Jun 29, 2010

Boehner: Raise Social Security retirement to 70 and means-test benefits

05:45 PM

House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio speaking to reporters outside the White House on June 10.CAPTIONBy Charles Dharapak, APHouse Republican leader John Boehner, who would become House speaker if the GOP takes control in November, said in a newspaper interview that big changes are needed for Social Security, including eventually raising the retirement age to 70 and reducing or ending benefits for retirees with "substantial" other income.

"We're all living a lot longer than anyone ever expected," Boehner of Ohio told editors of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "And I think that raising the retirement age — going out 20 years, so you're not affecting anyone close to retirement — and eventually getting the retirement age to 70 is a step that needs to be taken."

He also said automatic benefit increases should be linked to the Consumer Price Index, not wage inflation, which tends to be higher, and that benefits should be means-tested. "If you have substantial non-Social Security income while you're retired, why are we paying you at a time when we're broke?" he said.

"We just need to be honest with people," he said. "I'm not suggesting it's going to be easy, but I think if we did those three things, you'd pretty well solve the problem."

Though he said Social Security is the most important entitlement needing reform, Boehner also said that should Republicans retake the House, they will attempt to repeal the health care overhaul championed by President Obama.

Watch Boehner's remarks on Social Security. The paper has also posted clips of his responses on the BP oil spill, immigration and seeking the vice presidency.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... enefits-/1