August 06, 2020
Trump Betrays Seniors by Ordering Social Security Cuts
The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, regarding President Trump’s statement that he plans to sign an executive order to cut the payroll tax.
“After learning that Democratic and Republican Congressional Leaders would not go along with his harebrained scheme to cut Social Security’s dedicated funding source, President Trump lashed out and announced he would begin dismantling the system single-handedly.
“Seniors pay for their housing, food and medicine with their Social Security, putting $1 trillion into our economy every year. Older Americans have earned their benefits through a lifetime of work. Their retirement security should not be put at risk because President Trump is mad at Congress for not bending to his will.
“The 4.4 million members of the Alliance for Retired Americans will fight this attempt to gut Social Security, and when voting starts in September we will remember who was willing to defend and protect our earned benefits.”
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Contact: David Blank, dblank@retiredamericans.org
We have paid into these programs Social Security and Medicare during our working lives.
Cutting them is stealing. Vote blue no matter who
Right. – Not only should Social Security be free from cuts, it should be significantly improved. Considering the current cost of living, there should be a minimum, monthly payment for all recipients of $2,000 per month. And Medicare should be 100 percent paid for with no insurance premiums, no uncovered procedures, and no uncovered medications.
Most people have no idea how poorly this country treats its elderly, and all it’s citizens, in comparison to the other major countries of the world. – To get some idea, see Michael Moore’s excellent movie, “Where To Invade Next.”
He better not cut social security I’m 73 and I need it I worked for it it’s mine and I’m concerned about Medicare insurance that I have
We definitely need to Trash this scumbag potus out come November 3, 2020.
I am a 73 year old retired registered nurse whose career soaked from 1065 to 2014. This retirement income as well as “disability” income are not entitlements but are EARNED benefits. #SexualPredator45 isn’t happy until he issues his vile threats to shred not only our income resources but also our Constitution. He hasn’t earned one honest dime in his life. Let him give up all of his lifetime benefits before he tries to take ours. Then we will talk.
Has anything changed? Trump needs a distraction from his lack of performance or accomplishments on all issues. This is just another of many childish tactics to garner fringe support. The saddest part, is the lack of pushback from a misguided Senate. If these elected officials, stood up and unanimously announced their rejection of this proposal the problem would be solved.
Hope Trump does not cut SS. That doesn’t sound like him. We need to protect our seniors. Plz President Trump this does not sound like you
yes it does! He’s wacko!
He’s not wacko. 45 is a crook. A con man. A snake oil salesman who has filed bankruptcy 5 times! And he is a narcissistic sociopath. He does care about who is hurt and dying in this country. Open your eyes people.
My error: 45 doesn’t give a damn about anyone only himself.
This sounds exactly like him.
Yes it does because it will mean his kids won’t have to pay Federal Employment taxes on their employees anymore. Employers pay a little less than an 8% of an employee’s wages to the gov’t to pay for Social Security and Medicare. No more Employee Tax means no more Social Security. The rich get richer and the elderly perish from hunger and exposure.
He said it! He said if I am elected again I will make payroll tax cut permanent that is how they fund SS and Medicare why did anyone vote for him?
Yes I heard Trump when he said that about Social Security ! He is a monster. He is worse than ANY person on this planet ! How any elderly person could have voted for him I do not know. Unless they loved his radical racist ideals !
Short Fall In Payroll Tax
Commentary By: Ronald L. Cain
Social Security has weathered good times and bad for nearly 75 years. Today, we are in an unprecedented time. Due to the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, businesses had to be shut down. Millions of workers have lost their job.
Social Security is funded by the payroll tax. Both employees and employer pays into the fund. Currently, the Social Security Trust Fund takes in enough money to pay current Social Security recipients. With millions now unemployed, the fund is not receiving as much money as before. What would happen if there was a shortfall?
Theoretically, with millions now unemployed, the fund may not take in enough this year to pay benefits.
Nikki Haley, former U.N. Ambassador under Trump tweeted:
@NikkiHaley
“The pandemic is expected to weigh on the financial condition of Social Security, which is currently projected to pay benefits that exceed its income in 2021 for the first time in nearly 40 years. Time for Congress to start cutting not spending.”
That is, Haley is suggesting cutting Social Security benefits. Chief Obstructionist Mitch McConnell and other Republicans have advocated cutting Social Security. I do not know one single Republican that have put himself or herself on record supporting Social Security.
Here is an idea: Instead of cutting Social Security, we could make wealthy people like Nikki Haley, Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump finally pay their fair share into Social Security. If we did that, we could finally expand Social Security benefits, and make sure that Americans can retire with dignity.
That would require an act of Congress. And Republicans have vigorously opposed increasing Social Security. But that would not help us with our current covid-19 pandemic crisis.
Should Social Security experience a shortfall in monies taken in this year, due to massive unemployment, and unable to pay benefits, then what?
The Social Security Trust Fund currently has something like $2.6 trillion in the fund. What is the problem? The problem is that the $2.6 trillion in in IOUs, government bonds or some other financial instrument.
To repay the Social Security Trust Fund, to cover a shortage, would take an act of Congress. That is, some form of legislative would have to be introduced and passed to repay the Social Security Trust Fund.
Donald Trump announced that he opposes further cash payments to individuals. Instead, he wants to defund our Social Security system by stopping the collection of the payroll tax. Stopping all collection of payroll taxes would further deplete monies taken in, undermining the solvency of the fund.
Congress continues to give trillions of dollars in bailouts to corporations and wealthy business owners ― but Trump apparently believes $1,200 is enough for seniors and working people.
Then we have Chief Obstructionist Mitch McConnell. Even if the Democratically controlled House passed a measure to repay the Social Security Trust Fund, Chief Obstructionist McConnell would sit on the bill prohibiting it from ever being voted on. How, in a democracy, can one man be permitted to rule whether a bill is or is not voted on? Mitch McConnell is nothing more than a tinhorn dictator. Hopefully the good citizens in Kentucky will vote him out this election cycle.
Social Security is the financial foundation responsible for supporting tens of millions of retirees, as well as millions of long-term disabled workers and the survivors of deceased workers. Of the nearly 63 million people currently receiving a benefit check, more than a third are being kept out of poverty as a result of the added income they are receiving from the program. Even with Social Security, over 6 million are still living in abject poverty having to decide whether to buy food or buy medicine. Cutting Social Security would mean millions more would end up in abject poverty. For thousands, Social Security is their only income.
Why are Democrats not making Social Security a major campaign issue?
Do not affect Social Security! Americans have paid into the fund all their lives. I was wrongly put in the “General Fund” so politicians could plunder it and pillage it. Make this right! Please! Protect our seniors.
I have no other income other than this pittance from Social Security that I have paid into for fifty years of work! These menacing rich fools who sit there and claim to be public servants will see their actions, that have hurt millions, come back to desecrate their own families and their own fool brains, when they arrive in hades!
What are you talking about, “this isn’t like trump”? WTF????!! Any and every politician with a “R” after their name has wanted to demolish Social Security for 85+ years now.
45 is just doing what he believes is what all Republicans have wanted to do but won’t say it outright to their constituents. Period. Full stop.
Seems to me the rise of Monopolist influence in government has reached an arrogance no one could have anticipated. The current occupant is merely the foil used by those interests and their “running millionaire dogs” in the upper chamber in order to strengthen their greedy claws around the throat of the Republic. We should begin to plan for “Nuremberg” type trials to begin after this crowd is escorted from D.C. by our loyal military. We have tens of millions of citizens facing poverty and death, homelessness, lack of medical care as well as the blatant attempts to negate their constitutional rights. If this attempt to kill off seniors is not enough to wake people up to these threats, then it’s “Alas, Babylon”.
In response to “this doesn’t sound like him” – respectfully, I STRONGLY disagree. Make no mistake about it, President Trump and his administration DOES NOT support Seniors. His intention to defund/dismantle Social Security and Medicare is a real threat. President trump has NO core American values whatsoever. He doesn’t have a Christian bone in his body, nor is he Pro Life as he claims — 175,000+ American lives died on his watch while he did NOTHING to protect us; On HIS order, children were put into “dog cages” at the border and separated from their parents and because Trump’s Administration did not keep good records, many of those children will never be reunited with their parents, it’s a tragedy beyond imagination. This is NOT the American way, this is not who we are. We need a President who values everyone, he values no one but himself. Politics aside, spread the word to all your loved ones before election day … President Trump WILL eliminate Social Security and Medicare, it’s a fact! He is a danger to our Democracy and everything we stand for!