Posted on 09/08/2019 7:47:45 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Republicans in Congress have never been good at hiding their intentions to gut Social Security.
In recent years, GOP luminaries from Senate Majority Leader Mich McConnell of Kentucky down through Sen. Marcio Rubio of Florida and former House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin have talked about the need to slash “entitlements” because, you know, the cost of programs such as Social Security and Medicare is driving the federal deficit, leaving so little room for tax-cut handouts to the wealthy.
Now Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has added her voice to the discussion, with an added fillip. During a town hall appearance in her home state over the weekend, Ernst said members of Congress should hold discussions about Social Security “behind closed doors.”
Secrecy is essential, she said, “so we’re not being scrutinized by this group or the other, and just have an open and honest conversation about what are some of the ideas that we have for maintaining Social Security in the future.”
A video clip of Ernst’s appearance was unearthed and published by Democratic operatives. It’s proper to note that Ernst doesn’t explicitly call for benefit cuts or privatizing Social Security. […]
But she gives away the game in other ways. To begin with, the only reason politicians ever take actions behind closed doors is that they know the results will be massively unpopular. Raising taxes on the rich to pay for Social Security benefits? That discussion can be held in the open, because the option is decisively favored in opinion polls. Cut benefits? That needs to be done in secret, because Americans overwhelmingly oppose it. …
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
If someone can explain to seniors that they want to raise the retirement age of BABIES BORN TODAY to 75, and then explain the extremely simple math to to senior’s, and then explain to them that THEY WILL BE LONG DEAD BEFORE THIS CHANGE OCCURS, I don’t think this will be political suicide.
But then, I guess, no one will ever go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.
Here we go again. Right on cue. When the Democrats are in danger of losing power, count on the media arm of the party to start this “Republicans are gonna take away your social security” mantra to scare low info voters.
“It’s an opinion column”
OK, I thought it might be but the posting did not make that clear. Being the LA Times it could have been front page above the fold.
Social Security has become welfare. People tend to think of retirement, but Social Security gives money to all sorts of people (including illegals). I have (or know of) at least five people who are receiving Social Security in my family that simply are not working. If they want to cut way back on the costs, then they should scale it back to retirees.
[[because, you know, the cost of programs such as Social Security and Medicare is driving the federal deficit,]]
illegals are costing this country EVERY SINGLE YEAR- they cost us nearly $1 TRILLION DOLLARS every single year (a few decades ago, it was determined through studies that they were costing us between $400 BILLION DOLLARS and $600 BILLION DOLLARS every single year- The cost now is likely over 1 TRILLION DOLLARS every single year-
Srry for cps- but liberals are hard of hearing!
Or, even more shocking, suggesting that part of a person's Social Security taxes be put into an individual account that is fully owned by that person and not spent immediately with an IOU left behind.
I’m sure young Republican voters support reining in social security...oops...there are no young Republican voters.
Evil RINOs.
“Republicans in Congress have never been good at hiding their intentions to gut Social Security.”
Total fabrication.
The Republican party has mentioned fixing Social Security by making it more fiscally sound. They want to privatize it.
The Leftists and the main stream media can’t have that, because they won’t be able to scare the crap out of Seniors if they can’t demagogue Social Security and related matters.
So every time Social Security is raised as something that needs attention, the media and Leftists start screaming “rape” at the top of their lungs, staving off a fix for another decade, at which time they’ll do it again.
Go back to day one when you had SS withheld on your first paycheck. Whatever the rules and ages defined for your retirement back then ARE LEGALLY what you signed on for. Congress had/has no right to change that after the fact.
Neither do I.
Troll Bait of the first order, LA Slimes is in the bag totally for the Deep State and posting this is at best laugh worthy...
As an authoritative post, not in the least, merely the typical attempt to drive a meme and see who is dub enough to believe it.
Quick test, if the MSM prints it then to me is is based on Lies and not even worth reading
Yes behind closed doors and yes, to make any progress there will have to be compromise and yes every possible form of financing solution will be opposed by one or more groups of constituents - opposition all around.
It will take (a) raising the FICA tax, (b) raising the income level the FICA tax hits, (c) raising general revenue taxes - maybe, if dedicated to just directly paying down the T-bill debt owed to Soc Sec, (d) adjusting new benefits, (f) adjusting the annual raises in benefits, (g) directly taxing ss benefits for recipients with total income above X - or some combination of any or all of the above (spreading the pain).
Can Congress get any of this passed debating it publicly?
No.
And if they do nothing? Congress will be left with only raising general taxes and raising the debt limits, because 100% of the problem comes from the general fund owing money to the social security system - to which the treasury issued IOUs and put the cash in the general fund to be spent by the Congress and the Presidents.
The Dims paint the simplistic idea that Congress only has to do X or Y and that will take care of it. They cannot get only X and/or Y, or X + Y done without compromise with the GOP that will require one or more possible adjustments the Dims will oppose.
So, there will have to be compromise and nearly everyone will have something to complain about. So do it in secret, agree to it, get it done, get it over with and join _bi-partisan forces to support the compromise.
Let the largely ignorant public come up with a better solution.
When I pointed out to her their amoral policies on abortion,pervert marriage,etc and then asked her "how can you vote for them?" her response was "because they give me my Social Security".
If it wasn't for a talent for instilling fear the Rat Party would literally have nothing to say.
Ernst: A huge disappointment; speaks with forked tongue
“A Republican senator hints at gutting Social Security”
Fine. Give us our money back, with interest.
They may not want to talk about S.S. benefit cuts in the open, but every time there is inflation & no S.S. benefit increase,they already HAVE cut benefits.
There were plenty of things Ernst never said that the LA Slimes editorializers were trying to put in her mouth. (No defense of Ernst and her RINO behavior, but fake news is fake news.)
Democrats have gutted Social Security,
such as the Medicare For All fraud.
Democrats hate Grandma.
To begin with, the only reason politicians ever take actions behind closed doors is that they know the results will be massively unpopular.
Was the LA Times this concerned when they drafted a bill that had to be passed so we could see what was in it? Isn’t the LA Times the paper that holds on, like the formula for Coke, the tape of the last occupant of the White House addressing some radical muslims?
As for Social Security being gutted, before they talk about any of that, take away every penny from any foreigner, refugee, immigrant, and illegal alien that are cashing checks. Whether through normal Social Security or SSI.
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