Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Cutting Social Security

Representative Jason Smith (R-Mo.), and other House Republicans told Bloomberg News last week that they are willing to default on the nation’s debt, causing domestic and international economic turmoil, so they can cut your Social Security and Medicare benefits.

The GOP did not publish an official platform in 2020. In the years since, Republicans have continued to release little in the way of actual policy ideas, being content to blame, complain, deflect and outright lie in the hopes of retaking Congress.

However, despite the vagueness enshrouding GOP policy proposals, one thing Republicans cannot stop talking about is cutting Social Security.

(Did you know Democrats have a plan to strengthen Social Security? It’s called Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust. They need us to give them the votes to get it passed.)

In March, Rick Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, released an 11-point plan calling for all federal programs to sunset automatically after 5 years. When critics pointed out that would include Social Security and Medicare, Scott simply claimed those programs could be renewed.

To say Congress could work together on a consistent schedule to renew these programs is laughable, but more dangerously, the uncertainty of automatic sunsetting would create havoc in the administration of both programs, likely costing taxpayers tremendously.

Scott and fellow Republicans know his plan means an end to Social Security and Medicare, practically.

Although GOP leadership has avoided discussing Scott’s plan, Republican representatives can’t help themselves when it comes to discussing slashing Americans’ earned benefits.

Representative Jason Smith, who serves as the ranking member of the House Budget Committee told Bloomberg News last week that he and fellow GOP congresspeople are planning to use the debt ceiling as leverage to force Democrats to agree to cuts to Social Security and Medicare if they retake control of the House.

Approximately 97 percent of American seniors receive or will receive Social Security, and Republicans are telling all of them that they are willing to blow up our economy so the GOP can take some of those benefits away.

Republicans want the government to be smaller in areas where it helps people and larger in areas where it punishes people who disobey or disagree. It’s time to start listening to Republicans when they tell us what they are planning.

Read about the Democrats’ plan to strengthen Social Security here.

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Sources

CNBC: House Democrats call for action on Social Security reform.

Bloomberg: Entitlement, Spending Cap Plans Linked by GOP to Debt-Limit Deal

Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: Everything You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Policy Basics: Top Ten Facts about Social Security

Los Angeles Times: Republicans take aim at Social Security, again