As part of the push to reduce the federal government budget, many in the Republican leadership in Congress said they want to look seriously at reductions in the nation’s bulky safety-net programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Among the proposals floated by Republicans are lowering benefits for wealthier seniors, reducing cost-of-living adjustments and raising the required retirement age.
Since Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid make up over half of the federal government’s $2.7 trillion budget, the changes are designed to put a dent in government spending.
That dent is leading to some fierce feedback.
A Quinnipiac University poll published last week shows that 78% of us oppose raising the Social Security retirement age from 67 to 70. Just 17% said they support the move.
Breaking it down:
- 77% of Republicans oppose raising the full retirement age
- 81% of Democrats agree
- So do 81% of Independents
That said, there is just very little support for such a move:
- Only 18% of Republicans like the idea of raising the age from 67 to 70
- Just 17% of Democrats expressed the same sentiment
- 16% of Independents support an age increase
When Quinnipiac pollsters asked if the respondents would support raising the full retirement age for Social Security if there was a guarantee that the benefits would last longer, 62% still said no.
Just 30% agreed it might be a good idea.
News sources say Republican leaders in Congress have backed off from proposals to reduce those programs.
Source link: The Hill — http://bit.ly/40IkmRs
