Editor: Senator Elizabeth Warren has started a petition to get Congress to pass a Cost of Living increase for Social Security recipients. As of right now there is no annual increase coming – and this is only the 3rd time in the last 40 years that there hasn’t been a COLA increase for those who received Social Security.
Here’s Elizabeth Warren’s call:
On January 1, for just the third time since 1975, seniors who receive Social Security won’t be getting an annual cost-of-living increase. Neither will millions of other Americans whose veterans’ benefits, disability benefits, and other monthly payments are pegged to Social Security.
Will you join me in calling on my fellow members of Congress to give seniors and veterans the raise they deserve?
Please pass the Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act (SAVE Benefits Act) to give seniors and veterans a one-time 3.9% payment in 2016—the same raise that America’s top CEOs received last year.
Two-thirds of retirees depend on Social Security to pay for the basics: to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads—but seniors who usually get a small boost on January 1 won’t see an extra dime next year.
The Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act (SAVE Benefits Act) would:
- Provide seniors and veterans with an emergency, one-time 3.9% payment in 2016 (approx. $581/person). 3.9% is the average raise that America’s top CEOs received last year.
- Fully cover the cost of increased payments by closing the tax loophole that allows corporations to write off obscene executive bonuses as a business expense for “performance pay.”
- Extend the life of Social Security by bolstering the Social Security and Disability trust funds.
So let’s do it. Let’s close the loophole and let’s use the money to give seniors and veterans the support they need on January 1. Tell Congress that America supports the SAVE Benefits Act.
Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
Thanks!
–Senator Elizabeth Warren
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
No cost of living increase for SS recipients this year but a 2.6% pay increase for civil service employees.
Question if I may, George: which “civil service workers” do you refer to? As civil service often includes several different bargaining units (I belonged to one such, before I retired) – each negotiates its own contract with the government jurisdiction in question – might that 2.6% figure represent an average, amongst them? Clarity appreciated! Thanks…
I’m sure I’ll be able to receive that 3.9% when I retired in 30 years, right?
Comparing that payment to CEO pay increase is pretty bad. Completely irrelevant statistic to the argument.
Social Security has unquestionably been extremely successful at reducing poverty amongst the retired and elderly, for DECADES since its establishment and funding by our taxes. If Congress can muster any sanity in our New Gilded Age (over and above improper and illegal gerrymandering of per state Congressional voting districts, which itself is coming under greater scrutiny and will hopefully soon be overturned) then, yes, Social Security will be there when you retire in 3 decades more, but a one-time 3.9% payment won’t be necessary to put up against the likes of the currently cynical Congressional majority that won’t, for only the 3rd time in 40yrs (i.e., standard operating practice!), pass a cost of living adjustment (COLA). Don’t forget that when polled on very specific questions, such as these that appeal to the general commonwealth, Americans of all political stripes have shown over and over again to favor commonwealth social democratic programs like Social Security (minimum wages, maximum hours, unemployment insurance, the abolition of child labor, collective bargaining rights, health and safety regulations, worker’s compensation, and a whole variety of publicly funded services).
Bernie / Liz
– 2016!
enough already of 1%er OWNED “democrats” …
populists again, for a change.
Like rents, house payments, food, heating, event post office boxes for those areas of the country where mail security is not enforced or insured, only falsely “assured”—things like gasoline which do not even begin to enter into the very poor’s budget—are going up, up, up. Don’t you dare imply “luxuries” not going up are relevant AT ALL to the poor to whom the most BASIC NEEDS are all which matter @ which SKYROCKET up year by year—every year…
Why would an elected official (congress) give a rats tail about us the voters that put them into office? They don’t have to want for anything. They set their own salary, they get to make the laws to suit them and their lobbyist grinds.This is all getting way out of hand. It is time to vote the all out of office. Most of them are no more than common thieves and will sell their votes to the highest bidder. It’s time to get rid of about 90% of the crooked liars. Your votes mean all the difference in our lives.
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