# A 1987 idea could have saved Social Security

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-23 00:07 UTC · Category: Business

## Executive Summary
A 1987 proposal for a flat-rate Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is resurfacing as a potential solution to Social Security solvency issues.

## Intelligence Brief
Current discourse is centering on the viability of a flat-rate Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) as a mechanism to address the stability of Social Security. According to reports from thestreet.com and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, this specific concept originated in 1987 and is being revisited to determine if it could have saved the system from its current trajectory. NewsNation and Yahoo have also questioned whether implementing such a flat-rate COLA could effectively fix the program. These discussions occur as the public and policymakers grapple with the long-term solvency of retirement benefits. Media coverage is divided between policy proposals and the potential for imminent benefit reductions. Barron's reports that cuts to Social Security may be coming, advising readers on how to prepare for such an eventuality.


Simultaneously, The Spokesman-Review highlights a specific projected loss, stating that newly retired couples could lose $16,900 per year in Social Security by 2033. Opinion pieces in The Washington Post and MS NOW explore methods to rescue the system, while the Orlando Sentinel has published letters discussing the funding of socialism and saving Social Security. Other outlets, such as lifehealth.com, are focusing on the intersection of solvency and personal retirement planning. The background of this trend is rooted in the tension between maintaining benefit levels and ensuring the program's financial survival. The Heritage Foundation has entered the debate by arguing against shoring up Social Security through a significant tax hike, characterizing such a move as a bad idea. This highlights a conflict between those advocating for revenue increases and those seeking structural changes to how cost-of-living adjustments are calculated.


Bloomberg.com has also contributed to the conversation, attempting to distill the solution for fixing Social Security into a six-word framework, indicating a push for simplicity in a complex fiscal debate. Moving forward, observers are monitoring whether the flat-rate COLA proposal from 1987 gains official legislative traction. The focus remains on the timeline leading up to 2033, the year associated with the projected losses for retired couples. Coverage will likely track whether the government pursues tax hikes, which The Heritage Foundation opposes, or adopts structural adjustments to the COLA system. Future reports will likely examine the specific financial impacts of these proposals on retirees as the debate over solvency continues across diverse news and opinion platforms.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| NewsNation | Could a flat-rate COLA help fix Social Security? | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxPVXI3bTloRV92emNEUHRhMnNvd0c0QnNwMm1tbVpPNFZ1S1ZWaFhGNzF2dG4xdUNseVpoZ3IyT1oxZEtlSWJsN1pFMFpwcTc5WDRMZ1NnZmY3Yk5HNFgySEw4TFpPNlhiQUJibjV2cVV2SHBNdTViLWhRNHVhQmNkMThQblJUa2VJ0gGOAUFVX3lxTFAtcXI5WTFqbS1IN2RFUF9GRXR6NTNJZHBySmdyMFREczRzcDl1eG1lVGpnb2JhWE9qa2tkVlMyZnFGWTRtMWpyN2ZKYUtHS281MFRNdUZhSVlaZlotcnM1a0hGTjFZUjRMcjhCWU5WaW90NndRUlJsbllNYllzYVhzNXdsbU9mX1lORE5LZnc?oc=5) |
| MS NOW | Opinion - How to rescue Social Security — before it is too late | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxNOG02clV0RTBQTWZhbjYxMVZocVZaZ1ZGbnItaVBtSkRWMUdiUmdFNjc4UFhBUDdZWU03NEJBV2h5dDd6SXdyT2xya0tMTEZfdjZmVGxsNnR1VzNEVjFjdUJKVzVzZ0dWYVFERW5Md3g1M0UtTTgtR2FTdm52NDd0RFJuVHFmTzh0dkh3N3AzWElPZ054dWQxZUsxcDI?oc=5) |
| Orlando Sentinel | Letters: Saving Social Security - Funding socialism - Fairness in employment | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxQYW13aUFEd2lQdEJTZlBiZVVnMWRMd2VrUGRMX25sWm5kRkpyb215NER5cE5EOFFiUXJPT1Z2RVdsTS1lMmNVX0RYNGhYaFVWU0t2bEoxMTFHYV9uWUUzMFRESERwbGJOVG54X3VnREc1NVh2bVAwUDNYV0Jtem9oa0NoMS1HOE11ZzB2aHJTS0swX1F3eXd3UWQ1cWtpZ0hod0tkSHY4Q2JPRzRpVlBhbnhfeDFtZw?oc=5) |
| The Heritage Foundation | Shoring Up Social Security With a Big Tax Hike? Bad Idea | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxQQjhZWXVDUktwT1JCM01LdkVmU0k2WlpBUXdqM05YR2FfQUhBc3o2SFA4WWlNMGxyMWpBWU1hdW9BODlESU1PTmVpQW5STkZIZnpQYUh1VnpRQWdXNFl2enNhemhMQVV5WllXeDc2LUxZNHRrRVJ4TzJLZEE0cUdWQVdhbkx1SjV5VEEwOUJHZ2U?oc=5) |
| Barron's | Social Security Cuts May Be Coming. How to Prepare. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxQeHN1ak1USFZOZ2gwb2NXbTJ2Z1lCM29IRWw3ZjJMYmRNQ1REclV3aHRsYU52MUw1b2c2YUhjUHJqOEV0ZzAxRUJpdWRoQmhSZmFYRl9KODRYeWktZGxYSFh0YWZhUFViOVFDNkhlSjFuZU9XNFNjbF85c0RFNDV3RlJfeWk?oc=5) |
| lifehealth.com | Social Security Solvency & Retirement Planning | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifEFVX3lxTE1JekVZWXlMcVJ5b1l3c0dJLTRjSXJSX2xDUjBoSkdIY3lEc0tLNE1PbEVxSkF1VHhvSkYzUU5WRUtqTFFOVFRYcTEwVVRLTzZFR2doMERfZXcyRFkyaWZORGJROS1IQzFaUjMxcnB2ZUZ3aG9KVVllWXB4dDk?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Could a flat-rate COLA help fix Social Security? | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxNQ3dTeE55V1pxZl9Hbzk3VWNQRmVCQTI1RldKY08yaXpNeXNsOXdEM2kwYVBWVjhHRDhUSHlSbVkzVmF6VmFmNktYMjBGUUM5dmZKSHM4ZDNld1kxZkZzbl9wLVN3Zk9wZW00bFZDRW9ZV21zbXRnbk5UckY0Q093cnBCN1dVRUZNNGNlM1Jn?oc=5) |
| The Washington Post | Opinion - A missed opportunity to save Social Security | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxPaGpfQW5qamFnQ2M0MzgtU3RNaFdxZkNpMS1JaF96ZDdhSzQ1UlJaLVRVSDVyTXNBZzdKX1E4cVRldmx1c3hGdmF1TnBJOUtZN2N0dl9oQXVHak9vZ3F2NGFmLTlZZkhFckd4aW1raUg2S3V5R1poSncxaS01ZnhuSmFqUnluTFFVcmJFRjZqUF9melpHbEE?oc=5) |
| The Spokesman-Review | Newly retired couples may lose $16,900/year in Social Security in 2033 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMingFBVV95cUxNdF9jNUhRTlpja0h6NGxHZllkQ1NFSjFwY09XSTJSa01xMndiOGV1TWdlTEF4TU9Hald3SnBOcXYxV0hZOF9rVjdNMi01TFVqSC1Lc29ueFlKSUVsMnhyWjJtRFpBQ1VxdXpDTjRZaGNjRlZ6amsyODREcF8zS0ZIUHNleUw2WlFONVdfVEM5ZXpMVlJQaFhhU0gwTlFZQQ?oc=5) |
| Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget | A Flat-Rate COLA for Social Security-2026-07-21 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaEFVX3lxTFBLWnYzRy14NF9UVUJLenhaSWRIYUNHNmpQb0xKQm1zb1NOaU9udFUwQS1lTHY0bUdHTHFBVWs1NTdSODlTd3ItNFYwQWtPTDFFSU5KcUJhcnUzNU94SVZ2V1lJTWk0dkVp?oc=5) |
| Bloomberg.com | How to Fix Social Security, in Six Words | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirgFBVV95cUxNRzF0RlRBWURyOG9QM1IxaFpzd2RPUk1xcmJnT0E1WlUzRWRwSXBZRnMxdGNiUU1ZVVp6aU5zaE5JaUhNdXgxRTVZM05QV2loLWZPbzJkaTVfRVhBRUVhLTZrcUpuOWRMYWZTSjBib2dYNmVTMDBWdVlRVFhoMVBpbUg3NHVRQUQ0Nkl3OXpDc2NjdGpPRXhBcjBwUGV6XzJFYllaN3JrQkxTdElaNWc?oc=5) |
| thestreet.com | A 1987 idea could have saved Social Security | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxNb1dveUFtUEZPVXJQMElvZldEWTBtZGZuSG02MU01VE1qSHVpc0hGSlR0VWx2LTlneWJ1VjdQSldwWGJhb2tKLW4tUnRzX3pWS1VLcUhuOTVxbEM1QnA1RGJ2MGpDUUE1OE5pZnA1bUpnSG1BNFBtbVJxVnRmWGFvalpiZTNIZzBod0ZGcWRlRnhfWnA0RHk0LS1PbjVWbDV3SlE?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-07-23/a-1987-idea-could-have-saved-social-security*