Editor,
The presidential debates so far have been a joke….and embarrassing! Tens of millions of Americans will be watching the debate the night of October 19 — and they deserve a serious discussion on the big issues facing our nation, like the future of Social Security. If the next President doesn’t take bold action on Social Security, we could see our hard-earned benefits cut by nearly 25% in less than 20 years. That’s unacceptable.

Earlier this year, AARP polling in battleground states found —across party lines—large majorities of voters believe that having a plan for Social Security is a “basic threshold for presidential leadership.” A recent AARP survey of women voters found that more than 70 percent support “immediate action” to keep Social Security strong.

Social Security affects 60 million Americans, and 138,000 Vermonters, who rely on its benefits today. It also impacts the 170 million workers who pay into the program and are counting on it for tomorrow. It is one of America’s great success stories, and it touches, in some way, nearly every individual and family in the country. Let’s hope our candidates can finally address the issues that really matter.

Dave Reville
AARP Vermont