Social Security Falsehood Circulates Again
Quick Take
Social networking articles claim Democrats voted for 2019 against the Social Security cost-of-living growth. Lawmakers do not decide adjustments to Social Security benefits.
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A 2.8 percent growth in Social Security benefits goes into effect this month.
The increase is caused by a cost-of-living modification that, based on the Social Security Administration, is based on economic calculations — not on the whim of lawmakers.
Nevertheless, claims have recirculated on societal press this week — following cropping up in the fall — that”ALL the Democrats voted AGAINST the 2.8percent Social Security cost of living increase.”
That’s not correct. The rise wasn’t voted on by lawmakers.
The cost-of-living modification (or COLA) has been declared in October. The annual adjustment is determined from the percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which can be calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s absolutely not any COLA when there isn’t any growth in the CPI-W to the time period.
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The objective of the adjustment, according to the SSA, is to ensure that inflationn’t minimizes the purchasing power of Social Security benefits.
It has been that way since 1975. Prior to this, benefit increases were caused by special legislation enacted by Congress.
Misinformation about Social Security benefits has been going around for decades.
In 2017, we composed about sites and blogs erroneously crediting President Donald Trump for the COLA declared in 2016 — until he took office. Years before, in 2010, we debunked a congressional candidate’s TV advertisement that blamed Congress for the fact that there was no cost-of-living adjustment that year. That followed our 2009 bit about a chain email that made an equally false claim about Democrats blocking an increase in benefits for 2009.
Facts Check: Uber Fake
