Unlike most Republican candidates, Donald Trump has repeatedly promised that he will protect Social Security and Medicare as they exist currently. He has subjected his contenders who have proposed changing the two major entitlement programs to withering criticism.
He has in turn been criticized by Republicans and conservatives for promising pie-in-the-sky solutions to voters and ignoring the demographic trends that threaten Social Security. Trump has dismissed such concerns by promising that the economic growth his presidency would usher in would keep the system solvent.
But AARP, the most prominent and consistent opponent of attempts to fully or partially privatize Social Security, says that Trump’s promises to maintain entitlements aren’t good enough.
In a statement Thursday, the 38-million strong organization of retirees said the brash billionaire is the only candidate left in the presidential race who has not offered a specific plan for preserving the pension program for future generations.
In support of its demand, AARP released the results of a survey Thursday of New York voters over the age of 50. According to the poll, 88 percent of those planning to vote in either the GOP or Democratic primaries in the Empire State next week believe Trump should lay out a plan.
It’s not a surprise that the large majority of voters endorsed an innocuous demand.
But the AARP poll also demonstrated the importance of the 50-plus electorate to U.S. politics. According to the group, 57 percent of voters participating in next week’s primaries will be over the age of 50.
Moreover, nearly half of New Yorkers over 65 get nearly half of their income from Social Security, the group said. For 20 percent of New Yorkers, the monthly payments account for more than 90 percent of their income.
"New York's largest voting bloc is saying loud and clear that presidential candidates should put their Social Security cards on the table," said Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP in New York State. "The 50+ agree that having a plan to ensure Social Security is financially sound for their children, grandchildren and future generations is a basic threshold for presidential leadership."
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