House Republicans eye massive spending cuts as ultimate way to "own the libs"

[marmar]

House Republicans eye massive spending cuts as ultimate way to "own the libs"
The new GOP House majority — same as the old but worse

By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
Columnist
PUBLISHED JANUARY 25, 2023 9:00AM (EST)


(Salon) After spending the Trump administration cutting taxes for the wealthy and massively raising military spending, congressional Republicans are back to caterwauling about deficits. This was as predictable as the sun coming up in the morning. When Republicans are in power they give away the store and then when the Democrats are called in to clean up their mess, Republicans immediately rant and rave about government spending and the debt. This has been going on for decades and it would have been short-sighted to expect anything different from them this time.

Naturally, they're putting the safety net programs on the chopping block. The Washington Post reports:

In recent days, a group of GOP lawmakers has called for the creation of special panels that might recommend changes to Social Security and Medicare, which face genuine solvency issues that could result in benefit cuts within the next decade. Others in the party have resurfaced more detailed plans to cut costs, including by raising the Social Security retirement age to 70, targeting younger Americans who have yet to obtain federal benefits.

If that immediately brings to mind the words "Simpson-Bowles" (and makes you break out in a cold sweat) you might be like me and have PTSD from the last time this was introduced back in 2012. It didn't make it into law but only because the Freedom Caucus refused to take yes for an answer when the Obama team opened the door for some serious reductions in benefits. That wasn't the first time Democrats offered up cuts to those programs and were rebuffed. Back in 1995 when the House Republicans shut down the government to force spending cuts, Bill Clinton offered cuts to Medicare and speaker Newt Gingrich said it wasn't enough and walked away.

Republicans have been trying to do away with these vital programs from the moment they were introduced. When Social Security was passed in 1935, only 2% of Democrats voted against it (ironically because it didn't go far enough) and 33% of Republicans voted against it. In those days it was out of fealty to corporate America which was appalled at the prospect of "destroying initiative, discouraging thrift and stifling responsibility." The program became popular and difficult to dislodge but Republicans never gave up. It wasn't long until the libertarian thinkers on the right were coming up with a new plan to replace the program with private investment accounts. This long-standing dream was finally formally proposed by George W. Bush in 2005 and it went down in flames. When the stock market crashed three years later in the epic financial crisis of 2008, that idea mercifully died a quiet death. .....................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2023/01/25/eye-massive-spending-cuts-as-ultimate-way-to-own-the-libs/

[PortTack]

1. It will never happen...not under President .Biden's watch

They goppers never learn from their mistakes.

[dutch777]

5. Agreed..they will never have the votes to override a veto and the sensible GOP-ers will realize it

will also jeopardize their brand with seniors and near seniors. I do realize sensible GOP-ers is a dwindling breed. Dems need to accede to the concept of spending reductions but propose their own like ending corporate welfare and other things that the GOP will hate having hauled out for public view. A whole lot of smoke will be generated with zero other result.

The one truth in all this, we do have a very serious debt situation in this country. As much as I would like to see a sensible approach to reducing debt, I can't see any progress happening in this divided political reality.

[PortTack]

8. Great assessment!

[Scrivener7]

9. This could also provide some legal compromat to use in

moderate AREAS with R reps. (We don't have to rely on Rs being moderate. ) A targeted mailing in those places to seniors would be an excellent threat.

[Lovie777]

2. Hurting Americans has always been their goal.....

keeping Americans dumb and stupid and financially poor.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. love to shut down the rs pay when they pull this stunt.

[jalan48]

6. I think the owner's of these Republicans are more concerned about money than owning libs.

[Model35mech]

7. Ya, hardass bullying and blackmail is just SURE to make Dems cower...

NOT.

Dems -really MUST- make the R's own these attacks on THE MOST POPULAR FEDERAL PROGRAMS.

Movement R's truly hate the Federal Gov. and want their states to be able to nullify Federal Law enforcement in their states.

Banning SS and Medicare assistance to ailing Grandmas is hardly going to be popular at a granular level.

Can you imagine evangelists like Franklin Graham trying to defend directing Grandma to die of diabetes?

[The Grand Illuminist]

10. Not owning, they want to kill us.

And everything we stand.