To Pay For This? Via Mrs. Clinton's Promise, Most Of The Answers Are Off The Table." (Editorial, "Hillary's $7 Trillion Promise," The Washington Times, 9/6/07)
Hillary Has Dodged Questions On How She'd Ensure Social Security's Solvency:
"Clinton Dodged The Question When Asked Publicly, As She Has On Several Other Topics In Debates And During Campaign Stops." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
When Asked At The Last Debate About Her Plan For Fixing Social Security, Hillary Repeatedly Avoided The Question And Refused To Offer Any Specifics. Tim Russert: "But you would not take lifting the cap at $97,500 off the table?" Hillary: "Well, I'd take everything off the table until we move toward fiscal responsibility and before we have a bipartisan process. I don't think I should be negotiating about what I would do as president. You know, I want to see what other people come to the table with." ... Russert: "So, Senator, a simple question, a simple question: What do you put on the table [for solving Social Security]?" ... Hillary: "I'm not putting anything on the proverbial table until we move toward fiscal responsibility." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, MSNBC Democrat Presidential C andidate Debate, Hanover, NH, 9/26/07)
NBC's Chuck Todd: "[O]n Social Security ... Hillary Wouldn't Answer The Question Because She's Absolutely Only Thinking About The General [Election], About Taxes." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
RELIVING HISTORY: MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "Bill Clinton never took a position on reform of any entitlement program. ... [I]t's a very cynical move because you're saying to the public I am not telling you anything I intend to do." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
Other Democrat Presidential Candidates Have Criticized Hillary's Unwillingness To Provide Specifics:
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Attacked Hillary's Social Security Plan, Calling It "Politician Double-Talk." Edwards: "[T]he American people deserve to hear the truth. They have heard so much politician double-talk on this issue." (Former Sen. John Edwards, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Hanover, NH, 9/26/07)
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Was "Stunned" At Hillary's Unwillingness To Tackle The Social Security Issue. Dodd: "So, I'm rather stunned that we had, sort of, this vague, unwillingness to be clear about what you would specifically do on a major fiscal issue in the country." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
Hillary Has Privately Hinted She'd Raise Taxes To Fund Social Security Solvency:
Hillary Privately Told An Iowa Voter She's Considering Lifting The Income Cap For Social Security Taxes. "Hillary Rodham Clinton has given a private clue on an issue she has refused to discuss publicly how to preserve Social Security in the long term. The Democratic presidential contender told an Iowa voter she would be willing to consider an idea that her Democratic rival John Edwards has been promoting raising Social Security taxes on high-income earners. ... She told him she didn't want to put an additional tax burden on the middle class but would consider a 'gap,' with no Social Security taxes on income from $97,500 to around $200,000. Anything above that could be taxed." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
When The Campaign Was Asked About Clinton's Private Suggestion Of Lifting The Cap, Spokesman Howard Wolfson Failed To Provide A Substantive Answer. "Asked for an explanation of Clinton's thinking, spokesman Howard Wolfson said in an e-mail Thursday, 'There are many ideas that are worthy of discussion, but Senator Clinton believes that we need to first focus on fiscal responsibility.' Neither Wolfson nor Clinton explained what that would entail." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
FLASHBACK: President Clinton Hit Seniors In His First Year In Office By Increasing Taxes On Social Security Benefits:
In 1993, President Clinton Increased The Portion Of Taxable Social Security Benefits To A Staggering 85%; Raising Taxes On Seniors Earning Barely More Than $34,000 Per Year. "[P]resident Bill Clinton's 1993 tax increase ... hiked taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors. ... Prior to 1993, seniors paid taxes on half their Social Security benefits if their combined income exceeded $25,000 for individuals or $32,000 for couples. But in 1993, the portion of taxable Social Security benefits increased to 85%, as individuals with incomes above $34,000 and couples with incomes above $44,000 became subject to the higher rate of taxation." (Americans For Tax Reform Website, www.atr.org, Accessed 9/19/07)
"Critics Say That Tax Levels At 85% Are Not Only Immoral, But Provide A Strong Disincentive For Seniors To Save Or Continue Working." (Americans For Tax Reform Website, www.atr.org, Accessed 9/19/07)
Sen. Hillary Clinton Has Voted At Least Twice Against Repealing Her Husband's 1993 Tax Increase On Social Security Benefits. (S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #74: Adopted 55-45: R 50-5; D 5-39; I 0-1, 3/17/05, Clinton Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #94: Rejected 48-51: R 48-3; D 0-47; I 0-1, 3/25/03, Clinton Voted Nay)
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On Monday, The First Baby Boomer Filed For Social Security Benefits, Triggering Flood Of Federal Spending:
On October 15th, The First Baby Boomer Filed To Collect Social Security Benefits. "Kathleen Casey-Kirschling filed for early retirement Monday, becoming the first baby boomer to start collecting Social Security. Born one second after midnight in January 1946, the retired teacher leads the way for as many as 80 million individuals who will qualify for the retirement payout." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
"David Walker, The Comptroller General Of The Government Accountability Office, Congress' Legislative Arm, Warned The Social Security System Will Soon Have More Recipients Coming Than It Can Afford To Pay Out." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
Walker: "We face a tsunami of spending due primarily to the retirement of the baby boom generation and rising health care costs. ... So what's happened is we've gone from 16 workers paying into Social Security for every person drawing benefits in 1950 to 3.3 to one today, and we're going down to two to one by the time the boomers retire in big numbers and that's about where it will stay over the long run." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
"Under Current Law, Social Security Won't Have Enough Money To Pay Promised Benefits In 2041..." ("First Baby Boomer Files For Social Security Benefits," www.foxnews.com, 10/15/07)
Social Security Hasn't Been A Priority For Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY):
Sen. Clinton: "Social Security is a problem, but it's not in my top five ..." (Thomas M. DeFrank, "Party Gotta Fight Back, Sez Hillary," [New York] Daily News, 4/12/05)
Sen. Clinton: "The so-called 'crisis' in Social Security does not exist. We do face two crises, in my opinion. We face the fiscal debt/economic crisis and we face a crisis in the funding of Medicare and health care. But Social Security is a problem we can deal with if we do so honestly." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Remarks At Brandeis University's Rabb Seminar, 1/23/05)
FLASHBACK: Then-First Lady Clinton: "[O]ne of the most critical challenges of our time [is] preserving and strengthening Social Security for future generations." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At White House Event On Social Security, Washington D.C., 2/17/99)
Hillary's Plan To Preserve Social Security Is Unclear At Best:
The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore: "Hillary Clinton's Plan To Rescue Social Security From Financial Disaster Is As Clear As Mud." (Stephen Moore, Op-Ed, "Hillary's Entitlement Bailout Tax?," Opinion Journal''s "Political Diary," 9/7/07)
The Washington Post: "The Candidate Has No Plan To Fix Social Security." (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
Hillary Says "We Must Make Bold Decisions Now" To Save Social Security, But "She Just Won't Tell Us What Those Bold Decisions Are." "So just what is Mrs. Clinton's Social Security plan? Here's Hillary on the subject one last time: 'It's in all our interests to preserve and strengthen Social Security into the next century. And if we don't want to burden our children and grandchildren -- if we want to make sure S ocial Security remains solvent well into the 21st century -- we must make bold decisions now.' She just won't tell us what those bold decisions are." (Stephen Moore, Op-Ed, "Hillary's Entitlement Bailout Tax?," Opinion Journal''s "Political Diary," 9/7/07)
Hillary Makes It Sound As If "Nothing Ails Social Security That A Little Bit of Fiscal Responsibility Wouldn't Cure." "But listening to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), you'd think nothing ails Social Security that a little bit of fiscal responsibility wouldn't cure. If something more is needed, Ms. Clinton isn't saying what. Private accounts are off the table and, Ms. Clinton adds, cutting benefits or raising the retirement age is 'not an answer.'" (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
The Washington Post: "Fiscal Responsibility First Is Fine; Fiscal Responsibility Only Is An Irresponsible Dodge, As Ms. Clinton Well Knows." (Editorial, "Sen. Clinton's Empty Table," The Washington Post, 10/1/07)
The Washington Times: "How Are We To Pay For This? Via Mrs. Clinton's Promise, Most Of The Answers Are Off The Table." (Editorial, "Hillary's $7 Trillion Promise," The Washington Times, 9/6/07)
Hillary Has Dodged Questions On How She'd Ensure Social Security's Solvency:
"Clinton Dodged The Question When Asked Publicly, As She Has On Several Other Topics In Debates And During Campaign Stops." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
When Asked At The Last Debate About Her Plan For Fixing Social Security, Hillary Repeatedly Avoided The Question And Refused To Offer Any Specifics. Tim Russert: "But you would not take lifting the cap at $97,500 off the table?" Hillary: "Well, I'd take everything off the table until we move toward fiscal responsibility and before we have a bipartisan process. I don't think I should be negotiating about what I would do as president. You know, I want to see what other people come to the table with." ... Russert: "So, Senator, a simple question, a simple question: What do you put on the table [for solving Social Security]?" ... Hillary: "I'm not putting anything on the proverbial table until we move toward fiscal responsibility." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, MSNBC Democrat Presidential C andidate Debate, Hanover, NH, 9/26/07)
NBC's Chuck Todd: "[O]n Social Security ... Hillary Wouldn't Answer The Question Because She's Absolutely Only Thinking About The General [Election], About Taxes." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
RELIVING HISTORY: MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "Bill Clinton never took a position on reform of any entitlement program. ... [I]t's a very cynical move because you're saying to the public I am not telling you anything I intend to do." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
Other Democrat Presidential Candidates Have Criticized Hillary's Unwillingness To Provide Specifics:
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Attacked Hillary's Social Security Plan, Calling It "Politician Double-Talk." Edwards: "[T]he American people deserve to hear the truth. They have heard so much politician double-talk on this issue." (Former Sen. John Edwards, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Hanover, NH, 9/26/07)
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Was "Stunned" At Hillary's Unwillingness To Tackle The Social Security Issue. Dodd: "So, I'm rather stunned that we had, sort of, this vague, unwillingness to be clear about what you would specifically do on a major fiscal issue in the country." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 9/26/07)
Hillary Has Privately Hinted She'd Raise Taxes To Fund Social Security Solvency:
Hillary Privately Told An Iowa Voter She's Considering Lifting The Income Cap For Social Security Taxes. "Hillary Rodham Clinton has given a private clue on an issue she has refused to discuss publicly how to preserve Social Security in the long term. The Democratic presidential contender told an Iowa voter she would be willing to consider an idea that her Democratic rival John Edwards has been promoting raising Social Security taxes on high-income earners. ... She told him she didn't want to put an additional tax burden on the middle class but would consider a 'gap,' with no Social Security taxes on income from $97,500 to around $200,000. Anything above that could be taxed." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
When The Campaign Was Asked About Clinton's Private Suggestion Of Lifting The Cap, Spokesman Howard Wolfson Failed To Provide A Substantive Answer. "Asked for an explanation of Clinton's thinking, spokesman Howard Wolfson said in an e-mail Thursday, 'There are many ideas that are worthy of discussion, but Senator Clinton believes that we need to first focus on fiscal responsibility.' Neither Wolfson nor Clinton explained what that would entail." (Nedra Pickler, "Clinton Weighs Social Security Tax 'Gap,'" The Associated Press, 10/12/07)
FLASHBACK: President Clinton Hit Seniors In His First Year In Office By Increasing Taxes On Social Security Benefits:
In 1993, President Clinton Increased The Portion Of Taxable Social Security Benefits To A Staggering 85%; Raising Taxes On Seniors Earning Barely More Than $34,000 Per Year. "[P]resident Bill Clinton's 1993 tax increase ... hiked taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors. ... Prior to 1993, seniors paid taxes on half their Social Security benefits if their combined income exceeded $25,000 for individuals or $32,000 for couples. But in 1993, the portion of taxable Social Security benefits increased to 85%, as individuals with incomes above $34,000 and couples with incomes above $44,000 became subject to the higher rate of taxation." (Americans For Tax Reform Website, www.atr.org, Accessed 9/19/07)
"Critics Say That Tax Levels At 85% Are Not Only Immoral, But Provide A Strong Disincentive For Seniors To Save Or Continue Working." (Americans For Tax Reform Website, www.atr.org, Accessed 9/19/07)
Sen. Hillary Clinton Has Voted At Least Twice Against Repealing Her Husband's 1993 Tax Increase On Social Security Benefits. (S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #74: Adopted 55-45: R 50-5; D 5-39; I 0-1, 3/17/05, Clinton Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #94: Rejected 48-51: R 48-3; D 0-47; I 0-1, 3/25/03, Clinton Voted Nay)
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