Social Security is in Grave Danger

[ErikJ]

(Washington, DC) — The following is a statement from Nancy Altman, founding co-director of Social Security Works:

“With Republicans soon to be in full control of Congress and the White House, Social Security and Medicare are at greater risk than they have been for a long time. Speaker Paul Ryan has spent decades working to cut, privatize, and dismantle these vital programs. We fully expect him to redouble these efforts during Donald Trump’s administration.

During the presidential campaign, Trump promised that he would not cut Social Security or Medicare. While we were skeptical of this pledge, it showed that he understands the politics of Social Security very well – Americans of all ages, races, genders, and political affiliations are overwhelmingly opposed to cuts.

We hope that the President-Elect’s pledge is one he will honor. In standing up to Ryan and other powerful Republicans, he would be standing up for the American people. Our job will be to hold Trump accountable to his “no cuts” pledge, and convince him to work with Democrats to expand Social Security. If he violates his pledge, we will make sure the American people know it.”

http://www.socialsecurityworks.org/2016/11/10/social-security-is-in-grave-danger/

[spanone]

1. K&R...

[OKNancy]

2. I worry, but a reasonable worry because I just don't think people will stand for this

it's going too far. It's still the third rail.

[splat]

3. She's a lobbyist, take it as hyperbole n/t

[Raster]

4. Sorry, I don't consider it hyperbole at all... Ryan has said the same many times...

FACE IT, the Ayn Rand faction in Congress, led by Ryan, is absolutely chomping at the bit to "reform" Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and anything else they deem as an "entitlement." There needs to be a MASSIVE, COORDINATED PUSHBACK, or Ryan and his minions will do anything to try and push this through. The billionaire sugar daddies have decreed that spending money on the elderly, the infirm or the disadvantaged is a waste of their money. That's right, their money. That's how they view the government coffers. And quite frankly, many in Congress don't give a shit. They have a nice Congressional pension waiting for them when they leave office.

[Dustlawyer]

5. When this came up last time they wanted to take away SS for everyone under 55.

They plan on privatizing it so Wall Street can take it away.

[GoneOffShore]

7. Why should we?

And it's been on the cards for ages.

Time to expand Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

[trof]

9. Yeah "decades"? He was first elected in 1999.

I know, picky, picky.

[mnhtnbb]

6. I wouldn't trust a damn thing Trump said. The guy is a known con man. He is a deal maker

who wouldn't think twice about giving away privatization of Medicare and cutting Social Security to the Congressional Republicans
in order to get something he wants from them.

I think we should all be worried about the future of both Social Security and Medicare during a Trump regime.

[GoneOffShore]

8. Absolutely correct.

[Cryptoad]

10. OLD Poor Folk like me dont have a snow ball

chance in hell under Trump......

[leftofcool]

11. Yep, we are scared to death of losing medicare

I can't get private insurance under a new Trump plan because of preexisting cancer so medicare is my only option.

[ErikJ]

12. He'll give ya a medical voucher though

of $5500 a yr. U can save that when u need it.

[dhol82]

13. Yeah, 5500 will barely get you out of the emergency room these days.

[SharonAnn]

21. Your insurance cost would be well over 1,000 a month for over 65ers. closer to 2,000 a month.

[Sunny05]

14. Start learning about Soc. Sec. & Medicare

Hello, all. I am not the expert on Social Security and Medicare. But my understanding is that it is a bad idea to privatize them, that individuals will get less out of the deal if we do (e.g., that Medicare "vouchers" won't covering all the costs, especially not all the rising costs).

In the meantime, if this is the opinion you hold -- and I wrote my subject line as I did to encourage learning about it -- then do not take them for granted. It doesn't seem like they could be partly or wholly privatized or dismantled. But here are other things that, until several months (maybe year and a half) ago we did not think would happen:

* trump election
* evangelicals still being politically strong
* evangelicals supporting trump
* tea party still being strong
* cruz still being in business, so to speak
* Rubio got elected
* priebus being able "to stomach" trump
* priebus named trump's WH chief of staff
* ryan, McCain (for most of election), and others continuing to support trump (even after Mexican-rapists, POW-"loser", women are fat/etc., Gold-Star family insults, star-pussy-grab comments & video, damning info about foreign entanglements of his business, etc.)
* trump getting away with ... not releasing tax returns; not creating "blind trust" for his company; bribing Pam Bondi; self-dealing/tax evasion through trump foundation; boasting of sexual assault; and as far as we know [allegedly] committing sexual assault; agreeing with howard stern that trump's own daughter is piece of ass .. and still getting elected
* voter suppression to the degree that apparently happened -- even if we just look at what was documented in court filings and court cases

Please do not assume that Ryan and Trump and Company will not get away with changing and harming Social Security and Medicare. Yes, I know that the changes are unpopular. I know that state-level politics will/should play a role in slowing down or stopping these efforts.

But then ... Think of all the things above, particularly trump getting elected, that nobody thought would happen. "Oh, don't worry... [laughter] ..."

[phallon]

15. Medicare and SS will save you when you get 67 if

you protect and tend it. I'm afraid it may fall victim to the Big Lie that it won't be here for millennials and it's not worth it. Both same parts of the Big Lie.

[ErikJ]

16. The Big Lies theyve been peddling for 80 yrs.

Its a PONZI SCHEME . Its going broke! Its communism. F'ers

[phallon]

18. Medicare along with SS has saved our lives in my house

[ErikJ]

19. SS reduced senior poverty from 50% to 10%.

Before SS, finding frozen corpses of seniors in their homes was common.

[DirkGently]

20. Ryan may go after Medicare first.

But SS is on the long-term targets list as well, and not just those of Republicans.

Business interests hate anything that make people less dependent on wages.

[hibbing]

22. I'm scared

I think both of them will get cut.

Peace

[andym]

23. Medicare is in graver danger.

because the GOP can use budget reconciliation on it.