John Boehner: Raise Social Security Retirement Age to 70

House Republican Leader John Boehner said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review out today that he would back raising the Social Security retirement age to 70 for those who will not retire for another 20 years.

The comment - along with Boehner's statement that the financial reform compromise reached last Friday creates a bill that amounts to "killing an ant with a nuclear weapon" -- has drawn the attention of Democrats eager to cast the GOP as uncaring about the problems of average Americans.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Ryan Rudominer told Hotsheet in response to the comment that the Republican "blueprint" is to privatize Social Security and Medicare, citing the budget of Representative Paul Ryan (R - Wis.). (Republicans are quick to note that while Ryan's "blueprint" for the future has advocated such measures, he has not put them forward as the House Republican budget.)

Liberal group Americans United for Change, meanwhile, said Boehner "hopes to unravel progress made as far back as 70 years by scaling back Social Security" and said the "ant" comment reflects "a blunt acknowledgment of the ant-sized appreciation Republican leaders have for the pain and suffering working Americans are still feeling in the wake of the meltdown on Wall Street."

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told Hotsheet that Democrats are twisting the "ant" comment and noted that Boehner advocated raising the Social Security retirement age at President Obama's fiscal summit last year, as part of an effort to reduce the deficit.

It's also important to note that some in the liberal base have complained that Democrats themselves are working to scale back Social Security and Medicare via President Obama's bipartisan deficit commission, which is charged with bringing down the deficit to three percent of the economy by 2015.

Discussing the type of entitlement reforms the deficit commission could recommend, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said earlier this month: "On the spending side, we could and should consider a higher retirement age, or one pegged to lifespan, more progressive Social Security and Medicare benefits; and a stronger safety net for the Americans who need it most."

[MiddleOfTheRoadGuy]

According to CNN and the General Accounting office, in 9 years Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and interest on debt will take up 92% of the federal government's money. The interest on debt is not negotiable so we'll have to make cuts in the 3 entitlement programs. Social Security is the largest. But the baby boomers, who have known about this problem for 30 years, will not vote for that. They'll demand that younger generations carry a burden 250% heavier than they did. While they were working each reitree was supported by 5 workers. Now each retiree is supported by 2 workers. They're stuck though because they've saved less for retirement than any generation before them.

[Minutemen]

Social Security is one of the only programs in government that works. The last thing this country needs is the retarded right trying to fix anything! Most of them should be hung by the neck until dead after the Bush years, I mean tears. Republicans suck! Nixon, both Bushs are non-american pigs, bought off by big money. The cig smoking, drunk John Boehner should go cut his grass while he still can. You cut off our social securtiy and change the retirement age you will be running for cover not public service! Get out of the way so the country can move forward you drunking bought off pig.

[MiddleOfTheRoadGuy]

I was in the Social Security office to change my wife's last name to my own 6 years ago. While waiting I picked up an official flyer from the office that was practically begging voters to do something about the coming fiscal crisis. Social Security does nto work. It is broken. People have know for probably 30 years that the baby boomers would crush the system. Even if you vote against changes it will run out of money. Even if you tax the rich at double the rate you tax them at now.

[c_etude]

Why not just legalize assisted suicide? It's a lot cheaper. I mean legalize it where anybody can commit suicide for any reason - not just terminal illness.

[c_etude]

Why not just cut social security out? Try to get a job when you are 69. NO CAN DO! Either that legalize assisted suicide.

[rvauthor]

This scam is being perpetrated on Americans to delay full Social Security benefits to age 70. While the proponents tell us they want to "save" Social Security, most of them want to "end" Social Security

Rep. Boehner and selected media outlets propose the delay of full Social Security benefits for everyone until age 70. The silence on the topic from Republican Members of Congress, with the exception of Rep. Boehner, has been deafening.

We have a tightly orchestrated stampede to steal the FICA Social Security payroll taxes being paid by more than a hundred million working Americans, along with the lifetime of accumulated Social Security payroll taxes paid by more than forty-million Social Security retirees currently receiving benefits.

The delay of full Social Security benefits to age 70 is being pushed by the same politicians, lobbyists, and best and brightest who were perfectly willing to destroy the U.S. economy and work force in the name of improving corporate profits and extending the transfer of more wealth from the middle class to the top 1%.

Why are they so willing to redeem the U.S. Treasury securities sold to the Saudi oil princes and the Chinese government, but not willing to redeem the U.S. Treasury securities sold to the Social Security Trust Fund (representing the payroll tax contributions of approximately 150-million Americans)?

What the mostly unnamed proponents of delaying full Social Security eligibility to age 70 don?t want to tell us is that increasing the Social Security tax from 12.2% to 14.7% would enable the present retirement age to be left unchanged indefinitely with no further expected increases.

Nor, do they mention that the amount of earned income subject to Social Security has dropped from approximately 90% in the 1980s to approximately 85% by 2010. The mostly unnamed proponents don?t mention or discuss returning to the 90% established by President Reagan when Social Security was last overhauled.

Delaying full Social Security eligibility to age 70 means that the millions of people aged 66?69 who die before age 70 will never collect any Social Security. Gee, if they raised the eligibility to age 120, they would reach their goal of never paying out any Social Security (perhaps they will float that proposal in 2012 before the 2012 elections).

In addition, almost half of Americans have zero retirement benefits other than Social Security. Many of those with other retirement benefits, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) plans, and IRA plans, will not be eligible for sufficient retirement income to adequately support their retirement needs.

Denying Social Security benefits until age 70 ignores the significant drop in earned income opportunities for people in the age 50 ? 70 group due to the reduced amount of job opportunities. Older Americans will now find they have no jobs and fewer retirement benefits.

[LeroyFromKentucky]

Fixing Social Security seems pretty easy from where I sit:
Get rid of the sweet retirement deal enjoyed by Congress and make them all use Social Security for retirement. While we're at it let's make 'em use publicly available individual health insurance plans from their home states and Medicare once they reach 65. Won't take long for both Social Security and Medicare to be runnin' like Swiss watches.

[redstone001]

The way to end the financial crisis of social security, would be to payback the trillions of dollars that the Government borrowed from the social security fund as far back as 1980's. Pass laws that will ban the Government from borrowing any more money from the social security fund ever again. Our tax dollars that were contributed to the social security fund was for our retirement or disability. Not to loan to the Government who will not pay it back. No more IOU's

Also, I would like to make a suggestion to help in this financial crisis without taking from social security or pension payments. As a citizen of the US who's taxes paid for Senate, House and the Executive Administration's benefits, I would like to stop paying for all medical, optical, and dental insurance. These benefits should be cut entirely from the Senate, House and Executive Administration of the White House including the President and Vice President. All mentioned in this comment should pay 100 percent cash for all medical needs. This will save tax dollars.

One more point I would like to make regarding changing the retirement age to 70. Most people in their 70's are ill. Can you imagine a 70 year old being forced to work and having to ask their boss for a sick day. This cannot be tolerated. There are not that many years left after 70. No one should work themselves to death. This would be the same as Slavery, and shame on anyone who would suggest, that the elderly be forced to work that long. They have put enough money in retirement and social security funds at that age. How dare anyone suggest that we turn into American Slaves. Shame on America. Shame on all politicians and lawyers.

Yes, its true people are living longer. Is that why you want to work them harder, so they won't live longer? Most of our politicians, Republicans, Democrats and Independents are rich. I think its time to cut their benefits and/or vote them all out of office and start over. One term only for House, Senate and Presidency. Let's change the law now. We can do better than this America.

[jmatt55]

Can someone please explain to me why anyone in this country works? They steal more than half of what you earn, tax to death everything you buy and then steal everything that's left over.

Just go on unemployment. When that's tapped, collect welfare or fake a "disability" and collect SSI. If worst comes to worst, punch a Washington politician in the nose. Free food, shelter and medical care for life in a low security prison.

The options are endless for people that produce nothing.

And the penalties are endless for those that do.

[jmatt55]

The only conclusion one can reach is that they should STOP SAVING FOR RETIREMENT.

The government is going to steal your IRA and 401k anyway eventually, so why bother? And if you save, you are penalized by having your SS stolen by Marxists like John Boehner.

[jmatt55]

Boehner's quote: "If you have substantial non-Social Security income while you're retired, why are we paying you at a time when we're broke?"

Boehner's phone number: [phone]

Quiz: Whose philosophy, John Boehner or Karl Marx? "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

Answer: Both.