Over the next few months, Congress will face default, sequestration, and a possible government shutdown. We can be sure that the well-financed anti-entitlement lobby will not let these crises go to waste. Each one provides the perfect backdrop for their long-running campaign to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits to pay down the federal deficit.
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#medicaid #politics #social security #medicare #congressHowever, 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.
For example, the document seeks a commitment from the next speaker to tie any increase in the debt ceiling to cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
via Think Progress.
The House GOP has its eyes on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Let’s not forget about the first day of the 114th Congress.
Cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is extremely unpopular, even among Republicans. These programs are sacrosanct to most Democratic members of Congress.
Unfortunately, seniors will still receive no cost of living adjustment in 2016 and the sequester cuts to Medicare providers will continue to pay for non-Medicare programs. It’s clear the GOP-led Congress still sees Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as piggy banks to fund other legislative priorities and this hostage-taking, threats to benefits and crisis creation will continue.
Tax legislation approved by the Congress and signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017 (P.L. 115-97) will leave Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security vulnerable to benefit cuts because of its dramatic $1.5 trillion increase in the public debt – an increase that will have to be offset in the future. Inevitably, current and future generations of older Americans and people with disabilities will be forced to pay a heavy price for this irresponsible law. Key supporters of the tax bill made clear their intent immediately after its approval.
3. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
Author/journalist Noam Chomsky, one of the great minds of the left, has described Nixon as “America’s last liberal president”—and when it came to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, Nixon clearly supported elements of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal and President Lyndon B. Johnson’s sequel, the Great Society.
In 1972, Nixon signed into law a bill that expanded Social Security and Medicare benefits, which was radically different from the Trump administration budget that, in February, called for dramatic cuts in those programs. Nixon had no interest in privatizing Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, whereas Ryan would love to privatize those programs—and as Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, pointed out earlier this year, “Privatization is not a plan to save Social Security; it is a plan to dismantle Social Security.”
via Alternet.
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Millions of current and future retirees were no doubt hoping that President Trump would use last night’s speech to Congress to reaffirm his promises not to touch Social Security and Medicare. Instead, the President ducked and covered. He did not even utter the words “Social Security” or “Medicare” in his entire hour-long address. As for Medicaid – which millions of American seniors rely upon for skilled nursing care – the President only touched on it once, with a veiled reference to converting guaranteed benefits into block grants, which would hurt beneficiaries.
via Entitled to Know.
As we’ve reported here many, many times conservatives in Congress continue to demand cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to reduce the deficit. There are a myriad of bad ideas that they’ve proposed to do this.
Today is the day!
Call your Member of Congress to make sure they know to keep their hands off Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid!
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Visit www.TheTruthNow.org to follow our news feed concerning the 113th Congress, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid!
