How important are Medicare and Social Security issues to you in choosing a candidate for the upcoming elections?

It’s very important to me, I agree with you absolutely. These are not “handouts”, it’s like a savings account that we were required t9 pay into. That money wasn’t a gift to the government, it should not be treated like a gift from the government.

^^ What she said and it’s all of a package to me. The same people who want to cut so-called “entitlements” are the same people who want to end abortions, ban books, restrict voting rights. I won’t vote for any of them!

^^^^^!!!!!!

I am in complete agreement with the two Jellies above me!

I’m in favor of reforming both. The physical reality is that people live longer and consume more healthcare. The amount people pay in has been more or less static against rising costs and a demographic tidal wave for years. Something needs to give. That doesn’t mean we can’t have programs that deal with supporting people who outlive private savings or who need support for medical care in old age. We can. They just can’t look like the current programs. Change is needed.

That having been said, while these issues were very important to me in the past, they are much less so now. Right now, I’m looking for basic competence and integrity. Candidates who supported the Trump attempt to overturn the election will not get my vote. Candidates who were silent while others in their party attempted to overturn the election will not get my vote.

DeSantis has ducked the question everytime he’s been asked. He fails the integrity test.

What @canidmajor and @janbb said! Some smart jellies there!

It is very important as as others have stated is MY MONEY and most peoples medical coverage when they retire. Social Security will not be enough to do anything but pay a part of what it costs to survive after retirement. I am lucky enough to have planned over time.

You still better not mess with my money and healthcare.

@Entropy I do get what you are saying, but does the issue lie with, as you say, the amount of people paying in has become static as to the rising costs and to people living longer.
My issue with that answer is the sheer number of Americans over 65 that died of covid. Those numbers represent people that will no longer be receiving their benefits. That was never factored in, so in reality, those amounts should be a boon to the Medicare and social security accounts. I think that there is some mismanagement of these funds and it needs to be thoroughly researched.

Let’s name names. It’s the Republicans who want to raid Social Security and use the money to give more handouts to their rich cronies.

I will never vote for a Republican for anything. They laughed at gays when we were dying of AIDS. They are beneath contempt. I despise them.

Very important seeing as how I’ll be going on both next year. Generally speaking, of course…

The truth is that there is a solution to the solvency of Social Security. Repeal the cap on contributions paid in to SS by the wealthy. Currently, when you reach a certain income level each year, Social Security contributions stop being withdrawn. If you repeal that limit, it would go a long way to solving the issue. But wealthy or beholden Congress people don’t want to do it.

There’s a lot of people who are well off (financially) that don’t need Social Security or Medicare. Why pay Social Security to rich people who don’t need it?
I think that Social Security and Medicare should be only available to those who need it. Similar to SNAP (Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program).

Social Security is very important to me!!! Republicans could get my vote more often if they weren’t adamant about destroying it!!! Here is a breakdown by President as to what was done during their term. I find it interesting that Nixon & Clinton are credited with doing the most…yet they were both impeached.

I worked with a stock broker who was worth several million dollars & yet, when he turned 65, he was screaming that he was entitled to his SS check every month so he could retire. I was living on a salary that was less than the combined interest of his investment accounts & he was “entitled to” receive Social Security. Although nobody will admit to it, I bet old 45 gets his SS check every month!!!

Funny how republicans keep crying about S.S. but it’s one of the few government programs that is actually in the black they have a surplus of money in the tank. That is the real reason republicans keep trying to screw with it! They want that surplus for themselves.

SSDI eligibility is based on previous contributions to Social Security, and SSI eligibility is based on your income level.

Semi important, not in my top 3.

I also remember Obama’s insistence we use IRA’s and 401k’s and the double tax break he gave us? He specifically said we have to prepare for entitlement programs to fail us.

That being said, cutting anything for the poor during this inflation is a terrible idea.

Not at all. I wish social security was voluntary, but that’s not happening. I’m retiring end of year, anyway, so too little too late for me if they did.

@Acrylic Why is that, that you wish it was voluntary?

@chyna Would have been better off if that money wasn’t taken from me so I can invest myself. If you want the government to handle your retirement, should be your choice. It would not have been mine. I’m retiring later this year despite social security saying I’m too young.

Not everyone can invest their money. What about the population that lives below poverty? They would not take the small amount that they would get and invest it.

It’s not at the top of my list, but it’s ranked pretty high. I don’t think Republicans can actually get rid of SS or change it drastically like they threaten to. Too many people above the age of 50 in the country. Although, there are more than a few people similar to @Acrylic over age 50 who think it should not be mandatory, which I completely disagree with, and they might also be more likely to vote for things like letting SS funds ride the market. I don’t assume that about our jelly though.

In my opinion it has to be mandatory, because so Americans are terrible at saving for the future, they aren’t good at believing bad things can happen, and they are horrible at math.

I would really like some politicians to clean up the program so it’s not so dependent on the younger generation supporting the older generation.

I’m in favor of increasing the cap income for annual contributions, which I think is $160,000 but after the $160,000 lower it from 6.2% to 2%, and I’m not sure I’d make businesses match the 2%. I can understand arguments for and against making people contribute past the $160,000 mark.

Social Security is more like insurance than a tax. You don’t know how long you will live, so even if you save a lot, you might outlive your savings. SS is for the rest of your life once you start collecting. We used to literally have poor houses for the elderly. SS makes much more sense than funding poor houses.

Don’t touch those true entitlements. If you want to change it you make it effective in 50 years when the now 20 year olds are entering the work force so they know their future will not include those programs.