I received this call to action in my email today and thought I'd share it with all of you, in case you wanted to sign on with me to support Bernie Sanders' call for expansion of Social Security.
I generally don't share petitions unless I truly believe in the cause, and this is one I truly believe in and one that dovetails with Bernie's campaign message.
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In the midst of an American retirement security crisis where current and future retirees must prepare for a sharper drop in their standard of living at retirement than their parents, research by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) shows that Americans are less likely to retire in their 60s than their counterparts in other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 30 percent of 65 – 69 year-olds in the United States (and rising) are employed versus 20 percent of 65 – 69 year olds in OECD countries.
This is largely because in other countries, the retirement system replaces enough income for people to survive decently and maintain their standard of living. Not so in the U.S., where senior poverty is high and our retirement system replaces a lower share of pre-retirement income.
The main cause has been the shift from traditional pensions to do-it-yourself retirement savings plans such as 401(k)s, causing financial insecurity for millions of current and future retirees.
The solution is for the United States Congress to pass legislation that expands Social Security benefits and ensure a more secure retirement for all, not just the wealthy few.
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Please sign it so we can send a message to Washington to quit talking about cutting Social Security and start expanding it instead.
