The last time Congress made changes to Social Security was 40 years ago. Unfortunately, Congressman Juan Ciscomani and his extremist Republican colleagues continue to threaten this program that millions of Americans rely on. Their proposed reform plan would mean less money for people who’ve worked their entire lives – all to protect a sweetheart tax deal for their wealthiest donors.
Social Security is a sacred trust. Working people contribute to Social Security with every paycheck. With those contributions, workers earn benefits when they lose income due to retirement, disability, or the death of a family member.
Nearly one in five Arizona residents — 1,433,237 people — receives Social Security. Almost half of Arizona seniors rely on Social Security’s guaranteed benefits for at least 50 percent of their income.
How Ciscomani will destroy Social Security
Rep. Ciscomani wants to break that guarantee. He is a proud member of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a group that recently released its 2024 budget plan. Their plan would raise the retirement age to 69, which is equivalent to a 13 percent benefit cut. The RSC claims Americans should simply work longer. That’s not an option for the millions of Americans who work physically demanding jobs, are in poor health, or are forced out of the workforce by age discrimination.
Nor is that the only benefit cut in the Ciscomani/RSC plan. The plan changes the formula for how Social Security benefits are calculated so that middle-class workers get less of what they pay in. This will turn Social Security into a flat, poverty-level benefit that is no longer linked to how much you contributed during your working years.
Our Social Security system faces insolvency in about a decade, which will lead to an automatic reduction in benefits. Congress must act to protect this program, but the Ciscomani/RSC plan will gut Social Security as we know it.
The good news is that we can raise the needed revenue by requiring the wealthy to pay their fair share. Currently, 94 percent of workers pay into Social Security all year long. But people who make $1,000,000 a year stop contributing in February! If the wealthiest Americans pay into Social Security at the same rate as the rest of us, we can afford to not just protect Social Security, but also increase benefits.
Ciscomani sabotages Social Security
Not only is Ciscomani plotting to cut Social Security’s earned benefits, he’s also sabotaging the program. Ciscomani and his Republican colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee recently released a budget that drastically cuts funding for the already severely underfunded Social Security Administration (SSA).
Since 2010, Congress has reduced SSA’s funding by 16 percent — even as the number of Social Security beneficiaries has grown by 22 percent. As a result, the agency has closed field offices and laid off thousands of workers. Beneficiaries are forced to wait hours at offices and on the phone to claim their hard-earned benefits. Tens of thousands of Americans a year die while waiting for a hearing to claim Social Security disability benefits.
The House Appropriations Committee budget would make an already unacceptable situation into a catastrophe by cutting SSA’s budget by a further $183 million. Ciscomani also voted for the Default on America Act, which would have made even larger cuts to SSA’s budget but thankfully did not become law.
By working to cut and sabotage Social Security, Ciscomani is serving the interests of his donors, not his voters. Democratic, Republican, and Independent voters are all overwhelmingly opposed to cutting Social Security. The people of Arizona’s sixth congressional district deserve a leader who will fight to protect and expand, never cut, Social Security’s guaranteed benefits.
Kirsten Engel is a former legislator, attorney, professor, wife, and mother running to bring her experience, drive, and determination to Washington. There, she’ll fight to make our community a better, safer, and more equitable place for every family and child.
For more information visit www.KirstenEngel.com.
Has this Congressman ever stated publicly that Biden won the election Fair & square? Has he ever stated whether he agrees with the 100 million plus boondoggle of Ducey buying and sending box cars to the border? Has he acknowledged that box car stunt was illegal?
Well, looks like JC thinks the path to re-election is sympathy for Trump. I’m beginning to think JC is an idiot.
Rep. Ciscomani voices concerns amid new Trump indictment charges
Katie Burkholder Aug 15, 2023 Updated Aug 16, 2023 2
TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – Following in the footsteps of many others from Arizona, Representative Juan Ciscomani released a brief but coarse statement Tuesday evening on the newest additions to the Trump indictment.
“I’m deeply concerned about partisanship and a double standard creeping into our justice system,” Ciscomani stated.
“Timing and political partisanship cloud the merit of these charges with doubt which can erode the trust of Americans in our legal system. Our standard should always be equal justice under the law.”
For too long the Repugs have been touching the so called “third rail” of Social Security without paying a commensurate price. Past time to supercharge that third rail so anyone who touches it suffers a horrible political death. Supercharging as in relentlessly pounding the electorate through TV & social media with the truth and the consequences of Repuglican Social Security plans & policies.
Understand the Democratic party plans on making abortion their main 2024 argument. Just as much emphasis should be made on Social Security.
It used to that committing treason and otherwise working against the interests of constituents would guarantee a quick end to a political career; now, it seem a be a requirement for an R nomination.
A large part of why some political careers don’t end the way they deserve to is most of the media is obsessed with false equivalency “both sides” reporting. Seems our major media players such as cable news & print outlets are deathly allergic to reporting the facts/truth and letting the chips fall where they may.