Senate candidate Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) is the latest to join the progressive petition opposing any cuts to Social Security.
“Joe joined the statement at SocialSecurityProtectors.com and opposes any effort that would not maintain present benefits,” his spokesman says. “We know that two-thirds of retirees rely on Social Security for most of their retirement income and the system can be protected without risking seniors’ retirement savings in the stock market. As one example of how to address solvency without harming current benefits, a return to the tax rates of the Clinton era (when we created 23 million jobs) for the top two percent of earners - the wealthiest of Americans who received the majority of the tax cuts of the Bush era (when we created zero net jobs) - would cover Social Security’s shortfall over the next 75 years.”
That makes 237 Democrats, including 11 Senate candidates, 81 House candidates, 12 incumbent senators, and 133 members of Congress to sign on to the campaign, organized by Social Security Works and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. On Monday, Kentucky Senate hopeful Jack Conway hopped aboard.
After a long flat stretch, Joe Sestak is finally up in recent polls against conservative rival Pat Toomey.
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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