Absolutely Love Bernie Sanders

[patrice]

1. Senator Sanders wants us to help him fight a Chained CPI proposal for Social Security

http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation/Social-Security-COLA-at-Risk-with-Chained-CPI-Proposals

Today's announcement that Social Security recipients will receive a modest increase (1.7%) in their cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was a small but welcome boost for seniors who are seeing prices increase on necessities, from health care to food. However, even this modest increase could be jeopardized if proposals floating around in Washington to "tweak" the current COLA formula by tying it to the so-called "chained CPI" are passed.

Senior advocates and retirement experts say the current formula, the CPI-W, is already inadequate. Higher health care costs and expenses seniors face are not accurately addressed in the CPI-W.

The Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director Edward Coyle says:

The current formula, used for today’s announcement, already badly understates the inflation experienced by seniors and disabled Americans, who make up the majority of Social Security beneficiaries. However, the change some in Congress want would exacerbate this flaw in a way that is particularly damaging for women who, because of their greater life expectancy, receive benefits over a longer period of time.