AARP Iowa is recruiting volunteers who are committed to keeping Social Security strong

(These four soundbites are from Brad Anderson, AARP Iowa’s state director.) “One of the few issues [that] Republicans and Democrats agree on is that we need to keep ‘Social Security’ strong, for future generations. We want Iowans who are preparing to cast their votes [to] know where all the leading candidates for [the] U-S House and Senate stand on this issue. So, ‘A-A-R-P Iowa’ asked each candidate to share their views, as part of our ‘Pocketbook Conversations’ video-series. All 10 videos are available online, at ‘a-a-r-p’-dot-o-r-g-slash-‘i-a’.” (:28) “‘A-A-R-P Iowa’ is assembling a diverse coalition of volunteers—across the political spectrum—who are committed to ensuring the solvency of ‘Social Security’. These volunteers will help us engage elected-officials and candidates, to let them know that protecting ‘Social Security’ must be a top priority—and that inaction is not an option. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up, at ‘a-a-r-p’-dot-o-r-g-slash-‘i-a’.” (:27) “More than 660-thousand Iowans currently receive ‘Social Security’-benefits; that results in well over 11-billion dollars injected into the economy, each year. ‘Social Security’ is also the only inflation-protected, guaranteed source of income that you can count on, when you retire. And, if it weren’t for Social Security, almost three-in-10 beneficiaries over the age of 65 would be living below the poverty-line. The bottom line is [that] this is a popular, reliable program; it started 87 years ago and has never missed a payment.” (:32) “Based on current projections, the ‘Social Security Trust-Fund’ could run short on funds by around 2035. The main source of financing comes from payroll-taxes on earnings that are paid by both employees and employers—with about 180-million people paying these taxes, last year. However, changing demographics mean that there are fewer people in the workforce, compared to those who are now retiring. So, if lawmakers don’t act, millions of Americans will see a reduction in ‘Social Security’-payments—and greater economic-insecurity.” (:33)