January 13, 2016

Statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Speech

 

President’s Last State of the Union Speech has Strong Implications
for Social Security, Medicare and Pensions

Retirees Remain Apprehensive about Trans Pacific Partnership
Trade Deal

Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding President Obama’s State of the Union address:

“The Alliance for Retired Americans applauds President Obama for shining the light on the plight of working and retired Americans, who often cannot expect to retire with dignity after a lifetime of working hard and playing by the rules.

“We echo the President’s sentiments that it is now tougher for older workers to retire when they want to. That is why Social Security and Medicare are more important than ever; it is further proof that we need to expand our earned Social Security benefits.

“Those who have worked hard and contributed to defined benefit pension plans through deferred compensation plans must reap the benefits of their labor. The contracts that these workers and retirees have made with employers and our government must be honored.

“As President Obama stated, ‘America is the most powerful nation in the world.’ No citizen of our great country should have to choose on a daily basis between food and medicine.

“That is why retirees oppose passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. The TPP will cost American jobs and will harm consumers who rely on prescription drugs. Americans already pay the highest prescription drug prices in the industrialized world. The TPP will exacerbate this problem, locking in high drug costs in order to line the pockets of pharmaceutical industry executives.

“The Alliance will continue to work with President Obama and the next President toward the goals of strong Social Security and Medicare programs, pension protections, fair trade deals, and affordable prescription drug prices, and we will join with like-minded groups to achieve those goals.”

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