The Death of Social Security

Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. - Letter to Edgar Newton Eisenhower, his brother (8 November 1954)

That was then, this is now.

We have McCarthy saying he may use the debt ceiling to cut social security and Medicare.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/18/mccarthy-gop-medicare-social-security/

How did we move from the 1950's of Eisenhower to now, where cutting social security is accepted as a viable option?

1. The American public seems dumbed down. 40% think Trump is our messiah. A combination of ignorance and stupidity with the help of Fox news and social media.

2. People forget. Before social security, if you didn't work until death or had children to support you when you no longer were capable of work your life was often abysmally brutish. The only saving grace was that people died early. It wasn't like Downtown Abbey where the working class had comfortable retirement or the Thin Man movies where it seemed people lived in middle class comfort to end of life.

After the polio vaccine came out, if you tried to deny the vaccine to anyone you'd be politically killed. Now we have segments of society saying we're not getting any vaccines. People forgot what the polio era was like.

3. Many don't think social security will be there when they retire. Again, conservative talking points. Its an insurance. It will be there if the rates paid in are sufficient.

The result is too many are willing to accept cuts or even the end of social security. When they cut it will initially be small cuts like increasing the benefit age or stopping COLA increases. After that they will argue, look at how much hard productive workers are paying in and not really getting much out of it. Instead let seniors grandfather in (you don't want to lose their votes) but let others opt out and instead use the money for their personal 401K's, mortgages, rent, whatever. Wouldn't you rather have the money in your pocket than social security grabbing it?

Why are Republican politicians against social security? Because they serve the very rich and powerful. And why should they care? To them, personally, social security is meaningless. They are extremely well served by their governmental pensions and lucrative post retirement gigs such as lobbying or talking heads.

What's in it for the very powerful and rich? Businesses escape most taxes. The tax rates for many companies are ridiculously low. But there is one tax they cannot get out of - the social security employment tax.


What I want to know is how come I'm not seeing a constant stream of Democratic ads saying what the R's are trying to do.

Of course, I've wondered about this for years so I doubt I'll see them now.


You're not the only one wondering.


drummerboy said:

What I want to know is how come I'm not seeing a constant stream of Democratic ads saying what the R's are trying to do.

Of course, I've wondered about this for years so I doubt I'll see them now.

As do I.

They've done many good things whereas the Republicans have done the opposite.

Do they expect people to pick up Democratic messaging by osmosis? Are they lacking in energy or just too comfortable?

Do they assume putting all their eggs in the abortion basket, focusing on that, will win them this election? I wouldn't count on it.

Say what you will about Trump and other Republican screamers but they do work to get out their message. Loudly and often. How often have we seen Biden directly engaging the public? How many Biden rallies?

Even if Democrats don't want to personally engage, use adverts. How hard is it to do assertive adverts showcasing Republican plans for Medicare, Social Security, hobbling the EPA and selling the environment to big business? The adverts practically write themselves considering the many Republicans who have talked openly on their plans.


I'm amazed that Democrats are not talking about the reduction in drug prices   That has an impact on a lot of folks.



DanDietrich said:

I'm amazed that Democrats are not talking about the reduction in drug prices   That has an impact on a lot of folks.


I can't find it now but someone wrote a story in the NYT or Washington Post saying how only 36% know that the Inflation Reduction Act is reducing drug prices.

Another story said that Republicans spent 150 million on inflation themed ads whereas Democrats spent 50 million. Stupid considering inflation is the hot button issue. Hiding from Republican attacks is not helpful.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/16/us/politics/democrats-economic-aid-midterms.html

Is the DNC or Democratic leadership brain dead? Or just too comfortable? If Amazon would be a 5 and 10 in Peoria if it marketed like the Democrats.


On Tuesday, Bloomberg Government produced a bombshell report that points to the massive economic consequences a Republican House would bring for Americans.

If Republicans gain a majority following next month’s elections, the outlet reported, they plan to use a future increase or suspension of the debt ceiling as leverage to force through “top priorities” like seismic cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other social safety net spending. Failure to act on the debt ceiling would result in an economic catastrophe, experts say.

There has been shockingly little coverage of this development given its significance. It earned a scattering of mentions in publications including New York magazine. And Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and MSNBC’s Chris Hayes detailed the stakes on his show Wednesday night.

https://www.mediamatters.org/bloomberg/have-you-heard-about-gop-plan-either-gut-social-safety-net-or-destroy-economy


Serious hardship for many many seniors, and seems like it would also threaten to tank the economy, as seniors' spending power is cut back.

Maybe the lack of coverage (if there is a lack of coverage? i haven't been following) is due to the many times  R's have threatened Social Security?  People aren't taking them seriously, ala boy who cried wolf?

RTrent, thanks for posting this.


They'll welcome the economy tanking. Then we'll see "Trump's Save Our Economy". Or DeSantis.


Lack of coverage could also be due to Rs' declining to detail their plans, or so i gather from the Bloomberg piece.  GOP:  disingenuous for almost as long as i can remember.


Additional news on possible social security changes -

WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans, eyeing a midterm election victory that could hand them control of the House and the Senate, have embraced plans to reduce federal spending on Social Security and Medicare, including cutting benefits for some retirees and raising the retirement age for both safety net programs.
Prominent Republicans are billing the moves as necessary to rein in government spending, which grew under both Republican and Democratic presidents in recent decades and then spiked as the Trump and Biden administrations unleashed trillions of dollars in economic relief during the pandemic.
Yet several influential Republicans
have signaled a new willingness to push for Medicare and Social
Security spending cuts as part of future budget negotiations with
President Biden. Their ideas include raising the age for collecting
Social Security benefits to 70 from 67 and requiring many older
Americans to pay higher premiums for their health coverage. The ideas
are being floated as a way to narrow government spending on programs
that are set to consume a growing share of the federal budget in the decades ahead.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/02/us/politics/republicans-social-security-medicare.html

Now they are concerned about the budget. A concern that was lacking when Trump pushed through his tax cuts.

Trump tells friends, referencing tax overhaulday weekend at Mar-a-Lago Friday night at a dinner where he told friends, "You all just got a lot richer," referencing the sweeping tax overhaul he signed into law hours earlier.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mar-a-lago-christmas-trip/

ps - Trump Mar-a-Logo friends aren't the poor or the middle class or even the upper middle class.


Maybe because GOP will not do anything about climate change, they're figuring the planet will be a dead hellscape before most Americans reach 70 years of age. 


ml1 said:

Maybe because GOP will not do anything about climate change, they're figuring the planet will be a dead hellscape before most Americans reach 70 years of age. 

There really isn't any evidence of this.  Even the IPCC doesn't agree.  This is all part of the progressive fear campaign.  Vote for us or its the end of the democracy, the end of the world, the rise of fascism, etc. 

The truth is that this is just propaganda to get people to overlook the sheer mediocrity of their candidates, and the horrific track record their policies have for their supposed constituents.  

To be fair.  The conservatives have their own flavor of this as well.  


terp said:

ml1 said:

Maybe because GOP will not do anything about climate change, they're figuring the planet will be a dead hellscape before most Americans reach 70 years of age. 

There really isn't any evidence of this.  Even the IPCC doesn't agree.  This is all part of the progressive fear campaign.  Vote for us or its the end of the democracy, the end of the world, the rise of fascism, etc. 

The truth is that this is just propaganda to get people to overlook the sheer mediocrity of their candidates, and the horrific track record their policies have for their supposed constituents.  

To be fair.  The conservatives have their own flavor of this as well.  

silly response to a clearly hyperbolic post.


terp said:

ml1 said:

Maybe because GOP will not do anything about climate change, they're figuring the planet will be a dead hellscape before most Americans reach 70 years of age. 

There really isn't any evidence of this.  Even the IPCC doesn't agree.  This is all part of the progressive fear campaign.  Vote for us or its the end of the democracy, the end of the world, the rise of fascism, etc. 

The truth is that this is just propaganda to get people to overlook the sheer mediocrity of their candidates, and the horrific track record their policies have for their supposed constituents.  

To be fair.  The conservatives have their own flavor of this as well.  

I guess I need to put flashing lights and "JOKE, JOKE, JOKE" on my posts. It was meant facetiously in case you didn't get it.



In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.