Carl Levin Quotes

If you can't even acknowledge that you have to fix Social Security, that's not a very good starting point.

What I would ask the Democrat Party is to put your plan on the table, because most people agree with the facts, and the facts are that Social Security is running out of money.

We must work together to save and strengthen Social Security not just for my father's generation but also for my daughters' generation.

While Social Security faces some long-term challenges, the system is not in crisis.

One of the reasons that Social Security is in so much trouble is that the only funding stream comes from people who get a wage. The people who get wages is declining dramatically. Most of the income in this country is made by people at the top who get dividends and - and capital gains.

But there is a need to explore ways we can preserve the promise of Social Security for future generations.

Funding privatized accounts with Social Security dollars would not only make the program's long term problems worse, but many believe it represents a first step toward undermining the program's fundamental goals.

Small changes done now would preserve Social Security at full benefit.

Despite the state of denial exhibited by most Democrats, Americans all across the nation acknowledge that changes are necessary to preserve Social Security for today's younger workers.

No matter how you cut it, this real debate on personal accounts is about the legitimacy of Social Security; it's not about the solvency of Social Security.

It's time to stop the raid on the Social Security trust fund and start allowing Americans to invest their Social Security taxes in personal savings accounts.

One poll shows that by 61 percent to 29 percent Americans under 40 say that Social Security needs to be fixed.

Our nation's Social Security Trust Fund is depleting at an alarming rate, and failure to implement immediate reforms endangers the ability of Americans to plan for their retirement with the options and certainty they deserve.

I do not believe that the Social Security system is in crisis. The Social Security Administration itself recently reported that the system is able to pay full benefits as they are defined today until at least 2042.

The president's claim that Social Security is going broke is misleading at best. The sky is not falling, although there is no doubt that the system needs to be strengthened.

Social Security's future has gotten worse, and each year we delay reform adds to the cost we are pushing off onto our children.

In my opinion, the president is right to address future funding, even though Social Security will show a surplus through 2018 and will not run out of funds until 2042.

... the Social Security trust fund is not spare money; it is spoken for.

What should we do with this projected surplus? I have a simple four-word answer: Save Social Security first.

We must level with the people and explain to them that Social Security will first face funding problems in 2042 that can be fixed now with changes that do not undermine and ultimately drain from the entire program.

Specifically, I am concerned about the long-term condition of Social Security. I am committed to ensuring that current beneficiaries and those nearing retirement face no reduction in benefits, while preserving this vital program for future generations.

We must ensure that today's seniors' benefits are rock solid and find a solution that fixes Social Security for the next generation that is just entering the workforce.

It's hard to exaggerate the importance of preserving the financial integrity of Social Security.

Certainly Social Security needs to be reformed.

Social Security faces a long-term actuarial deficit, yes.