On the Record: Social Security — Who Will Protect Our Retirement?

Social Security is personal.

It helps millions of Americans pay for:

• Rent and groceries
• Electric bills and other essentials
• Prescription medications

Workers pay Social Security taxes out of every paycheck for decades, trusting that benefits will be there when they retire, become disabled, or lose a family breadwinner.

These are earned benefits—not handouts.

Social Security was never intended to be anyone’s only source of retirement income. But it is a vital safety net workers help fund throughout their careers.

The Problem: Congress Must Act

Social Security faces a real financial challenge.

The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report projects that the retirement and survivors trust fund will run short of reserves in late 2032.

Without congressional action:

• Incoming revenue would cover only about 78% of scheduled benefits.
• Millions could face substantial benefit reductions.

Social Security would not disappear—but the consequences for retirees and families could be serious.

Two Candidates. Two Different Approaches.

Michael Masuda: Protect Earned Benefits

Democratic candidate Michael Masuda says Congress should protect Social Security by asking higher earners to contribute more—not by cutting benefits workers have spent their careers earning.

His proposals include:

• Lifting the cap on wages subject to Social Security taxes.
• Including investment income from the wealthiest Americans.
• Rejecting means-testing that would reduce benefits based on other retirement income.
• Considering retirement-age changes only with protections for people in physically demanding jobs and those nearing retirement.

His promise: “No benefit cuts!”

Masuda’s approach focuses on raising additional revenue from those with greater financial resources while protecting the benefits working Americans count on.

Tom McClintock: Spending, Deficits, and Delayed Retirement

Congressman Tom McClintock has consistently emphasized federal spending, deficits, and the national debt. His record also includes support for a different approach to Social Security financing.

In 2011, McClintock cosponsored H.R. 3551, the Social Security Preservation through Individual Choice Enhancement Act⁠. The proposal would have allowed workers to choose a temporary payroll-tax reduction in exchange for delaying retirement by one month for each year of tax relief. McClintock defended the proposal as a way to link the cost of Social Security to its benefits.

That is a different approach from Masuda’s stated emphasis on increasing contributions from higher earners to protect scheduled benefits.

McClintock’s 2011 position does not establish how he would vote on every future Social Security proposal. But it raises an important question: Would his approach protect the benefits current and future retirees have earned, and how?

The Choice Voters Deserve to Understand

Social Security faces a funding challenge. The question is how Congress should address it—and who should bear the cost.

Here are the questions both candidates should answer:

• Will you rule out cuts to scheduled benefits?
• Will you ask higher earners to contribute more, change retirement rules, or pursue another solution?
• How will your plan protect people in physically demanding jobs and those approaching retirement?
• How will you ensure Social Security remains reliable for future generations?

Tom McClintock has represented this district since 2009. As voters consider whether to give him another term, they deserve a clear comparison of his record and his plans with those of his challenger.

Social Security’s future should not be left to campaign slogans or last-minute action.

The people who earned these benefits deserve clear answers, specific proposals, and a workable plan.

Let’s ask the questions. Let’s examine the record. And let’s make sure the voices of working Americans and retirees are heard.

That’s what On the Record is about.