By Anna Cameron
As the menace of potential cuts to Social Security looms, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and his Democratic colleagues gathered in ardent support of the federal program as they introduced the Social Security Protection Act Tuesday.
“Let us be very clear - I think sometimes we take it for granted,” said Sen. Sanders. “Social Security is the most successful federal program in our nation’s history.”
In an effort to reduce the deficit and reign in federal spending, GOP legislators and certain White House aides have suggested cuts to Social Security, in addition to potential privatization of the program and a raise of the retirement age.
However, Democrats insist that consideration of Social Security in light of deficit reduction makes little sense.
“This a phony way to solve the deficit crisis because there is no deficit in Social Security,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.)
“Social Security has not contributed one nickel to the federal budget deficit or the national debt,” added Sanders. “In fact, Social Security today has a $2.6 trillion surplus that is projected to grow to $4.2 trillion in 2023.”
Similar to the point of order requirement in S.245, the Social Security Protection Act would establish a point of order against any legislation that threatened to reduce benefits, raise the retirement age, or privatize the program. Such an order could only be waived by a two-thirds vote in the Senate and the House.
“We want to make sure that any deliberations related to Social Security have…due diligence,…have real thought, and [are] not…caught up in the passions of whatever is the current fad of reckless and impetuous and swashbuckling cuts,” asserted Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.).