By The Iowa Statesman
In modern politics, it’s become almost as American as apple pie. At least one politician — if not all of them — make a pledge to senior citizens that they won’t touch their Social Security checks.
Well, 2016 isn’t going to see a change.
Thursday, Republican presidential candidate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee penned an op-ed for The Des Moines Register in which he laments the “attacks” he suffered in last week’s FOX News debate over Social Security. He then states that as president, he would make sure seniors continue to get the benefits they’ve already earned.
He wrote:
“Social Security and Medicare aren’t optional, they are mandatory programs. Washington confiscates money from every American’s paycheck and promises it will be there when they retire. Sixty million Americans depend on Social Security, and almost 70 percent of seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income.
“It’s bad enough that Congress raided $700 billion from the Medicare Trust Fund to pay for President Barack Obama’s healthcare law. But more than 30 states, including many run by Republicans, have chosen to implement this new $2.2 trillion law.
“I am shocked that these Republicans have the nerve to grow government off the backs of seniors, and in the same breath force seniors to surrender the Social Security and Medicare benefits they have earned. Obamacare is a welfare program, Medicare and Social Security are not. It is morally wrong to change the rules at the end of the game and rob seniors of the benefits our government promised.”
He then turned the op-ed into a plug for FairTax, a national “sales tax” that would replace the federal income tax. Huckabee, who is the only GOP candidate currently calling for implementation of FairTax, said:
“Washington politicians say the only way to clean up their mess is to raise taxes or cut benefits for seniors. I propose an alternative plan: the FairTax. The FairTax would abolish the IRS, revolutionize our economy, create a stable funding stream for Social Security and Medicare and bring trillions in offshore investments and manufacturing back to America. We must grow our way out of this mess, not penalize seniors for the sins of big-spending Washington politicians.”
Click here to read the entire op-ed.
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