Rep. Dan Maffei (D-Syracuse) is courting senior voters as Election Day approaches. He stood with some local seniors in Syracuse, promising to protect Social Security. He admits there are some changes that could be made to the federal program.
“But it’s not in crisis," Maffei said. "It’s a program that continues to make sure that seniors can continue to live a dignified life, even if their private savings didn't work out, or something like that. And that’s the whole point of the program that Roosevelt put in.”
The Democrat calls Social Security an essential program that needs to be protected for future generations.
"The fact is that Social Security is one of the most sound government programs in the history of government," Maffei explained. "It’s made it so instead of above 50 percent of seniors being in poverty, we’re down to almost 10 percent.”
The Democrat is facing Republican challenger John Katko in the race for the 24th Congressional District seat. Maffei criticized Katko’s support for a program that would offer private retirement accounts for young people. Maffei says that amounts to cutting back Social Security in the future.
