WASHINGTON (CNN) - Experts call it the "forgotten issue," or even the "ignored issue" - Social Security.
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama have spent ample time addressing the budget crisis, but haven't zeroed in on the growing concerns over Social Security.
Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, says it's not an accident that McCain and Obama have skirted the issue.
Watch: Candidates talk Social Security
"I think both Obama and McCain ended up thinking talking about fixing [Social Security] was a political loser," MacGuineas said. "So they were just happy letting the issue disappear."
The Obama campaign disagrees with that assertion.
"We have talked about it quite extensively both at our events and in our paid media, as well as in terms of policy," Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan said.
"There is a real difference in the approach that Sen. Obama would take in ensuring the long-term health of Social Security. The primary difference being that Sen. Obama wouldn't risk Social Security savings to the whims of the stock market like John McCain would," said Sevugan.
The McCain campaign's Web site says the Arizona senator is committed to revamping the system:
"John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security and believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain will reach across the aisle, but if the Democrats do not act, he will. No problem is in more need of honesty than the looming financial challenges of entitlement programs."
From CNN Politics
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Thunderation...
Social Security is such an important subject that you're going to have to take your time to solve it. I can see why both candidates are not working on it now
I'm socking money away as hard as I can. I think Obama is going to win and times are going to be really tough. So my advice to anyone who will listen... sock away some cash.
she's lying! she just wants attention!! 15 minutes of somewhat, not giveing-away fame!
Because McCain is ranting and raving that Obama is a socialist, and that he, McCain, is not and that he will never "spread the wealth," McCain should come clean to the American public and be intellectually honest and admit that he, McCain, will therefore eliminate Social Security, Medicare, aid to education and all other social programs because they all essentially "spread the wealth" and are therefore socialist. McCAIN WANTS TO ELIMINATE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE. BEWARE AMERICA!!!
As usual, Barney Frank and the Democrats think it's a great time to tax more to "recover" the money used for the bailout. This points out a very clear difference between liberals (socialists) and conservatives, the liberals believe they are entitled to the money of the taxpayers. Conservatives believe that the people allow the government to take some of their money for a limited number of programs and policies.
So when to the investigations of Frank, Dodd, Kerry, Pelosi begin for the financial crisis? Hmm, probably never considering the RePO (Reid, Pelosi, Obama) combo.
These are OBAMA's people. Be Afraid.. Very Afraid...
CMON CNN with the misleading title because I have Obama several times address that Social Security will suffer if the current economic policies are kept in place.
Stop Rove and Palin from destroying social security.
Hopefully, McCain,72, will retire now.
Obama is going to do something about it, and John Mccain has already given us the final verdict about it.
John maccain said he wants to privatized social security, and put the social secuity funds into stocks and bonds.
We are going to be doomed if he gets eleceted.
JUST YOU WAIT.
If he wants to help (McCain), he can donate his SS back to the system. He gets a salary and all the plush benefits a Naval Disability, and SS. Is he broke like most of the others that get SS?
No need to worry about social security if obama elected – it will be the first thing he does away with. Then he will do away with people on social security lest they complain!!!
I appreciate all of Bush's shortcomings, and I appreciate all the reasons that people want "change", but American's are foolish if they look the other way and don't realize that we are about to elect a socialist. If we do that, our country will be on a dangerous path and the US we all love for all the reasons we should, we be changed forever. McCain is not the best choice, but he is the better choice! Please use common sense and judgement on election day. Obama has been trained, influenced, and educated by radical after radical. If you elect him, then you deserve him!
The people worried about candidates' attention to social security or any other issue should give McCain and Obama a break. The winner isn't even in office yet. The financial institutions of this country are in full hurricane force chaos right now. The best of the best are having difficulty figuring things out. There is nothing either candidate can do until he is in office. Let the best man win, and then go after him to get him to pay attention.
Don't forget that McCain wants to privatize social security. Now he is probably saying something else. But I won't forget! Thank goodness he didn't have his way before the bailout!
I trust Obama to fix Social Security. I don't trust McCain to do
I can see the McCain ads now: Obama ignoring Social Security. All the while McLame won't once mention how he will address the situation.
No way do I want John McCain to have any input on Social Security or anything else. McCain's only concern is just to be president and that's his end game.
Mr. "I have a plan to fix SS and winning all those wars" would not answer the question from Williams other than I have a plan to fix.
Just more "I will make it happen crap" but no specifics from a doddering of hothead
WE ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT UP WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR "MAVERICK" DECISIONS!.
We put up with that for 8 years but no more and to do my part, I voted straight Democratic ticket in Dallas county on Monday!
Neither candidate has adequately addressed this issue. Failing to deal with this in the next administration is no longer an option. Elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about ...
sorry... moderators.... fumble fingers. I don't trust McCain to do anything that does not help the Wealthiest 5% of this country... which means himself and his cronies!
Johnny Boy hasnt ignored Social Security....he talked in his usual clueless demeanor about INVESTING some of the SS fund in the VOLATILE stock market
(Sung to the tune of Waylon Jennings' "The Wurlitzer Prize)
I Can't wait for November
The Evening of Four
Election Year Will be through
The votes will be counted
The votes will be cast
The McCain Party Will Be through
They oughtta give me the blue ribbon prize
Seeing those states turn blue
The cure for Social Security is so simple it's amazing:
ELIMINATE THE SALARY CAP!!
Everyone....EVERY legal US Citizen who earns a salary in the USA should be responsible for paying into the system! Every legal US citizen is eligible for SS benefits, and as such, everyone should pay into the fund.
As it stands now...if one earns over a certain amount annually (for example $90,000) once that amount is reached, that individual no longer has to pay into the SS fund.
This means that all the major earners in this country...all the Wall Street FAT CATS who took all our money have only had to contribute to the SS fund based on a FRACTION of the dollars they earned!! Of course, they are all eligible and will most definitely collect when they are old enough!
Imagine if all the rest of us did not have to contribute 7.56% of our income???
That's the key: ELIMINATE THE SALARY CAP!!!!
Obama has a better ploan thaqn Mc
Cain and he knows it needs to be worked on. But then everything gets changed in Congress before it is law
Barbara – 65 yr old white female in NC- You voted as you said. Go crochet something. Leave your hateful rhetoric somewhere else. We are tired of your inane comments!
I'm just glad that social security was not privitized like Bush and McCain wanted it to be.... just think of the huge losses that would have created in this economy mess.
I think JOhn McCain has too many bad ideas and has no leadership abilities.
John McCain won't talk about, but he does collect it. That is the really obscene part. He and Mrs. Bud are worth millions, and he is cashing those checks. Pitiful.