WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More than 300 seniors and workers packed a “Back Off Social Security” rally on Capitol Hill to tell Congress not to cut Social Security benefits or raise the retirement age.
 
They heard from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and others that Social Security has been the most successful social program in American history.   When Social Security was first enacted, the poverty rate for seniors was 50 percent; today, it is 10 percent. That remarkable change happened without contributing one dime to the federal deficit. Not one dime. More than 120,000 Vermonters currently receive Social Security benefits.
 
“If you want to talk about the deficit, talk about the wars. Talk about the Wall Street bailout. Talk about tax breaks for billionaires. Don't talk about Social Security," Sanders said.
 
There is a $2.6 trillion surplus in the Social Security retirement fund that is projected to grow to over $4 trillion by the year 2023.
 
“It’s not just an exaggeration that Social Security is going bankrupt,” Reid said. “It’s an outright lie.”

“You know why they hate Social Security?” Sanders said of Republicans’ ideological drive to destroy the retirement program. “Because it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do. Social Security has worked.”

As reckless behavior on Wall Street caused millions to lose their life’s savings, Social Security continued to make every payment owed -- ensuring millions of Americans could retire in dignity. 

“For 75 years, through good times and bad, Social Security has succeeded in keeping millions of senior citizens, widows, children, and the disabled out of poverty,” Sanders said.

Through letters, e-mails and personal statements at recent town meetings throughout Vermont, hundreds of Vermonters have shared with Sanders how the recession which has dragged on for more than three years has derailed their lives. People often talked about how their hopes to retire were dashed because they have had to raid retirement savings to cover day-to-day bills, making them realize the importance of Social Security.

Sanders called for lifting the Social Security payroll tax to include incomes over $250,000.  By modestly tweaking the funding of the program, Social Security could be strengthened for several more generations.

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