Reform Social Security to ensure fair COLA increases

Reform Social Security to ensure fair COLA increases

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have been letting retirees down when it comes to a fair cost of living allowance (COLA). Congressman Vern Buchanan hasn't been leading any effort to ensure that COLA increases accurately reflect the true cost of living increase for seniors.

There was such a bill in 2013 that considered the true expenses faced by seniors 62 years and older and could have assured a minimum 3 percent increase annually, but it did not pass the House, and in reality it was not a fair effort, as it did not include seniors who were under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).

Those retired CSRS seniors, most of whom are not covered by Social Security, would not have received a COLA increase, though the vast majority of them are retired on modest federal pensions comparable to Social Security.

The Republican Party has the majority in Congress and holds the purse strings! They can fix this.

Close a few tax loopholes and stop giving tax breaks to corporations that don't need or merit them, and the money for the COLA will be there!

Social Security is not going broke in the next couple of years, and the retirement age should not be raised any higher, because the hardest working people are not going to live to enjoy retirement.

Congressman Buchanan, all seniors deserve a fair calculation of COLA and don't need any cuts -- in pensions, through the front door or back door.

Don't even consider privatization! What wormhole in the stock market did every little investor's 401K disappear into in 2008? Those seniors will really need their Social Security checks.

Sandra J. Gander

Bradenton

This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Reform Social Security to ensure fair COLA increases ."