Imagine 65,000,000 Americans finding out they won't be getting Social Security benefits

[Miles Archer]

McCarthy is trying to pull a "my way or the highway" play with Biden, but...if he can't come up with something Biden will sign (and the Dem majority in the Senate would approve), there is no "backup generator" if the power goes off on SS.

That means the 65,000,000 Americans receiving payments will be cut off.

Wonder how that will play across the country?

[Walleye]

1. Republican party, still striking fear in the poor and elderly, that's their brand

[yellowdogintexas]

2. I can tell you how it would play in this house:

badly. We have enough cash on hand to handle a few months (thankfully no car or house note) but it could get dicey.

I don't even want to think about the untold numbers of folks who would really suffer.

[JanLip]

4. We would be in the same boat!!

House paid for. No car payments. Some cash but not enough to stay afloat 6 months. At least we would have a roof over our heads but when I think about all the seniors and people with disabilities I get so mad I want to spit nails. How is Gods name would any senior vote for these jacka**es.

Jan

[2naSalit]

11. Brainwashed zombies high on fox...

That's how.

[JanLip]

37. You are absolutely correct!!

Brainwashed by Fox. I was once told by a nitwit they only watched Fox and Newsmax.

Jan

[ShazzieB]

22. A lot of people would be in that boat!

And they'd beating down the doors of their congressional reps, demanding that something be done!

We'd be able to hang on for a while ourselves, but we (and everyone else whose benefits disappeared) would be mad as hell and making a great big stink! Is McCarthy really so stupid that he doesn't know that? Or does he actually think Biden’s too stupid to know it (fat chance) and will therefore be intimidated (again, fat chance)? Or is Kev just throwing stuff at the wall and hoping it sticks?

Kevin is SO outclassed by Biden in the brains and "strategery" dept. that it's almost painful to watch.

MCcarthy planning his "strategery":

[DavidDvorkin]

12. Same here.

[patricia92243]

3. Unfortunately, Biden will get the blame. Most people don't know anything about politics

except who is President.

[Bayard]

5. Agreed

And another lie that Fox will be churning out--rethuglicans would take care of this, but Dems won't agree.

We have a little extra money, but not enough to cover losing two SS payments a month.

[Dave says]

6. It'll be mixed but, yes, sadly, some blame will unfairly stick to Biden

[Demsrule86]

7. Baloney. He won't get the blame...you watch.

[Celerity]

19. I agree, he can go on national media and give a primetime White House address to the entire country

even Fux will likely carry it

[LakeArenal]

23. Agreed.

Just the usual fear mongering.

Biden will play over and over the Repukes saying no cuts during his speech.

[fleabiscuit]

24. I concure. nt

[FSogol]

18. Not necessarily true. Past govt shutdowns were blamed on the appropriate people. n/t

[live love laugh]

29. THIS ☝🏾. ☝🏾. ☝🏾. ☝🏾.

[Ferrets are Cool]

30. Yeah, ANYONE who watches faux news doesn't have enough brain cells to think ANYTHING

other than what they are told on the TeeVee.

[Backseat Driver]

8. Sending week-old dead fish wrapped in newspaper

to GOPers across the nation; otherwise, I think the arising putrid odor Kevin would cause to force Joe's hand will kill that party for good, and not just by the hand of seniors. GQP be begging for N-95 masks!

[Runningdawg]

9. Imagine 1/2 of them armed, with nothing left to lose. Well-regulated militia?

The guy who shot the kid at the door was 84. The guy who shot the girl in his driveway was 65.

[2naSalit]

10. I will fly my...

Disabled ass to his doorstep and squat there until he changes his feeble mind.

[rurallib]

13. That move will also crash Wall Street and all over financial markets

so it wouldn't be just SS seniors would be missing. Many would lose their life savings also.

[ancianita]

14. Social Security also runs Medicare. Both, right there, are the start of civil war.

Without Medicare, those 65 MILLION will have to buy private market insurance. That's probably been the plan all along.

Problem is that SS recipients depend on it to eat. Without food, populations get violent. And they don't have to be young to shoot.

[Warpy]

15. Republicans seem to be mean spirited, spiteful creatures

who will be deliriously happy as they sit hungry and in the dark after the electricity has been shut off if only they can think of all the liberals out there who they think are even worse off. If they think those liberals are all black, they'll be positively giddy.

It's who they have shown us they are.

[marble falls]

16. I think McCarthy will blink first.

[Miles Archer]

38. I think that under all of the paper-thin bravado, he knows what his reward will be...

...if he plays around with it and it blows up. I do see it as a game of chicken. Tragic and senseless because these are supposed to be adults.

[Texin]

17. Don't think for one minute that tRump humpers won't be squealing about missing

their Social Security deposits. They posture and whine about gov'ment giveaways, but they'll be the first person in line to grab any money they can get their grubbing hands on even when they don't actually need the money. A lot of GQP supporters need their social security benefits as much as any Democrat ever did. They like to talk a big game, but on the day of the month they expect their benefit payment if it were not to land in their bank account, they'd be up in arms. And my expectation is that while some (the most diehard tRump humpers) would blame Biden, the Dems will be able to point their collective fingers at McCarthy and burn his ass in blame. The last time the GQP shut down the government (back during Ryan or Boehner IIRC), the public blamed the repukes almost entirely for it (and this was when Obama was in office).

[Buns_of_Fire]

20. I expect that House and Senate republicans

would have already contracted for immediate delivery of as many bulletproof vests as they could get.

[housecat]

34. and an end to their pathetic political careers

[WarGamer]

21. I see no one bothered to Google this

No. Social Security payments are unaffected by a potential gov't shutdown.

[Effete Snob]

25. Lol

Facts?

How dare you bring facts into this discussion.

[getagrip_already]

26. it is considered essential.... along with many functions in the dod and guv't

Non-essential workers won't be paid, but anyone classified essential will continue. Many social services are considered essential.

It's not a secret.

[TZ617]

28. SS payment would certainly be affected

We are not discussing a government shutdown. That hasn't stopped SS payments. However, this would, very quickly. The government would simply not have the money to pay as their authority to borrow would be stopped. It's possible some part of payments would be made as there is still income coming into the Treasury, but not enough to keep everything going as usual.

[progree]

31. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ain't so sure: no problem if a govt shutdown, but if the debt

ceiling isn't raised, then ... (EDIT: my headline isn't a quote, it's not "no problem" if a government shutdown occurs, rather I'm referring specifically to whether Social Security checks will still go out) END EDIT.

This from ABC News 9/28/21 (1 1/2 years ago, but I think the same thing applies now)
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/nation-world/possible-government-shutdown-impacts-furloughs-social-security-check-status/507-7570090c-deb9-454a-a73e-e5c745a104f1

Yes, Social Security benefits will continue to go out in the event of a government shutdown. That's because Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are among the mandatory spending that isn't subject to annual appropriations from Congress.

While Social Security checks will continue to be sent out, some related services could be impacted. For example, benefit verification and the issuance of new Social Security cards would stop, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said.

When it comes to Social Security checks, the bigger looming threat is the debt limit. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen suggested last week in a Wall Street Journal op-ed ( https://archive.is/6Cumg ) that nearly "50 million seniors could stop receiving Social Security checks for a time," if Congress fails to raise or suspend the debt ceiling. She warned Monday that if the debt limit isn't raised by Oct. 18, “the full faith and credit of the United States would be impaired, and our country would likely face a financial crisis and economic recession.” (remember this is a year and a half ago -Progree)

Edited to add:

https://archive.is/6Cumg

Congress, Raise the Debt Limit, Opinion by Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary, Wall Street Journal, 9/19/21

... The U.S. has always paid its bills on time, but the overwhelming consensus among economists and Treasury officials of both parties is that failing to raise the debt limit would produce widespread economic catastrophe. In a matter of days, millions of Americans could be strapped for cash. We could see indefinite delays in critical payments. Nearly 50 million seniors could stop receiving Social Security checks for a time. Troops could go unpaid. Millions of families who rely on the monthly child tax credit could see delays. America, in short, would default on its obligations. ...

So, as often happens, a quick Google search leads to complexity, not resolution.

[Miles Archer]

39. So if you're right and CNN is wrong, please post the link to your source.

The US economy could depend on McCarthy corralling his extremist Republican troops

CNN —

Millions of Americans could face massive consequences unless Speaker Kevin McCarthy can navigate out of a debt trap he has set for President Joe Biden that is instead threatening to capture his House Republicans.

The California Republican traveled to Wall Street on Monday to deliver a fresh warning that the House GOP majority will refuse to lift a cap on government borrowing unless Biden agrees to spending cuts that would effectively neutralize his domestic agenda and neuter his White House legacy.

McCarthy also assured traders, however, that he would never let the US government default on its obligations – a potential disaster that could halt Social Security payments, trigger a recession and unleash job cuts by the fall in the event that the debt ceiling is not raised.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/18/politics/mccarthy-biden-debt-ceiling/index.html

[WarGamer]

43. I said SS payments would NOT be affected by a potential gov't shutdown.

And they won't.

No one in DC, McCarthy included, have threatened to default on debt.

CNN was saying "well... if..."

This is all gamesmanship.

GOP are playing for the home crowd.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. The debt ceiling is not linked to SS

But a default would crash the world economy, affecting just about everyone.

A government shutdown, when no budget or continuing resolution is passed , would affect SS, because the processing and administration of benefits would be shut down, even if the funds for benefits were available.

[Orrex]

32. Republikkkans will blame Democrats, and the dutiful media will follow

“Why won’t Democrats negotiate?”

“What’s behind this shocking failure of leadership?’

“Millions stand to lose their SSI payments if Democratic Senators fail to act.”

etc. You know the drill.

[patphil]

33. Most of the Social Security beneficiaries have families.

This won't be felt just by those who are on Social Security, but by their children and grandchildren. Also, Medicare and Medicaid will be grossly affected.
You can at least double the number of voters who will have their lives negatively affected by this Republican attack on America.
The Republicans are hoping the Democrats blink first. If the Democrats cave and agree to concessions, there will be another round of brinkmanship in 2024 since the Republicans only want the ceiling lifted for one year.
I know it will be very hard; possibly devastating to the economy, but the only way to treat these assholes is to call them out and let things fail. Once you give in, they own you, and you can expect more of the same, plus a Republican talking point that Democrats are to blame.

[Autumn]

35. Same way it did when Newt shut down the government when Clinton was President.

[Emile]

36. It's what republicans do. They create a problem, then

sit back on their hemorrhoidal asses and point their shit stained fingers at the democrats. That's all they know, because they sure as hell don't know how to govern.

[pinkstarburst]

40. Probably not to much impact politically

Left leaning voters will blame the right for the impasse.

Right leaning voters will blame the left for the impasse.

It's just like with the debates. It doesn't really matter how the candidates perform. Very few (if any) people watch the debates willing to change their mind and vote for the other party if their candidate gives a bad performance and the other guy does well. This is sadly no different.

[Grins]

41. I don't have to imagine. A friend of mine was at SS HQ in Baltimore...

...in the 1980's when a computer problem (not exactly the right word but it will do) had the staff going to the Commissioner of the Social Security to tell him, "We're going to miss the payroll!" (That's what they called it.)

Fan, meet shit.

The most sacrosanct "Job 1" at SS is - to make the damn payroll!! On time!
And for the first time EVAR! it was not.

Commissioner of the Social Security had to immediately inform the Secretary of the Treasury, who would contact then-president Reagan, who would advise EVERY member of Congress about said meeting of fan and shit, and - be prepared!! Because the calls were going to come.

Millions depended on those little checks, so millions might not eat, pay their utility bills, pay their rent, buy medicine, etc. And on the other end, businesses that gained revenue from those people who made monthly payments to them would not get paid causing problems with their employees, shareholders, landlords, Wall Street, etc. Cascade upon cascade.

And every member of Congress knew it.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

45. My neighbor the postal worker

Was there in the early 2000s when some kind of glitch happened with the postal bar codes on checks or the envelope they were mailed in. Post offices all over the country were getting mail not only for the wrong post office, but for the wrong states entirely--not even similar named places. So Philadelphia offices would get checks for Salem, Oregon or Detroit, Michigan, or Athens, Georgia--there was neither rhyme nor reason to where checks went. Something about a new computer system, and some glitches with the software? And the worst of it was, the postal workers had no idea what was going on, until a fax or email came through from SSA explaining the glitch. So post offices were printing up their own signs and putting them on the doors warning potential SS recipients about the problem, to call SSA and not take it out on innocent USPS workers.

Until that notice finally came, every post office was nearly a war zone with irate recipients abusing postal workers to hand over checks that they didn't have.

[whathehell]

42. It won't happen with Biden and a Democratic senate..

If they want to "balance the budget", let them rescind the Trump Tax cuts.

[CousinIT]

44. My MAGAt relatives will blame "The Democrats"

1000% absolute certainty.

[Johonny]

46. Debt ceiling fights have never hurt democratic presidents

But they haven't exactly hurt safe GOP seats either. This is why we're having yet another debt ceiling fight. The voters have never made the GOP house and/or senate pay for holding up the debt ceiling vote.

Joe simply has to hold up his hands and say, they never put anything on my desk. It's a simple vote.