To all the young people who voted 3rd party or sat out the GE...

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

136. True dat.

GOP eyes post-tax-cut changes to welfare, Medicare and Social Security

High-ranking Republicans are hinting that, after their tax overhaul, the party intends to look at cutting spending on welfare, entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and other parts of the social safety net.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said recently that he wants Republicans to focus in 2018 on reducing spending on government programs. Last month, President Trump said welfare reform will “take place right after taxes, very soon, very shortly after taxes.”

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“You also have to bring spending under control. And not discretionary spending. That isn't the driver of our debt. The driver of our debt is the structure of Social Security and Medicare for future beneficiaries,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said this week.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/12/01/gop-eyes-post-tax-cut-changes-to-welfare-medicare-and-social-security/?utm_term=.ab2e660a792e

Social Security is not an entitlement program, it is an earned benefit. We pay into it, like we do a savings account, to have funds available for our retirement. The SS Trust Fund is separate from the rest of the U.S. budget, and does not contribute to the national debt. While it may have some problems, a lot of them could be resolved by eliminating the cap on payroll taxes and let the rich contribute to the fund (although many of them get income via investments and stock options, which are not subject to Social Security withholding). The first step is for the Democrats to stop letting the Repugs keep getting away with framing the discussion, and turning Social Security and Medicare into entitlements.