Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) is on board with the idea of increasing Social Security benefits. In an era when the political conversation has been dominated by destructive ideas such as a Grand Bargain or Chained CPI or Simpson-Bowles, another movement has begun and is building. We the people should be doing more for one another, not less. We the people should expect more from our government, not less.

Greg Sargent:



Another Democratic Senator has now joined the push for a proposal that had previously been mostly debated in the blogosphere, far outside the boundaries of acceptable discourse: Increasing Social Security benefits, rather than cutting them. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon announced his support for increasing Social Security benefits in a release after a committee hearing he chaired yesterday on retirement security, but it has gotten little to no attention.

It deserves more attention. Lots of attention. As does Merkley, who comes from a blue state, but will have a well-financed Republican opponent this year, as he faces his first re-election.

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