In case it wasn't obvious from the presidential debates, where Social Security was at best a passing reference, retirement issues have not rated much attention from candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump.
Another clue? A questionnaire that has been sent to presidential candidates since 1984 by organizations representing employee benefits professionals went unanswered.
Coordinator Sam Gilbert, president of The Pension Forum, regretted the lack of response to questions posed by a dozen groups, including Pensions & Investments.
“We are in an age where governments at all levels are burdened by staggering debt, and employers of all sizes are being encouraged to supply an ever increasing need for benefits to their workforce. There needs to be a partnership between governments, employers and benefit professionals that is harmonious rather than adversarial,” Mr. Gilbert told the groups in an e-mail.
“In a presidential election void of specific policy proposals regarding employer-provided health care and retirement policy positions, neither candidate should be able to claim consent of the governed to proceed without consultation with employers by their representative associations,” he said.
The groups can take some comfort from knowing that the powerful 38 million-member AARP had some trouble as well. According to Robert Love, AARP Bulletin editor-in-chief, Ms. Clinton answered all 13 questions asked in a face-to-face interview in August, while Mr. Trump responded in writing to six of them.
