Millions petition House not to cut Social Security

{mosads}An AARP petition just on CPI garnered 1,395,251 signatures, while one including chained CPI and opposing cuts to Medicare had 788,088, AARP said. 

“I’m writing to express my strong opposition to the chained CPI proposal in your budget. My retirement shouldn’t be part of your grand bargain … I urge you to keep Social Security and chained CPI off the table in the budget discussions and consider the impact this harmful policy would have on seniors for generations to come,” the first petition states. 

AARP urged Congress to consider other options for solving Social Security and Medicare’s long-term fiscal problems.  

Unless changes are made, Social Security will not be able to pay full benefits after 2033. Liberals have focused on increasing Social Security payroll taxes on the wealthy to solve the shortfall, while conservatives have looked at means testing benefits and raising the retirement age.

“Rather than making harmful cuts to balance the budget, we should be looking for responsible solutions that will strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long term,” said AARP Vice President John Hishta. 

The White House is in talks with Senate GOP centrists about a way to avoid a government shutdown Oct. 1 and replace annual sequestration cuts to agency budgets. Republicans have sought cuts to entitlements, like Social Security, in the context of those talks.