Campaign 2010

Oct 21, 2011

Would Rob Cornilles Support Giving Oregon Seniors the Social Security Benefits They Deserve?

Tea Party congressional candidate Rob Cornilles has been short on answers when it comes to Social Security. For the first time in two years, 55 million Social Security recipients will receive a cost-of-living-adjustment, and the benefits that Oregon seniors have earned will account for the rising costs of food, clothing, and medicine. Rob Cornilles should tell Oregon voters if he would stand with House Republican leaders, who opposed a similar cost-of-living-adjustment measure and have introduced legislation to create private investment accounts instead of Social Security.

“Tea Party candidate Rob Cornilles has already expressed his support for private Social Security accounts, but he has been short on Social Security answers, and he should tell Oregon voters whether he supports a cost-of-living-adjustment to account for rising costs on everything from food to housing to medicine,” said Amber Moon of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Oregon seniors are facing tough economic times, and they deserve to know if Tea Party candidate Rob Cornilles would join House Republican leaders in opposing a cost-of-living-adjustment they’ve earned from a system they’ve paid into through a lifetime of hard work.”

 

Background

 

  • 55 Million Social Security Recipients Will Get a Cost-of-Living-Adjustment in 2012. According to the Associated Press, “Social Security benefits will go up by 3.6 percent next year, the first increase since 2009 for the one in five Americans who rely on government retirement and disability programs […] Starting in January, 55 million Social Security recipients will get increases averaging $39 a month, or just over $467 for the year. […]  Monthly Social Security payments average $1,082, or about $13,000 a year.”  [Associated Press, 10/19/11]

 

  • House Republicans Blocked Legislation to Award Seniors $250. “House and Senate Republicans on Wednesday thwarted Democratic efforts to award $250 checks to Social Security recipients facing a second consecutive year without a cost-of-living increase. […] The measure was brought up under a fast-track procedure in the House that required a two-thirds majority for passage. The 254-153 vote in favor of the bill fell short of that.” [HR 5987, Voted #611, 12/8/10; Associated Press, 12/8/10]

 

  • House Republicans Propose Social Security Opt-Out. “House Republicans on Friday introduced legislation that would allow workers to partially opt out of Social Security immediately, and fully opt out after 15 years.” The measure was introduced by NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (TX-32) and Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05) among others. [The Hill, 6/6/11]

 

  • Expressed Support for Private Accounts for Social Security. When asked about the Ryan Plan, Cornilles said, “Right now there’s two plans, essentially, one is to let Social Security go bankrupt by doing nothing, by allowing it to just continue on its present course. And the other is to take it totally private. I think that somewhere in between, I think you create an opportunity rather to allow people more choice.” [Pacific University Candidate Forum, 10/9/11]

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