As the 2020 election inches closer, former Vice President Mike Pence recently revealed a plan to eliminate Social Security and Medicare in favor of a “better deal” for younger Americans. If enacted, this plan would spell disaster for millions of seniors across the country who rely on Social Security and Medicare for an essential source of income. It’s simply unacceptable.
Under the proposed plan, current retirees would remain on the existing system while younger generations would be given options to invest part of their Social Security into private savings accounts instead. While this may sound attractive to some people, it could leave future generations in precarious financial situations with little to no safety net should something unexpected happen. On top of that, this proposal completely disregards the fact that many seniors are dependent on Social Security and Medicare benefits as a primary source of income.
Furthermore, Pence’s suggestion ignores the reality that many Americans already lack access to affordable retirement plans like 401(k)s or IRAs due to factors such as not having an employer-sponsored plan available or not being able to contribute enough money due to stagnant wages or other financial obligations. Additionally, changes like these have been attempted in the past and have resulted in nothing but disappointment.
Overall, Mike Pence’s proposal is dangerous and irresponsible — it shows a lack of regard for millions of people who depend on Social Security and Medicare as their only source of retirement income and discounts those who don’t have access to workplace retirement plans or can’t afford them. We need elected leaders who put people first instead of pushing ideological agendas that could end up hurting those most vulnerable in our society.