Florida Issue Alert - Social Security

Senator Barack Obama has been falsely attacking John McCain's record on Social Security over the past few weeks.

Senator Obama claims that John McCain is in favor of privatizing social security, that he wants to gamble with senior citizens' life savings, and that he would cut Social Security benefits in half. ("Obama Distorts McCain Social Security Stances," Washington Post, 9/23/08)

The Facts

The Washington Post has called Senator Obama's claims a gross distortion of John McCain's position on Social Security.("Obama Distorts McCain Social Security Stances," Wash ington Post, 9/23/08)

Fact-Check.org characterized Senator Obama's accusations as "not true," "simply false" and "highly distorted." (Brooks Jackson, "Obama's Social Security Whopper," FactCheck.org, www.factcheck.org, 9/20/08)

John McCain's Position

John McCain has committed to solving our nation's entitlement challenges in a manner that protects our commitment to America's seniors and retirees. John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security, and he believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain supports supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts - but not as a substitute for addressing benefit promises that canno t be kept.

John McCain will reach across the aisle to address these challenges, 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. Americans have the right to know the truth and John McCain will not leave office without fixing the problems that threaten our future prosperity and power.