Braley: Social Security a ‘promise’ made to seniors

U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Braley on Thursday used a round-table with Sioux City-area seniors to continue his criticism of Republican opponent Joni Ernst's position on Social Security and Medicare.

'It's a promise we made to people that if you work hard and invest your hard-earned money into these programs, they're going to be there for you when you need them,' said Braley, a Democrat, during a meeting with seniors at UFCW Local 222 in Sioux City.

Ernst, a state senator from Red Oak, has said she supports exploring new ways to sustain Social Security, including letting people invest in personal retirement accounts. There are continued concerns about the program eventually running out of money.

The Braley campaign has said Ernst wants to privatize Social Security and end guaranteed benefits, a charge Ernst has denied.

The topic has become a major campaign issue between Braley and Ernst, who are seeking the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Tom Harkin.

The Sioux City round-table was not open to the public. Braley, a U.S. House member from Waterloo, has held similar events in Waterloo, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Davenport, Ottumwa, Ames and Mason City.

He said Iowans are telling him that retirement security is a priority.

'Many of them have been paying into programs like Social Security and Medicare their whole lives,' he said.

Jerry Wahlert, 65, is one of those seniors. After careers in financial services and education, he's had to defer his retirement for now — but he says he's passionate about strengthening the Social Security program.

'The government has a responsibility to all American workers to have a program that is guaranteed and not subject to market risk,' Wahlert said at the event. 'People can invest their money any way they want to. There's plenty of opportunities for that without risking the Social Security program.'

Braley says the government already made that guarantee, and now needs to make good on it.

'Social Security is in good shape,' Braley said. 'It's solvent through 2033 and it could pay up to 75 percent of benefits into 2088. There are minor adjustments that could be made for improving the trust fund for Social Security.'

Braley said 'very simple changes' like increasing the minimum wage would provide additional revenue that could strengthen the program.

Ernst in a statement released Tuesday said Braley's Social Security plan 'is to let it go broke.'

'Instead of having an honest conversation that involves a public debate of solutions, Bruce Braley would rather use it as a political talking point to get elected,' she said.

The election is in November.