Washington Examiner
· collected 2026-08-27 · by Bill Cassidy and Dick Durbin
The article argues that Congress is procrastinating on addressing the financial crisis of the Social Security program, despite the looming deadline of six years when it will no longer be able to pay full benefits. According to the Social Security trustees, if Congress fails to act, an automatic 22% reduction in benefits or massive tax hikes on working Americans will be triggered. The article suggests that Congress lacks the willingness to consider proposals for strengthening the program, and instead is trying to "run out the clock" on the issue. Every year of delay makes the eventual solution more painful, with benefit cuts or tax increases growing significantly.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Waiting only guarantees that the solutions available tomorrow will be harder than the ones available today.
asserted
solutions → wait → ones
Social Security is an American promise, and Congress seems unmotivated or unwilling to do the hard work required to keep it.
asserted
Congress → seem → it
The program’s finances are deteriorating, and according to the program’s trustees, if Congress fails to act, the program will be unable to pay full scheduled benefits within six short years, triggering an automatic 22% reduction in benefits or requiring massive tax hikes on working Americans with little to no warning.
uncertain
program → deteriorate → warning
When that happens, the poverty rate among elderly Americans increases by 50%.
asserted
rate → happen → %
Of course, every member of Congress says Social Security must be protected.
asserted
Security → say → Congress
They agree that retirees deserve the benefits they have earned.
asserted
they → agree → benefits
Yet year after year, Congress fails to engage seriously in the bipartisan work necessary to preserve the program, even as the deadline for action grows closer.
asserted
deadline → fail → action
It should concern every American that the people they’ve sent to Washington to address tough issues are unwilling to do so.
asserted
they → concern → issues
Some would adjust benefits, others would raise revenues, and still others would seek to grow the resources available to the program.
asserted
others → adjust → program
Reasonable people can disagree about the best approach.
asserted
people → disagree → approach
What is indefensible is refusing to debate seriously any approach at all while the program moves closer to insolvency.
asserted
program → refuse → insolvency
Congress does not lack the proposals; it lacks the willingness to consider them.
asserted
it → lack → them
Currently, a bill to establish a process for reviewing proposals is being considered, but even setting up a process to consider proposals has opposition!
asserted
setting → establish → opposition
If Congress will not even allow a bipartisan discussion about preventing an automatic reduction in Social Security benefits, then what exactly is the plan?
asserted
plan → allow → benefits
Hoping the problem disappears is not a plan.
asserted
problem → hop → ?
Waiting until the trust fund approaches insolvency is not a plan.
asserted
fund → wait → insolvency
Telling Americans that the issue is too politically difficult to discuss is certainly not a plan.
asserted
issue → tell → Americans
The suggestion that Congress should take more time is detached from reality, detached from the concerns of the American people, and detached from the job we were sent to Washington to do: tackle tough issues.
asserted
we → take → issues
Social Security does not have more time.
asserted
Security → have → time
Every year Congress delays, the benefit cuts or tax increases required to fill the gap grow significantly.
asserted
cuts → delay → gap
And if these cuts and increases occur, the eventual solution is more painful for workers, retirees, and taxpayers alike.
asserted
solution → occur → workers
That cannot be wished away.
asserted
That → wish → ?
Politicians are quick to accuse others of wanting to cut benefits.
asserted
Politicians → accuse → benefits
They are far less willing to participate in the difficult work required to prevent the automatic benefit reductions that current law will eventually impose if nothing changes.
asserted
nothing → participate → that
Running out the clock on Social Security might be politically acceptable to short-sighted special interests, lobbyists, and politicians, but it is profoundly unfair to the millions of Americans who depend on this program and expect their elected representatives to solve problems rather than avoid them.
uncertain
representatives → run → them
History is not going to remember whether Congress voted on a bill merely to set up a process by which to consider a solution.
asserted
Congress → go → solution
It will remember whether Congress acted before retirees faced unnecessary reductions to the benefits on which they depend.
asserted
they → remember → which
When benefits are cut, no member of Congress will be able to say they didn’t see it coming.
asserted
it → cut → Congress
They will only have to explain why they chose not to act in a timely, thoughtful way.
asserted
they → have → way
