Letter to the editor: Social security - Now you decide

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 10.22.26

Americans have a choice: Congress can act now to protect Social Security or wait until its reserves run short in 2032 and millions of retirees face benefit cuts. The longer lawmakers wait, the harder the choices become.

Democrats and Republicans have different approaches. Democrats propose making higher earners pay their fair share by raising or eliminating the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes. Republicans, who currently control both chambers of Congress, have supported raising the retirement age from 67 to 69 to reduce future costs.

Ask yourself: Have these lawmakers ever worked a physically demanding job?

It’s one thing to sit behind a desk until 69. It’s another to lay bricks, roof houses in summer heat, wait tables, weld steel, nurse patients or drive a truck for hours. These workers wear down their bodies earning a living. Many struggle to work until 67. How can we expect them to work two more years?

Rep. David Rouzer has offered no clear plan to protect Social Security. He also voted against the Social Security Fairness Act in November 2024. He should show up, listen to his constituents and explain his position. Most of us don’t even know the sound of his voice. We deserve answers, not silence.

Democratic candidate Dr. Kimberly Hardy has publicly stated her support for protecting Social Security benefits. She believes seniors deserve security and dignity after a lifetime of work.

Social Security is not a handout. Workers pay into it with every paycheck, counting on those benefits after a lifetime of work.

So vote wisely. Don’t let the burden keep falling on working people. Get to the polls and elect someone who will protect your retirement by protecting Social Security.

Forrest T McKennie

Supply