Bernie Sanders: Dear Mr. President: Don't Cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/279-82/22080-dear-mr-president-dont-cut-social-security-medicare-medicaid

A group of senators today urged President Barack Obama to spare Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in the budget blueprint that he will submit to Congress on March 4.A letter written by Sen. Bernie Sanders and signed by 15 other senators praised the president for improving the economy and creating jobs while reducing the deficit. In making the case against cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, however, the senators expressed concerns about retirement insecurity, growing income inequality and rising poverty.

The White House spending plan submitted to Congress one year ago proposed a cut in Social Security benefits. The president's misguided overture to congressional Republicans would have cut future payments to retirees and disabled veterans by changing how the consumer price index is calculated. This year, the senators wrote to Obama, "We respectfully urge you not to propose cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits in your fiscal year 2015 budget."

In the letter delivered to the White House today, the senators said retirement insecurity is as great as ever. Only 1 in 5 private sector workers is covered by a defined benefit pension plan. Half of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings. And two-thirds of seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their income.

The senators also emphasized that Social Security has not contributed to the deficit. In fact, the retirement system's $2.7 trillion surplus can pay all benefits owed to every eligible American for the next 19 years.

The senators also stressed the importance of Social Security in reducing poverty. Before Social Security, about half of our seniors lived in poverty. Today, senior poverty is down to 9.1 percent. Without Social Security, one-third of senior citizens would have virtually no earnings at all.

In addition to preserving Social Security, the senators told Obama that they oppose shifting health care costs onto senior citizens, the poor, and the disabled by cutting Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

[woo me with science]

1. Unconscionable that this is even necessary with a Democratic President.

Unconscionable that a Democratic President seeks these cuts in his budget in the first place.

THIS is the economy in which our "caring about income inequality" Democratic President is proposing a budget to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and is fighting to fast-track the TPP:

[Enthusiast]

2. +1 an entire shit load!

[LWolf]

3. That was my first thought. nt

[Doctor_J]

5. We have a Dem president?

coulda fooled me.

[woo me with science]

7. +1

[woo me with science]

4. kick

[WorseBeforeBetter]

6. I wish DUers would pay as much attention to the social safety net...

as swimsuit models' asses.

[eridani]

8. =1000 ^^ n/t

[ProSense]

9. That's a

very good letter: http://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/letter-on-social-security-medicare-and-medicaid-2014?inline=file

Dear President Obama:

We would like to thank you for all of the work you have done to improve the economy, create jobs, and reduce the deficit.

We have made significant progress since the Great Recession. Our economy has now created over 8 million jobs and had 47 consecutive months of job growth. Today, while the long-term unemployment rate remains stubbornly high, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since October of 2008. The $1.4 trillion federal deficit that you inherited has been cut by more than half—the largest reduction in the deficit in more than 50 years.

As you have acknowledged, much more work needs to be done and we are committed to working with you to build on this progress. We need to get more Americans back to work, create the millions of jobs that the American people need, increase the wages of American workers, protect the retirement benefits that our constituents have earned, and reduce the deficit in a fair way. The severe level of income and wealth inequality in America that you have been focusing on is an issue that must be addressed effectively. While those on the top have more than recovered from the worst recession since the Great Depression, tens of millions of Americans continue to lose ground economically.

Today, retirement insecurity is as high as it has ever been. Only one in five workers in the private sector has a defined benefit pension plan; half of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings; and two-thirds of seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their income.

Given this reality, we respectfully urge you not to propose cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits in your Fiscal Year 2015 budget.

In good times and bad, Social Security has succeeded in keeping millions of senior citizens, widows, orphans, and persons with disabilities out of extreme poverty. Before Social Security was developed, about half of our seniors lived in poverty; today senior poverty is down to 9.1 percent. Without Social Security, one-third of senior citizens would have virtually no earnings at all.

Social Security has not contributed one penny to the deficit. Social Security has a surplus of more than $2.7 trillion and can pay every single benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 19 years.

We are also opposed to shifting the cost of healthcare onto senior citizens, the poor, and the disabled by cutting Medicare and Medicaid benefits. As you know, half of all Medicare recipients make less than $22,000 per year, and typical senior citizens already pay more than 17 percent of their fixed incomes on healthcare.

Further, Medicaid is a vital lifeline for some 72 million Americans. Two-thirds of all Medicaid spending supports senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Cutting Medicaid would jeopardize the quality of health care, long-term services, and nursing home care for tens of millions of Americans. There are significant cost issues in America’s health care system that must be effectively addressed, but these challenges will not be remedied by benefit cuts to vulnerable Americans.

Mr. President: These are tough times for our country. With the middle class struggling and more people living in poverty than ever before, we urge you not to propose cuts in your budget to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits—cuts which would make life even more difficult for some of the most vulnerable people in America.

We look forward to working with you in support of the needs of the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor—and all working Americans.

Since there is nothing to negotiatiate, the President should listen to them.

[reformist2]

10. We can save money on Medicare/Medicaid by imposing price controls.

The medical industry is gouging the US government beyond belief. It's time for our politicians (and that includes Mr. Obama) to get a backbone and start talking about price controls.

[grahamhgreen]

11. Raise the cap, and tax the rich again. They can afford it.