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Jeb Bush on Sunday said he鈥檚 in favor of raising the retirement age for Social Security as a way to ensure the program鈥檚 fiscal health.

former Florida Governor Bush told newsman Bob Schieffer that the current basic retirement age of 65 needs to go to 68 or 70 as a way to sustain Social Security for those now under 40.

鈥淚 think it needs to be phased in over an extended period of time,鈥� Bush told Mr. Schieffer, following the broadcast.

By coming out for a retirement-age hike, Bush joins fellow GOP presidential hopefuls New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who have proposed similar increases as part of larger Social Security reform plans. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has said about this issue if he formally enters the race, as he鈥檚 almost certain to do later this year.

Thus there鈥檚 a substantive divide opening here with likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. She鈥檚 positioned herself on the other side of the issue, insisting these Republicans are 鈥渏ust wrong鈥� for wanting to make major changes in something most Americans depend on for retirement security.

Clinton hasn鈥檛 been specific about what she might do to bolster the system鈥檚 finances, if elected. But her rhetoric implies that she鈥檚 look askance at upping the retirement age.

鈥淚t is not a luxury. It is a necessity for the majority of people who draw from Social Security,鈥� Clinton during a round table discussion in New Hampshire.

The Social Security retirement age isn鈥檛 a single number. It鈥檚 , based on when the recipient was born and whether they want to retire early in return for a reduction in monthly benefits.

Right now, it鈥檚 65 for those born prior to 1938. Under current law, it rises gradually to age 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Early retirement at 62 is still an option for all, as things now stand. But the percentage of full benefits for recipients is gradually being reduced.

If your full retirement age is 67, for instance, early retirement would net you a check equal to 70 percent of your full benefits.

Why raise this further? Because it鈥檚 a powerful way to save a lot of money. And that鈥檚 going to be necessary at some point, as the Social Security trust fund will pay out much more in benefits to retiring baby boomers in coming decades than it will take in taxes. If you lengthen the time horizon, the number gets pretty large: Social Security will run $7.7 trillion in the red during the next 75 years, according to figures from the right-leaning Heritage Foundation.

Americans are living longer, healthier lives than they did when Social Security was founded, say conservatives. In that context it makes sense as a money saving move, they say.

鈥淚t is common sense, and it is fair,鈥� wrote Heritage expert David C. John in a lengthy 2010 analysis of the subject.

Democrats say that way of discussing the problem is misleading. It is mostly those at the higher end of the income scale that have greater life expectancy, they say.

And many Americans depend on Social Security. For more than two-thirds of retirees, Social Security provides at least half of total retirement income, .

Many lower-income workers simply tire out and are unable to continue working. For them, raising the retirement age won鈥檛 change when they retire. They鈥檒l simply retire early, in essence taking a forced cut in benefits, in the liberals鈥� view.

Raising the Social Security retirement age not a popular means of reducing the federal deficit. Fifty-six percent of respondents to a 2012 Pew poll opposed a gradual increase as a means of cutting government spending. Forty-two percent approved.

That Pew survey found that reducing Social Security benefits for higher-income retirees was a more popular move. Fifty-one percent approved of this, which is often called 鈥渕eans-testing.鈥� Forty-six percent disapproved.

As a practical matter, any move to raise the retirement age would be part of a more comprehensive reform, with a nip here and a tuck there, aimed at putting Social Security back in the black, long term. Governor Christie鈥檚 proposal also includes means-testing, for example. Senator Rubio鈥檚 does, as well.

The last time Social Security was financially restructured was in 1983, when a bipartisan group of lawmakers cobbled together increased taxes, reduced benefits, and a slightly higher retirement age in a classic package of compromise. When Rep. Barber Conable (R) of New York stood in the House to defend it, he used words that might describe any such large legislative compromise.

鈥淭his is not a work of art,鈥� Representative Conable said. 鈥淏ut it is artful work.鈥�