When President Franklin Roosevelt signed Social Security into law on August 14, 1935, he said,
“The civilization of the past hundred years, with its startling industrial changes, has tended more and more to make life insecure. Young people have come to wonder what would be their lot when they came to old age. The man with a job has wondered how long the job would last. This law, too, represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete. It is, in short, a law that will take care of human needs and at the same time provide the United States an economic structure of vastly greater soundness.”
Roosevelt’s words are as relevant now as they were then. The Social Security Act and its promise to aid the most vulnerable help comprise the very fabric of our social fiber. Social Security, and the people it helps, is worth protecting.
As we celebrate its 76th anniversary, we remember Social Security’s humble beginnings and the lives forever changed because Americans believed we do better when we all do better. As Democrats, we stand proud for the difference Social Security has made, and stand ready to protect a more secure future.