Keystone Today

More than 2.86 million Pennsylvanians receive Social Security, which is more than one and five residents.

It’s something guaranteed to tens of millions of Americans, which is why it’s disappointing to see former Vice President Joe Biden mischaracterize President Donald Trump’s efforts to protect what has been guaranteed to hard working Americans.

Biden may have set a record by breaking a campaign promise three months before Election Day.  He has promised voters no malarkey, on the campaign trail, but his attempts to scare senior citizens is nothing but malarkey.

This summer, President Trump signed an Executive Order that allows employers to defer the collection of payroll taxes for workers earning less than $104,000 annually.  The order allows people to keep more of their earnings for four months, through the end of 2020, at a time when every dollar counts.  The deferral could save the average American $1,200 this year.

Nothing in the President’s order affects Social Security’s solvency.  The order simply defers payroll taxes until next year when, with luck and courage, the economy could return to full speed.

Are payroll tax cuts useful during an emergency?  Ask former President Obama and Speaker Pelosi.  In 2010, in the midst of the global financial crisis, Obama cut payroll taxes by two percent. Obama explained that “economists across the political spectrum agree” that a payroll tax cut “is one of the most powerful things we can do to create jobs and boost economic growth.”  In 2012, Pelosi applauded the tax cut’s renewal as “a temporary measure to help give us a boost.”

Now, the administration is exploring a plan to forgive these four months of deferred taxes – not to eliminate payroll taxes.  If Congress agrees, Americans could receive a small tax cut for 2020.  That’s it.  In a recent letter to Congress, the Social Security Administration’s Chief Actuary confirmed that no one has proposed “hypothetical legislation” to end payroll taxes. 

So, why is Joe Biden trying to mislead voters about President Trump’s moves and the solvency of Social Security?  And why isn’t Biden joining Trump in trying to put more money in people’s pockets during these difficult times?

Perhaps the former Vice President misunderstands the Executive Order, but more likely, he is attempting to distract voters from his own past comments.  Decades ago, by his own admission, then-Senator Biden “tried with Senator Grassley back in the 1980s to freeze all government spending, including Social Security, including everything.”  More recently, Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out that, “Joe Biden has been on the floor of the Senate talking about the need to cut Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid.”

In sharp contrast, President Trump has committed to protecting Social Security benefits.  At his State of the Union address in February, President Trump stated unequivocally, “we will always protect your Medicare and we will always protect your Social Security.  Always.”

And that’s no malarkey.

– Asheesh Agarwal served in the Trump Administration as General Counsel to the Social Security Administration.