State of New Mexico secondary Archives: on Social Security

Bob Walsh: Transition to a voluntary system as soon as possible

A: No such guarantee is possible. The Social Security Trust Fund contains only 20% of the amount required to be solvent. It was never planned to have a sound actuarial basis. Most contributions have been spent on retiree benefits instead of investment in the trust fund for current workers. The system envisions workers supporting retirees forever. It is not possible to guarantee that future generations will continue this system. We favor a transition to a voluntary system as soon as possible, recognizing that the victims of this scheme may need the help of, once again, voluntary associations of people with a sense of responsibility to their local communities

Gavin Clarkson: Put the Trust Fund in a lockbox with no government key

A: Put it in a lockbox. The best lockbox to keep Washington bureaucrats from taking away your retirement is one they don't have the key to. I would also enthusiastically support Senator Rand Paul's Penny Plan budget, which would cut spending by 2% for five years in a row, thus eliminating the federal budget deficit without cutting Social Security benefits.

Bob Walsh: Privatize but Ponzi scheme will fail

A: Support. But this Ponzi scheme must fail eventually, regardless.

Michelle Lujan-Grisham: Dedicated her life to fighting for seniors

As a young attorney she worked for the Lawyer Referral for the Elderly Program of the State Bar of New Mexico. Michelle fought to protect seniors from scam artists, safeguard them from abuse and neglect, and helped them to remain in their homes.

Because of her tireless work on behalf of seniors, four-term Governor Bruce King to appointed her to head the New Mexico State Agency on Aging; she served as the state's first Secretary of Aging and Long Term Services when the department was elevated to a cabinet position.

Gary Johnson: Some or all of Social Security should be privatized

Martin Heinrich (D): No. Signed Social Security Protectors Pledge.

Gary Johnson (L): Yes. Some or all of Social Security should be privatized.

Mick Rich (R): No position found.

Martin Heinrich: Signed Social Security Protectors Pledge

Martin Heinrich (D): No. Signed Social Security Protectors Pledge.

Gary Johnson (L): Yes. Some or all of Social Security should be privatized.

Mick Rich (R): No position found.

Tom Udall: If you paid into system, you can rely on benefits

Tom believes that retirement security must be preserved. We need to protect Medicare for our seniors and Medicaid for the most vulnerable among us. Whether it's reimbursement rates through Medicare or closing the "doughnut hole" that made it harder for seniors to afford life-saving prescriptions, Tom always fights for New Mexico's seniors.

Seniors shouldn't be forced to choose between buying their groceries and buying their medication. They shouldn't have to worry about affording their mortgage payments and affording their health care. Our seniors have earned their benefits. Tom is committed to making sure those benefit programs remain intact.

Allen Weh: Prioritize cuts to fast-growing entitlements

Weh said those management values from business should be carried over to federal finances. For instance, cash reserves--instead of debt--should be built up, he said. "Why doesn't the government have a little safety net?" he said. "Why doesn't it set aside money and keep it, so that when we have natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, we don't have to go borrow money from China?"

Weh said he would prioritize cuts, and they'd include "entitlements overall." Examples include the food stamp program and Social Security disability, which have grown at a fast pace in recent years

Susana Martinez: Resolved a $12 billion shortfall in state pension funds

We completely overhauled a near-bankrupt unemployment insurance system. We reformed our state pension funds, resolving a $12 billion shortfall while ensuring that state workers, police officers, teachers, and others will have the retirement support they deserve. Education spending now exceeds pre-recession levels, with more accountability.

Not only have we not raised taxes on families and businesses, we have cut taxes 19 different times. Less than one year ago, in a display of tremendous bipartisanship, we passed the most significant tax reform in a generation and sent the loudest message yet that New Mexico is striving to be a business-friendly state.