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Senator Lindsey Graham Answers Questions from AARP Concerning Social Security

360 views · Published 27 August 2015 · 2:34 · Indexed 23 October 2026

Channel: RFD-TV · 2015 · Entertainment

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Q: Tony Volay from AARP:  As you mentioned, we know that rural America is more dependent on income from Social Security than our cities. What is your plan, specifically, to address Social Security's financial shortfall? And what place does it currently occupy on your to-do list when you become president?

A: Senator Lindsey Graham: The first thing on my to-do list is to go after the terrorists before they come back here. Rebuild our military, because that's the first obligation in general of the federal government. Being a commander and chief worthy of the sacrifice of the 1% that have been fighting this war for a decade, including the Iowa National Guard, who've deployed over 17,000 people to Iraq and Afghanistan. So to rebuild the military in decline. Have you heard of Simpson-Bowles? Well what it is, is a bipartisan proposal to save Social Security Medicare from bankruptcy. Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill, in 1983, adjusted the age of retirement of Social Security from 65 to 67. They did some other things to save it for 35 years. What would I do, sir? Anything to save Social Security. Here's my proposal. Younger people are going to have to work a little bit longer because we all live longer before you enter into Social Security. When it comes to people at my income level, we'll have to give up some of our money to make sure it's there for the people in rural America. My aunt, my uncle, people like I grew up with, they need the money more than I do. We need people at my income level to give up a few hundred bucks a month to make sure that the money is there for those who need it the most. If we'll do these things now, we'll save Social Security. Because when the baby boomers get through the system, we're good to go. We've got to get 80 million of us through Medicare and Social Security. That means some of us who can afford to, are going to have give up some promised benefits, and younger people will have to work a little bit longer. Because Social Security is worth saving. I've been on both ends of the stick. I've been at a time in my life where every penny meant the world to my family. I'm at a point now where I could give a little bit up, and I would. And there's no way to save Social Security without bipartisanship. There's no way to grow your way out of this mess, or cut your way out of this mess.

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