Blanchard, Joyce Disagree On How To Handle Social Security, Medicare
Joyce says, in the future, the eligibility age must be pushed back; Blanchard says FICA taxes could be raised to support the programs
Videos
The Lake County chambers of commerce, including the Mentor Area Chamber, hosted a forum for the region's state and national legislative candidates last week at LaMalfa Centre.
Both candidates for the state's 14th district seat in U.S. Congress -- Republican David Joyce and Democrat Dale Virgil Blanchard -- attended the forum.
The candidates were asked how they would deal with the mounting costs of Social Security and Medicaid. Joyce said the age of eligiblity needed to be pushed back, though not for people already on either program.
Blanchard said FICA taxes should be raised to support Social Security and Medicare. He also noted that Reagan did this on multiple occasions.
Videos of both of their answers are attached to this story.
The 14th district's seat has been held by Steven LaTourette for the last 18 years. However, he chose not to run for re-election, citing exhaustion with bipartisan bickering and political brinksmanship.
The Republican party appointed Joyce, the Geauga County prosecutor, to run in LaTourette's stead.
For more from Joyce and Blanchard at the chamber forum, watch:
