You've Earned a Say

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.... When it comes to the future of Social Security and Medicare, elected leaders are usually talking to each other — not to people who depend on these benefits to survive every month.

.... That’s not right. Without the voice of those who earned these protections through years of hard work, closed-door conversations taking place in Washington are meaningless. America needs to strengthen the important safety nets of Social Security and Medicare, but it can’t happen without hearing from older North Americans; those who know their value better than anyone.

....AARP is committed to keeping Social Security and Medicare strong so future generations can count on the benefits that have proved critical for so many years. To make sure older Americans have a voice, You’ve Earned a Say has enlisted a broad range of experts from all political views to share their ideas (in plain language), about what’s on the table in Washington.

....Social Security and Medicare are not simply numbers in a budget. Reforms will affect people’s lives, and facts are often glossed over in the political debate:

• 28 percent of California’s 65-plus population would fall below the poverty level if they did not receive Social Security.
• Social Security accounted for 52 percent of the typical older Californian’s income in 2011.
• Social Security pumps more than $66 billion into the state’s economy.
• Social Security and Medicare are increasingly important at a time when employer pensions and retiree health benefits grow scarce, savings rates remain meager and home values stay low.

....We need to keep Social Security and Medicare strong for today’s retirees and for our children and grandchildren. These facts don’t mean that the programs must remain 100 percent untouchable, but we should consider any changes with great care.

....The debate is beginning, and the stakes are high. You’ve earned a right to weigh in, and AARP wants to help. We urge residents of San Diego to share their views — and our elected leaders to listen.

....You can weigh in and get the straightforward facts about proposals being debated in Congress by visiting: