In a speech earlier this week, President Biden sounded the alarm on Republican threats to Medicare and Social Security programs. With the election on the horizon, President Biden and Democratic lawmakers fight hard to preserve and expand health care for Americans, while Republicans are plotting to cut and privatize these programs. Without these programs, many senior citizens would not be able to afford their health care. And these programs are particularly important for people of color, people with disabilities, and women. Due to higher disability rates, lower lifetime earnings, and a significant racial wealth gap, Social Security is a critical source of income for Black and Latino workers and tool in reducing economic disparities.
Today’s Republican party is showing us their real interests, and it is not in the well-being of the American people. For decades now, the GOP has made promises to defund Social Security and Medicare. President Biden and Congressional Democrats are ready to defend and expand crucial programs like Medicare and Social Security. The proposed Republican plan of cutting, privatizing and ending the Social Security system will result in ripping away essential lifelines from those who need it most.
HEADLINES
Axios: GOP Floats Medicare Changes While Ducking Details. “Some House Republicans aren’t waiting for the election to think about overhauling Medicare. But it’s hard to tell if there are specifics behind the talking point… Past GOP attempts to cut Medicare landed with a thud, and Democrats in recent weeks have been hammering on the message that Republicans are intent on gutting the program. The critical moment could be next year’s talks on the debt ceiling, if Republicans flip one or both houses of Congress.” [Axios, 11/3/22]
The New York Times: GOP Signals Plans To Shrink Social Security. Risk To The Safety Net Energizes Dems. “Congressional Republicans, eyeing a midterm election victory that could hand them control of the House and the Senate, have embraced plans to reduce federal spending on Social Security and Medicare, including cutting benefits for some retirees and raising the retirement age for both safety net programs… Yet several influential Republicans have signaled a new willingness to push for Medicare and Social Security spending cuts as part of future budget negotiations with President Biden. Their ideas include raising the age for collecting Social Security benefits to 70 from 67 and requiring many older Americans to pay higher premiums for their health coverage.” [The New York Times, 11/2/22]
The Washington Post: Republicans Plan Health-Related Probes If They Win The House. “House Republicans are plotting a flurry of probes into the Biden administration’s pandemic response and the health industry if the party retakes control of the chamber next week. Key party leaders have already drummed up lists of their oversight priorities amid growing confidence they’ll win control of the House in the midterm elections. This includes investigating the origins of covid-19, cracking down on prescription drug middlemen, examining how pandemic relief dollars have been spent and scrutinizing key federal agencies.” [The Washington Post, 11/3/22]
CNBC: As Election Day Approaches, Democrats Warn That Social Security And Medicare Are At Stake. “At the event, Biden touted the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will curb Medicare prescription drug costs for seniors. The legislation gives Medicare the ability to negotiate prices for certain high-price drugs, caps insulin at $35 per month under Medicare Part D and limits out-of-pocket prescription costs under Part D to $2,000 per month, among other changes. But Republican opposition could lead the party to stop those changes if they win control on Election Day, Biden warned.” [CNBC, 11/3/22]
The Hill: Why The Fate Of Medicare And Social Security Is A Midterm Issue. “The fate of Social Security and Medicare is back in the spotlight less than two weeks before the midterms. The White House and Democrats have made both entitlements central to their closing pitch to voters, sounding the alarm that a Republican majority in the House would look to cut programs that millions of Americans rely on in a bid to reduce spending… Biden vowed Tuesday to refuse any effort to cut entitlements in the next Congress during an address to the Democratic National Committee, highlighted past GOP comments on the programs during a Thursday appearance in Syracuse, and he tweeted Friday that Republicans “are so determined to cut these programs they’re willing to take down the American economy over it.”” [The Hill, 10/31/22]
Los Angeles Times: Column: GOP Promises To Gut Your Social Security, Medicare If It Takes Power. “In its latest manifestation, four Republicans angling to become chair of the House Budget Committee in a Republican House talked openly about holding the federal debt ceiling hostage to an agreement on “entitlements” — that is, Social Security and Medicare — plainly aimed at cutting benefits… This isn’t the first time that the GOP has tried to depict Social Security and Medicare as enemies of sound fiscal policy. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spelled it out in 2018. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) talked openly about making cuts “behind closed doors.” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) cooked up a plan for family leave funded by raiding future Social Security benefits.” [Los Angeles Times, 10/19/22]
SOCIAL MEDIA
President Biden. “Let’s be clear about what “changes” Republicans in Congress want to make to Medicare and Social Security. They want to raise the retirement age, move towards privatization, and put these programs on the chopping block every five years.” [11/3/22]
The White House. “President Biden and Congressional Democrats: Took on Big Pharma allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs, Capped seniors’ pharmacy drug costs and the cost of insulin, Kept health insurance premiums low for people who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act.” [11/2/22]
U.S. House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee. “This is not a new fight. Democrats created #SocialSecurity 87 years ago and Republicans have tried to slash it ever since. Republicans continue to put Americans second and their special interests first.” [11/2/22]
U.S. House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee. “When Republicans launch a vicious attack on Social Security and Medicare that would have harsh, long lasting consequences on retirees, seniors, and workers” [11/2/22]
U.S. House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee. “Dems have been working to expand Americans’ ability to access health care services under #Medicare, by: Increasing training for physicians, making it easier for beneficiaries to enroll, improving access to mental health & substance use services. That’s what Democrats do.” [11/2/22]
U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee and Ways & Means Committee. “Republicans aren’t even trying to hide their extreme plan to gut Social Security and Medicare anymore. They’re plotting to tank our economy by forcing cuts to Americans’ hard-earned benefits. They’re saying it out loud — and will do it.” [10/28/22]