Op/Ed: Social Security must not be left behind In 2024

By Becky Corbin, Special to The Times

Becky Corbin. Times file photo.

Presumptive presidential nominees President Biden and former President Trump have a lot of stops to make on the campaign trail, and Pennsylvania will be right at the top of their list.

The Keystone State is a crucial destination for any candidate for national office, and

combined with our state’s competitive Senate race, voters here in Pennsylvania are in for a whirlwind campaign season. It will no doubt be a thrilling few months for both candidates and voters, but one area every candidate will need to address is how to solve the problem of protecting Social Security. Failure to do so and the possibility of cuts will be a huge disservice to Pennsylvania voters.

There’s no understating the importance of Social Security to the American people. As a fund that taxpayers pay into directly throughout their careers, Social Security stands as a commitment to hardworking Americans who spend decades contributing to the program with the promise that they will realize their monetary investment upon retiring. Tens of millions of Americans depend on Social Security, and just in Pennsylvania, 19.6% of the population is aged 65 or older, the age when most Americans begin to collect the Social Security benefits they’ve paid into for decades.

Unfortunately, some members of Congress have floated ideas that would put Social Security at risk. Thankfully, President Biden and former President Trump to their credit, have maintained their full opposition to any proposed cuts to the program. However,

neither of them has offered up a comprehensive plan detailing how exactly they’d fulfill this promise and protect Americans’ retirement benefits from harmful proposals in Congress. The need to speak out about the issue is especially urgent given that a growing number of Congressional Republicans are supportive of a plan that would raise the retirement age, a move that would almost certainly lead to Social Security cuts for millions of Americans.

In short, those hoping to represent Pennsylvania in Washington need to be loud and clear about how they plan to maintain and protect the financial integrity of the Social Security system. Both President Biden and former President Trump need to make clear their commitment to protecting Social Security, as do Senator Bob Casey and his Republican opponent Dave McCormick. These candidates for federal office need to show how they will keep the program safe from any cuts and commit their opposition to raising the retirement age.

According to a recent study, 90% of Pennsylvania’s voters over the age of 50 have promised to make their voices heard loud and clear in the upcoming November election. The same study indicated that two-thirds of this group will use a candidate’s position on Social Security as one of the main factors in determining their vote. Even a casual political

observer understands what a drastic mistake it would be to overlook a policy of such importance to a key voting bloc if they hope to be victorious in November.