Cartwright: Virtual conference focuses on importance of Social Security

WILKES-BARRE — On the 85th anniversary of Social Security, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright participated in virtual press conference to highlight the vital importance of earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare.

The group also discussed the threat the Trump Administration poses to “these life-saving benefits,” including Trump’s recent executive order eliminating funding for them.

Joining Cartwright, D-Moosic, were Democratic Senior Caucus Chair Brad Kirsch, U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-18), and Brendan Boyle (PA-2), and Alliance for Retired Americans Regional Board Member Jody Weinreich.

“Social Security was created as a promise to every American,” Cartwright said. “A promise to the school teacher, the warehouse worker, the nurse, that they would have a secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work.”

Cartwright said he has worked hard in Congress to protect its principle and build upon its ideals.

“But the latest White House actions taken in the name of COVID-19 relief would slash Social Security and Medicare funding for every American,” Cartwright said. “I will stay focused on improving health care and economic security for our seniors, and passing real coronavirus relief that meets the scope and scale of the crisis American workers and families are facing.”

Kirsch said since 1935, Social Security has helped millions of hard-working seniors to live with dignity and independence after a lifetime of hard work.

“For many Pennsylvania seniors, the Social Security that they have spent their life paying into will be their only guaranteed source of retirement income,” he said. “Despite the life-saving benefits to seniors in the Commonwealth and around the country, Washington Republicans — led by Donald Trump — remain intent on gutting Social Security and other key safety nets like Medicare and Medicaid.”

Kirsch added that “These are not the actions of a president who puts seniors first. They’re the actions of a president who has broken promise after promise to Pennsylvanians.”

Doyle said it’s “a classic Trump move” to propose a policy that endangers the solvency of Social Security right before the program’s 85th birthday.

“It simply boggles the mind,” he said. “Social Security has given tens of millions of Americans peace of mind about their financial security in their old age or disability. And today, 65 million Americans rely on Social Security after having earned their benefits with their payroll tax contributions over many years.”

Boyle commented, “Simply put, Social Security is the greatest public policy innovation in the history of the US government. No other single program has lifted more people from poverty than Social Security. Second point, while we call it a program, and sometimes some call it an entitlement, that my view isn’t the best way to think of it. It is an earned benefit.”

Weinreich said she and her husband rely heavily on their Social Security retirement benefits.

”Without them, we would not have been able to retire,” she said. “We aren’t wealthy people and we need every dollar of our Social Security to make ends meet. Seniors pay for their housing, food and medicine with their Social Security, putting $1 trillion into our economy every year.”