AARP announced today its strong endorsement of bipartisan legislation to combat age discrimination and defend the rights of older individuals in the workplace.
Remember just last year—an election year—when political leaders in Washington and on the campaign trail told us they would not cut Social Security benefits for people currently in the program? Now, President Obama is pushing a budget deal that includes a proposal called “chained CPI,” a fancy Washington term that really means cutting Social Security and veterans’ benefits, and increasing taxes for most taxpayers. The chained CPI would cut the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security and veterans’ benefits by $146 billion in the first 10 years alone, while also raising taxes by $124 billion.
As our state struggles with difficult budget decisions, it is essential that these decisions reflect the underlying values and priorities upon which a budget is built. How and where we spend money on health care and the needs of the poor and our vulnerable neighbors are directly and inextricably linked to economic challenges.