Trump Vowed to Protect the Safety Net. What if His Appointees Disagree?

When President Trump addresses Congress this Tuesday and follows the speech with a budget blueprint for the fiscal year that begins in October, his White House will finally address in concrete numbers one of his central contradictions: He campaigned as the populist protector of programs for the working class, yet he has pledged to control the budget deficit, cut spending and cut taxes.
Moreover, Mr. Trump has surrounded himself with traditional small-government conservatives bent on cutting back or eliminating many of the programs he has championed. Many of his aides and cabinet members have expressed views that are fundamentally opposed to those he campaigned on.
via New York Times.

State of the Union is Perfect Time for Trump to Affirm Social Security & Medicare promises.

On Tuesday President Trump will give his first State of the Union speech. It’s an excellent opportunity for him to re-affirm one of his most important campaign promises: not to cut Social Security and Medicare.

Source: huff.to

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While this has a clear meaning to policy wonks, it is likely that most viewers won’t immediately know that “entitlements” means the Social Security and Medicare their parents receive. It’s a lot easier for politicians to talk about cutting wasteful “entitlements” than taking away seniors’ Social Security and Medicare.

Dean Baker via Truth Out.

Older Americans Month — slashing funds for our seniors is the wrong thing to do

OPINION | If the administration wanted to honor older Americans, would it have presented a “skinny budget” that needlessly hurts seniors?

Max Richtman, opinion contributor

May is Older Americans Month, but the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans are putting a serious damper on the celebration. Yes, candidate Trump promised not to touch Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

But his administration has been actively undermining those pledges. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney — who once called Social Security a Ponzi scheme — questioned the legitimacy of Social Security Disability Insurance — and wouldn’t promise a Presidential veto of legislation to privatize Medicare (a pet project of House Speaker Paul Ryan).

President Trump champions the GOP’s American Health Care Act, which guts Medicaid, undermines the solvency of Medicare, and allows insurers to charge older Americans up to five times as much as people in their 20s.

More on this issue here via The Hill.

Source: bit.ly politics older americans month social security medicare healthcare health care health p2 older americans elderly seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform earned benefits medicaid poverty

huff.to

What the GOP's Sleight of Hand Budgeting and Deflection Politics Means for Social Security & Medicare

The American people must not be distracted by the ongoing political show to the point that they miss the real action occurring behind the scenes.

However, some conservatives in Congress insist that relief for programs like the Older Americans Act be paid for by cutting Medicare and Medicaid. This budgetary sleight-of-hand could trade partial relief for some seniors’ programs by cutting other essential health security programs like Medicare and Medicaid, thus further eroding the tenuous economic situation many older Americans face.

Max Richtman via Huffington Post.

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bit.ly

Voters Face a Simple Choice: Expand Social Security and Medicare, or Watch GOP Eviscerate Them Both

Do older Americans want bigger Social Security checks and expanded Medicare coverage – or do they want their benefits cut?

That is the fundamental question for seniors and their families with less than two weeks until the mid-term elections. The majority party in Congress has proposed time and again to slash Social Security and Medicare benefits under the guise of ‘entitlement reform.’ Leader Mitch McConnell just attributed the swelling federal debt to retirees’ earned benefits – when the real culprit was the 2017 tax package that mainly benefited the wealthy and big corporations.

The majority party’s 2018 and 2019 budgets would have taken a $500 billion bite out of Medicare and $64 billion from Social Security. And make no mistake – conservative tropes like raising the eligibility age, imposing a more meager inflation formula, and means testing are benefit cuts.

Enough About the Wall. What About My Retirement?

The Trump administration is in full gear—and, one hopes, gearing up to grapple with America’s retirement crisis.

Women are especially vulnerable. Almost half of unmarried elderly women getting Social Security benefits in 2013 counted on them for 90 percent or more of their income, according to the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, an advocacy group. That is a dangerous dependency.
Few would say they have a clear read on President Trump’s plans for these massive programs. (A White House representative said she would look into the matter.)
via Bloomberg.

Social Security benefits would have got cost-of-living boost if elderly

“In addition, beneficiaries who have their Medicare Part B premiums paid by state medical assistance programs will see no change in their Social Security benefit”. Like this year, plummeting gas prices accounted for the drop in total costs in those years.
Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, said that the combination of no COLA and the skyrocketing Medicare Part B premium would make it a particularly tough year for seniors in 2016.
via Wireless Goodness.

Reps. Linda Sánchez Introduces Strengthening Social Security Act of 2016

Washington, DC – Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) along with 45 original co-sponsors today introduced H.R. 5952, the Strengthening Social Security Act of 2016:

Max Ritchman, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare: “America’s seniors understand all too well that our nation faces a retirement crisis and improving Social Security benefits is vital to keeping millions from poverty. Rep. Linda Sanchez’s ‘Strengthening Social Security Act’ makes several important improvements for seniors by: phasing out the payroll tax cap so that the wealthy pay their fair share, creating a Cost of Living adjustment for the elderly and boosting benefits for all retirees including widows/widowers. NCPSSM strongly supports this legislation and applauds Congresswoman Sanchez for doing the right thing for America’s seniors and their families.”
via Representative Linda Sanchez.

Voices of Medicare Summit Highlights Needs of Poor Seniors

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare’s Max Richtman emphasized the importance of talking about improving and expanding Medicare and Social Security, not just protecting them. He described how he talks to seniors across the country who are shocked that Medicare doesn’t cover, hearing, or vision care. Only by highlighting these gaps in coverage can we work to change them.

via Justice in Aging.

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Trump Snubs Seniors in Speech to Congress

We are disappointed by the President’s failure to mention the two lifeline programs which are the foundation of America’s retirement security safety net in tonight’s address to Congress. Seniors were hoping to hear him affirm his campaign promises not to touch Social Security and Medicare. This was an alarming omission considering that his party in Congress has targeted Social Security and Medicare for benefit cuts, reduced COLAs, higher eligibility ages, and ultimately – privatization.

More here.

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NCPSSM — Trump Vowed to Protect the Safety Net. What if His...

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.