| On Social Security’s birthday, Michigan Democrats Highlight Trump’s Broken Promises to Seniors |
| Madison Heights, MI — To mark Social Security’s anniversary—and call out Trump’s broken promises to seniors—the Michigan Democratic Party, Congressman Andy Levin, State Rep. Mari Manoogian, State Rep. Robert Wittenberg, State Rep. Jim Ellison, and local seniors hosted a birthday party for Social Security. |
Congressman Andy Levin: “FDR and the Democratic Party made a promise, and we have kept that promise for 84 years. And now we have this guy, Donald Trump as president, who said to Paul Ryan…we have to protect this to get reelected, but morally — this is what he said — I agree with you that we actually should cut this stuff. He has it exactly opposite, doesn’t he? Morally, one of the greatest things this country ever did was create this system where we put a little money aside every paycheck for our whole lives and people are at least kept out of poverty… Social Security is the rock on which a dignified retirement is based in our country.”
State Rep. Robert Wittenberg: “This isn’t a Ponzi scheme. This is something that people have earned, people have paid into the system, and this is keeping people out of poverty. This is the fiscally responsible thing for us to continue doing and supporting people of this country. So when I hear those words, it irks me so much, when the president calls it a Ponzi scheme, when he’s looking to privatize it…they are more worried about how much money they can make off the system versus giving people security, financial security. I know as Democrats, this is why we are here today because we want to fight to secure everyone’s Social Security in this country.”
State Rep. Jim Ellison: “I got my first job at age 15. I paid into Social Security. I’m 67 years old. I have been paying into this system for 52 years. It’s an investment on my part, it’s an investment for our future, and I counted on it to be there. I started collecting it two years ago, and it helps…We need to make sure that we keep those benefits coming to the people that need them.”
State Rep. Mari Manoogian: “Even a couple of days ago, I was knocking doors in West Bloomfield…and I spoke with a constituent of mine. Her husband had passed away and Social Security was what she had as the income for her household… we need to make sure that we are protecting all of these folks…folks were made the promise that they would have Social Security.”
Michigan Resident Veronica Taylor: “I have a husband that got sick and couldn’t work and fell off a loading dock and hit his head, and we had to go and put in for his disability… my husband was on a walker from 2015 all the way up until now… going there and putting in for and getting the information from Social Security worked out for the better.”
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