Republicans plan to “rein in” social security and Medicare if they take control of congress

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is one of Biden’s key talking points and it was given four Pinocchios by WaPo fact checkers.

Could you be more explicit? What got 4 Pinocchios?

Medicare and Social Security need reforming just as did health insurance, but not cutting. Policing needs reform but not defunding (in the real sense of the word … such bad branding with Defund Police meaning reform by adding more social services via LE agencies … anyway). I’m tired of all the zero sum gamesmanship in politics. I’m tired of the GOP whining but not bringing an alternative plan to facilitate actions to forge better solutions (eg, as we saw happen with health insurance). I’m also tired of Dems gaslighting concerns … particularly by their own supporters).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good. Money losing ponzi scams that provide horrendous ROI. It is absolutely irresponsible that discussions around reforming and cutting SS/medicare refuse to take place, because they're going to bankrupt the country.

I'd be happy to talk about Social Security and Medicare right after we have the discussion on the defense budget. We spent $320 million a DAY in Afghanistan for 20 years. Has there been any public discussion of pulling back or meaningfully re-programming those funds.

And periodic reminder: The Pentagon has never passed an audit.

#HandsOffMySocialSecurity

I have to agree. There needs to be much more scrutiny applied to defense spending. Those numbers are huge and I’d guess (but don’t know) that a big percentage is essentially corporate welfare that goes to defense contractors.

I remember the scandal about the cost of the toilet seat (?) and then there is the plane that someone has been developing for years and can’t fly. Am sure there are others better versed than I on the details. And then also the intelligence budget, which has no oversight apparently.

Man those days seem so simple now. I remember the stupid toilet. Terrible.

[Anonymous]

What a the end game except to hurt poor and working class people? First, social security and Medicare aren’t “entitlements”, but regardless.

Are Republicans that committed to hurting people and why? They’re not committed to actual fiscal responsibility otherwise they’d never approve tax cuts for billionaires or thwart closing tax loopholes for the rich.

So again, what’s the endgame. Many red state citizens would be devastated if social security goes away, not to mention Medicare (the one health system in the US that works relatively well).

[Anonymous]

The interesting thing is that if the benefits for the elderly are indeed dismantled, they won’t be able to rely on their kids since the US has no culture of taking care of elders really

[Anonymous]

I'd be happy to talk about Social Security and Medicare right after we have the discussion on the defense budget. We spent $320 million a DAY in Afghanistan for 20 years. Has there been any public discussion of pulling back or meaningfully re-programming those funds.

We need to do both. And we need to increase tax revenue. The budget deficit is out of control right now, and the only sustainable path is to attack it from all sides, as well as by inflating the currency to reduce the effect of the debt. This is all necessary to insure the future solvency of the republic. Not sure why people don't understand this or why neither major political party is willing to make a national issue out of balancing the budget (despite all kinds of hand-waving, the Republican party has done nothing meaningful about deficit reduction in the last few decades).

And, yes, this includes cuts to SS and Medicare because those are two of our three largest spending progams (the third being the military). The current situation is unsustainable, and all other spending is trivial by comparison.

Exactly. Dummies vote against their self interest. There is no cure for stupid.

This isn't stupid. I've voted against my self-interest many times, on principle alone. More people should do this, and vote for the best long-term policies for the country, rather than in their own short-term interest (i.e. voting themselves money).

And, to be clear, I'm no fan of the Republican party (especially its current incarnation), but these are discussions that we need to be having, and I will support anyone who makes an honest attempt at balancing the budget and paying down the debt. I am skeptical that the Republican party will actually do this, but we shall see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The interesting thing is that if the benefits for the elderly are indeed dismantled, they won’t be able to rely on their kids since the US has no culture of taking care of elders really

We don’t take care of anyone except the rich and corporations. We literally let people die in this country from lack of health care and lack of shelter. Republicans fight health insurance and food subsidies for poor children but write big checks to corporations. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'd be happy to talk about Social Security and Medicare right after we have the discussion on the defense budget. We spent $320 million a DAY in Afghanistan for 20 years. Has there been any public discussion of pulling back or meaningfully re-programming those funds.

We need to do both. And we need to increase tax revenue. The budget deficit is out of control right now, and the only sustainable path is to attack it from all sides, as well as by inflating the currency to reduce the effect of the debt. This is all necessary to insure the future solvency of the republic. Not sure why people don't understand this or why neither major political party is willing to make a national issue out of balancing the budget (despite all kinds of hand-waving, the Republican party has done nothing meaningful about deficit reduction in the last few decades).

And, yes, this includes cuts to SS and Medicare because those are two of our three largest spending progams (the third being the military). The current situation is unsustainable, and all other spending is trivial by comparison.

Exactly. Dummies vote against their self interest. There is no cure for stupid.

This isn't stupid. I've voted against my self-interest many times, on principle alone. More people should do this, and vote for the best long-term policies for the country, rather than in their own short-term interest (i.e. voting themselves money).

And, to be clear, I'm no fan of the Republican party (especially its current incarnation), but these are discussions that we need to be having, and I will support anyone who makes an honest attempt at balancing the budget and paying down the debt. I am skeptical that the Republican party will actually do this, but we shall see.

Social security, healthcare, education - this IS where we should be investing as a country. We need more support for these elements of our “infrastructure”, not less. Cutting back on social security when the living wage in this country has plummeted in real terms (while of course the rich get richer) further decimates any safety nets. Pensions barely exist anymore and not every employer offers 401k - let alone not every worker has any money left over to pay into an account. So we further demolish any semblance of middle and working class? Either you’re rich or you’re in the gutter.

[Anonymous]

PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'd be happy to talk about Social Security and Medicare right after we have the discussion on the defense budget. We spent $320 million a DAY in Afghanistan for 20 years. Has there been any public discussion of pulling back or meaningfully re-programming those funds.

We need to do both. And we need to increase tax revenue. The budget deficit is out of control right now, and the only sustainable path is to attack it from all sides, as well as by inflating the currency to reduce the effect of the debt. This is all necessary to insure the future solvency of the republic. Not sure why people don't understand this or why neither major political party is willing to make a national issue out of balancing the budget (despite all kinds of hand-waving, the Republican party has done nothing meaningful about deficit reduction in the last few decades).

And, yes, this includes cuts to SS and Medicare because those are two of our three largest spending progams (the third being the military). The current situation is unsustainable, and all other spending is trivial by comparison.

Exactly. Dummies vote against their self interest. There is no cure for stupid.

This isn't stupid. I've voted against my self-interest many times, on principle alone. More people should do this, and vote for the best long-term policies for the country, rather than in their own short-term interest (i.e. voting themselves money).

And, to be clear, I'm no fan of the Republican party (especially its current incarnation), but these are discussions that we need to be having, and I will support anyone who makes an honest attempt at balancing the budget and paying down the debt. I am skeptical that the Republican party will actually do this, but we shall see.

Social security, healthcare, education - this IS where we should be investing as a country. We need more support for these elements of our “infrastructure”, not less. Cutting back on social security when the living wage in this country has plummeted in real terms (while of course the rich get richer) further decimates any safety nets. Pensions barely exist anymore and not every employer offers 401k - let alone not every worker has any money left over to pay into an account. So we further demolish any semblance of middle and working class? Either you’re rich or you’re in the gutter.

+1

Trickle down and other Republican wealth redistribution policies have gutted the middle class and moved something like trillions of dollars to the wealthy. I’m not excited that certain people put arbitrary things like “getting rid of debt” below fixing some of the policies that have made life miserable for millions. We used to have a middle class. Then the GOP offshored all their jobs and got everyone’s money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

We’re probably not going to fox any budgetary issues by letting corporations and wealthy people off from paying their fair share. One party is fiscally responsible and it’s the Democrats. The GOP just wants free money to give to their war cronies and to try to run people’s lives and bodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

And are you willing to deport people who are here illegally? Because they DO cost this country money, and lots of it. And substantially tighten our borders? And are you willing to become more, well, America-centric? Because that’s what it takes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

We’re probably not going to fox any budgetary issues by letting corporations and wealthy people off from paying their fair share. One party is fiscally responsible and it’s the Democrats. The GOP just wants free money to give to their war cronies and to try to run people’s lives and bodies.

Yes. Sending all that money to Ukraine while our kids starve is very responsible of Biden

[Anonymous]

We’re probably not going to fox any budgetary issues by letting corporations and wealthy people off from paying their fair share.

OK, so we repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs act, which was garbage. But the corporate tax rate is effectively limited by the rest of the world's corporate tax rates. If we set ours higher, companies will just accumulate the money and pay taxes elsewhere. Or move off-shore. And "tax the rich" only goes so far, since there aren't enough rich people. The only way to balance the budget in a way that actually has a chance to happen is to make painful cuts to our largest budget items: the military, SS, and Medicare, as well as to increase tax rates and inflation. The sooner we do this, the less painful it will be.

And, no, the Democratic party isn't any more fiscally responsible than the Republican party. Neither is. They both want to spend and not tax, just on different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

Yes, I’d pay more taxes to ensure there were things like universal healthcare for those who wanted it. Heck, I pay $15k / yr for an employer health plan with a high deductible. It’s specious to pretend social safety nets are the place to start with balancing the budget. How about closing loopholes for corporations and billionaires, how about the ultra rich pay their share in taxes, how about we pull back from the industrial military complex we throw money at year after year. I could go on …. Government should start with ensuring the well being of its people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP: that is a fair enough viewpoint, but are you willing to pay 50-100% more in taxes to achieve this? Do you think that you can convince your friends and neighbors to do the same? If not, then how do you propose that we balance the budget? Or are you happy to ignore that problem and let future generations deal with it?

And are you willing to deport people who are here illegally? Because they DO cost this country money, and lots of it. And substantially tighten our borders? And are you willing to become more, well, America-centric? Because that’s what it takes.

Red herring. We already do this and there were more deportations under Democrats than Republicans. Stay focused and stop throwing grenades.