Video: Bernie Sanders and Brave New Foundation investigate a multi-million-dollar misinformation campaign by the Koch Brothers to dismantle Social Security.

Bernie Sanders and Brave New Foundation are investigating the Koch Brothers. (photo: Brave New Foundation)

Koch Brothers' Campaign to Kill Social Security

By Bernie Sanders, Brave New Foundation

23 June 11

"Expose the Kochs": The Koch Brothers fund multiple think tanks and academic centers to promote their ideology and expand their profits. Watch Bernie Sanders and Brave New Foundation investigate and reveal the Koch Brothers' campaign to kill Social Security. -- CW/RSN

Counter the Koch billions. Protect Social Security.

he Facts:

Social Security belongs to you - the workers who contribute to it - not the politicians in Washington.

Social Security will never go bankrupt. Its major source of income comes from the contributions of workers and employers; as long as there are workers, Social Security will have income. Closing tax loopholes for wealthy individuals will increase the long term financial health of the program, and protect it for decades to come.

Raising the retirement age is a terrible idea and a large benefit cut. If you were claiming benefits as a 66 year-old retired worker and the full retirement age was changed from 66, where it is today, to 69 your benefits would be cut 20 percent. A typical benefit would drop from $14,000 a year to $11,200 a year.

Privatizing Social Security would be a disaster. Social Security is so valuable because it provides a guaranteed benefit. Privatizing Social Security would remove this guarantee and have people gamble their retirement savings in the casinos of Wall Street. If the recent financial crisis taught us anything, Wall Street is the last place where our money is safe.

For more information, check out the Strengthen Social Security Campaign.

Comments

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+57 # D12345 2011-06-23 09:55

Great....also, with unemployment sky high....and among young people especially, how can anyone endorse forcing old people to keep working.

Thank God for Sanders.

+43 # kernel85 2011-06-23 12:41

Not only that, with wages dropping through the floor, ordinary American workers will never be able to save enough to retire at any age. Without Social Security you'll have to save north of a million bucks for a minimal retirement. At minimum wage, you'll have to work full-time for 70 years to even earn that much.

+64 # harbormon 2011-06-23 12:16

Who would have guessed that the most dangerous "terrorist" in the US are a couple of well dressed, mid-western white guys with bad haircuts. These two neo-fascists make Adolph and Benito look like rank amateurs.

If we don't start playing hardball with these guys we are going to pay the supreme price. And don't forget who their point person is, none other than the Christian Fascist's inspirational leader, Michelle Bachman.

+32 # RANDY HURST 2011-06-23 12:50

social security is already "privatized". If you have a SSN, you have a private account that contains your savings for retirement. Beware of efforts to steal it. We are not helpless. Print "8/14th holiday" at the corner of an envelope and mail to President Obama, WH, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC, 20500. Demand that August 14th be designated a holiday to commemorate the signing of the Social Security Act of 1935. Make the will of the people heard loud and clear.

+35 # Kayjay 2011-06-23 16:18

It seems that the Koch bros. and their ilk want it all, no matter the cost to society. I'm sure they are constantly eyeing their bottom line and bank accounts. But if they kill social security, who will be left to buy their Brawny paper towels???? I guess our old folks can use the empty boxes as beds. Instead.... we need more people to tune in to Sen. Sanders' messages on social security issues.

+20 # enrique 2011-06-23 21:58

Stop buying their stuff! Fight back! You will find there is a lot one can do without. Between the vote and choosing what to buy, the common person has tremendous power. You just need to make the effort and do it.

+24 # maddave 2011-06-23 22:28

Bernie got a lot of things right here, but he missed the driving force the rush to privatize Social Security. What's the total of all payroll tax paid into the Treasury every year? $2.5 trillion? Let's guess, conservatively, that 20% of that would go into private accounts. That's a windfall to Wall Street & Corporate America of $500,000,000,00 0.00 that unsophisticated investors would place at risk each & every year - from now on.

The wolves & jackals on Wall Street and in Corporate America are already salivating over this prospect of fresh meat volunteering for the slaughter.

+26 # Ken Hall 2011-06-23 23:50

All the economists I listen to, Krugman, Baker, and a few others, say that SS is set to pay out for decades and the costs aren't going to rise very much. Propagandists lump it together with Medicare as entitlements and say that the costs of entitlements are going to go through the roof. They are, but that's because of Medicare, not SS, and we all know a good fix for the rising costs of healthcare. Ooops, did I look behind the curtain? And entitlements are just that, people are entitled to a return from the money they've been investing in the gov't all their working lives. I do get tired of the bought and paid-for echo chamber of small-minded ditto heads. This land was made for you and me and not just the rich folks.

+21 # giraffee2012 2011-06-24 00:37

Thx Bernie Sanders!

Why was Anthony Wiener front page news for "lying" to the press and thus forced to resign when the Koch brothers get off?

There are so many idiots watching FAUX to believe the Koch bros. propaganda ....

Then we have the Stupremes who gave the koch brothers "THIS RIGHT" of "personhood" to spew the airways with lies.

So - if we cannot trust the courts + the cry-babies (Cantor walked out when the Dems said TAXES were on the table) in the house -- and the military (who are the reason we are fighting all over the world -- they have clout) --- bottom line = vote 2012 for Dems (no blue dogs) and REGISTER NOW + GET A MAIL-IN BAALLOT BC your voting both may move suddenly in 2012 (make sure granny votes too)

+5 # LiberalLibertarian 2011-06-24 12:17

girafee2012,

Anthony Weiner's real crime was that he was getting off by fantasizing a mutually sexual encounter with women he found attractive. And what was worse, those women also found him attractive.

The Koch brother and other perverted Right Wingers cannot comprehend getting off as an expression of wealth and power over persons, especially women. Nothing mutual about them.

You see, you can tell more about person when you understand what type of relationship gets them off.

+16 # Phyllis 2011-06-24 02:17

Get on the bandwagon and back Bernie (Sen. Sanders) or pay the price down the road. This is no laughing matter, and the Kochs, and their buddies, will not quit in their quest for your money and your security until you make them. Pay attention and DO something.

+19 # VSweet 2011-06-24 05:39

When was the last time the Federal government audited the Koch Brothers with their laden filled surplus of wealth? These rich corporate giants spend a lot of money to divert our government to become the new Corporate America. They appear to be the GIANTS of the land, but when they fall, and they will, you will hear and see their power go down with them. FOCUS and DISPOSE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT THE KOCHS BROTHER ARE REALLY PAYING INTO THE ECONOMY AND THEIR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THEIR SHARE OF TAXABLE INCOME.

+18 # boudreaux 2011-06-24 07:23

Seems to me that they are the terrorists's of this country...

+10 # James55 2011-06-24 07:26

The logical solution, the obvious solution is the same for almost every problem. We've got 20 million or so people without jobs, thus who are not paying any taxes at all. Institute tariffs (taxes collected, we need 'em) to bring manufacturing jobs back home. This solves both employment and tax problems at all levels, and Social Security and entitlement problems will also be eased as more will be paying into SS fund.

+11 # boudreaux 2011-06-24 07:59

The way I look at it is they sold us out when they let those jobs go out of this country, we lost our freedome then...

+21 # Beth Sager 2011-06-24 08:02

Remember when Palin got started on the "death panels' a few years ago? The TRUE death panels would be those taking SS and Medicare away from seniors, and the killer insurance companies who line their pockets with people's retirement funds (That's where my biggest chunk goes-more than my house payment, what I spend for groceries, etc.)

+7 # cblf14 2011-06-25 19:22

Koch Brothers' and all who support them should be expired. Only through their demise will we be safe.

+6 # Melany Jenkins 2011-06-28 18:59

It seems to me there is really only one way to fix the SS problem. No tax SS tax breaks for the wealthy. Every one of my $$ are taxed so should everyone's even if you are wealthy. That is the only way, espedcially in this time of economic strife and with record unemployment. Why do those with the least have to pay the highest percentage of taxes in relation to thier income....does not make sense to me. Seems a bit unfair to me.

+3 # Pat Tibbs 2011-07-05 11:46

Quoting

social security is already "privatized". If you have a SSN, you have a private account that contains your savings for retirement. Beware of efforts to steal it. We are not helpless. Print "8/14th holiday" at the corner of an envelope and mail to President Obama, WH, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC, 20500. Demand that August 14th be designated a holiday to commemorate the signing of the Social Security Act of 1935. Make the will of the people heard loud and clear.

I support Randy's efforts to establish August 14 as a holiday honoring Social Security.

+1 # kritik1 2011-07-09 21:48

koch bro(s) getting punked?
Finally stupidity has set in. First bust the Unions, make every man, woman and child subservient to their lordships. Next privatize the pensions because you cannot take funds prematurely out of retirement savings vehicle. This will give the privateer enough time to manipulate fees, charges, and make risky investments with "Other peoples money". Next Stop: there is big money in Health care and medicine, so privatize and suck the blood out of people. Finally the mint. That should be privatized too, why not? because the good old gold is lying there for the right opportunists (its like taking the candy from the baby). And all this can be done in the name of Democracy, Entrepreneurshi p, Capitalism, and all such good crap.

0 # Rixar13 2011-07-11 15:32

"Counter the Koch billions. Protect Social Security."

Don't be Koch Suckers....!

0 # BobR 2011-08-12 15:31

Fact 3:
"Raising the retirement age is a terrible idea and a large benefit cut. If you were claiming benefits as a 66 year-old retired worker and the full retirement age was changed from 66, where it is today, to 69 your benefits would be cut 20 percent. A typical benefit would drop from $14,000 a year to $11,200 a year."

Can this be right? I would expect the annual benefit to be higher, not lower.

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