Page 22 - Social Security Program News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Retirement age for social security, would you go on record tonight and say that you will do that? >> i don't -- i made a mistake when i did that because i think having the conversation about how big the problem is is the first step. and once the american people understand how big the problem is, then you begin to outline an array of possible solutions. but when you look at life expectancy in america today and you look at the social security system, we're all living far longer than anyone ever anticipated and the result of these big demographic changes is having a disastrous effect on the socia...

We should do anything to threaten the integrity of the medicare program or the social security program. millions of americans depend on that for retirement security and health security. but in the 1980s, tip o'neill, the then speaker of the house got together with then president reagan and they made some changes that helped sustain those programs going forward. so that's the kind of model i think we can look to for coming together. and everybody had to give a little bit in that process. >> all right. it's great to talk to you this morning, congressman chris van hollen from maryland. thanks so ...

Hello, john. >> hello, keith. >> dor these groups against graham, are they trying to show the president they will have his back if he stands up in defense of medicare and social security? >> no. they are trying to show him they won't have his back if he doesn't. it's a threat from the left. it works to a certain extent. he is going to speak up strongly for social security. remember how well it works for bill clinton to say save social security first. he will speak out strongly against privatizing. he will make everybody think in that speech that he has nothing at all critical to say about the ...

Money alone will not fix the problems of under per forming skaopls -- schools. he's calling for more charter schools, and calling on students, parents and teachers to step up with higher standards. and he presented the credited of a longer school year, don't tell the children. a congressman in missouri is focusing new attention on social security concerns today. the story started when congressman russ karen a hapb told constituents recently that the social security program is just fine. take a look at the response. >> the social security system has been stable for 75 years, has one of the most...

Wild that person grow up in america with there is not a federal social security program if you got your way? >> absolutely. >> no demagoguery there at all. >> if you had to? a sentence or two describe barack obama, what do you say? >> bad for america. he's one of the major forces moving this country towards socialism. it's the wrong direction for america. this is bipartisan problem, but he's at the front of it. the growth of stimulus programs, the growth of basically government bailouts to industries that are failing, it's not the american way, it's not the free market way. and it's killing th...