PRESS RELEASE
Troy Jackson, Bangor Daily: “Mainers Depend On The Promise Of Social Security. I Intend To Keep It.”
PORTLAND, ME — In a new op-ed, fifth-generation Mainer and logger and former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson lays out his commitment to protecting and strengthening Social Security for current and future retirees. Susan Collins in contrast has repeatedly voted to weaken Social Security and has even been honored by an anti-AARP group that pushed to privatize social security and convert Medicare to a voucher system.
“Now, some of the richest people in the country are trying to kill Social Security. I won’t stand for it. I’ve fought against these same billionaires in Maine, and if I’m elected this November to the U.S. Senate, I’ll take that fight to Washington,” Troy wrote in the Bangor Daily News. “People who work hard their entire lives should be able to retire with dignity. They should be able to afford food, medicine, and a roof over their heads without wondering whether the benefits they spent decades earning will be there. Social Security is a promise. I intend to keep it.”
A lot of Maine seniors know exactly what I’m talking about. They worked their entire lives, paid into Social Security with every paycheck and planned their retirement around the promise that the program would be there when they needed it.
Now, some of the richest people in the country are trying to kill Social Security. I won’t stand for it. I’ve fought against these same billionaires in Maine, and if I’m elected this November to the U.S. Senate, I’ll take that fight to Washington.
Here’s my plan for Social Security, to make sure it’s there for current and future retirees. First, we put Social Security on firmer financial ground by scrapping the cap. [...] And second, I support increasing the benefits that retirees receive rather than cutting them.
I believe the debate in Washington should be about how to strengthen retirement security, not how much we can ask retirees to give up. I will never support raising the retirement age. [...] And I will never support privatizing Social Security.
Protecting retirement security also means addressing the costs seniors face and the choices Washington makes about where to spend money.
When I was in the Maine Legislature, I stood up to then-Gov. Paul LePage when he raided the state employee pension. I voted to increase the income tax pension deduction for retirees, and I fought to expand access to Medicare Savings Programs, which can help eligible Mainers with premiums and other out-of-pocket costs.
People who work hard their entire lives should be able to retire with dignity. They should be able to afford food, medicine, and a roof over their heads without wondering whether the benefits they spent decades earning will be there.
Social Security is a promise. I intend to keep it.
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