#Social Security and Medicare

[intelligentchristianlady]

If you have time for one long read this holiday weekend, make it this one.

[liberalsarecool]

This is how you frame the billionaire agenda.

Social Security and Medicare are paid for, week by week, through payroll contributions.

Elon and Vivek want to steal your contributions.

Americans should be united in fighting for Social Security and Medicare increases.

Republican voters would accept a worse retirement delivered by House Republicans, then focus all their anger on distractions provided by politicians and media.

It is a sick cycle proven to crush the soul of America.

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

Social Security and Medicare might not be important to you, but I guarantee it's important to someone you know, whether it's your parents, or grandparents, or friends... someone you know relies on that money. Plus, you're paying into those programs with every pay check. That's your money. You will never get that money back.

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

[welcometoqueer]

U.S. programs and services in danger of being diminished or fully cut:

Social Security

Department of Education

Department of Labor

Department of Transportation

Medicaid

Medicare

Obamacare

FDA

CDC

USDA

FAFSA

FEMA

ACA

SNAP

EPA

FTC

FEC

HUD

HHS

NOAA

SCHIP

FAA

National Weather Service

Hurricane and other disaster warnings

Unemployment services

Student loans

Pell grants

Libraries

Fluoride treatment in our water

Meat and food inspections

National Parks

Other concerns:

(International relations)

Loss of U.S. membership in NATO

Potential UN ramifications

Tariffs

Support of Israel winning the war

Putin and Russian relations

(Loss of Rights)

Voting rights

Miranda rights

LGBTQ+, POC, and other minority rights

Reproductive rights

Protection against pre-existing conditions

Protection against assault and harassment

Child labor protections

(Daily living)

Prescription prices skyrocketing

No rent control

Little to no reproductive or health care access

Legalized police brutality

Diminished or cut protections and rights for minority groups

Restrictions on gender affirming care or legal services

Increased taxes and cost of living for the non-wealthy

No more $35 insulin

No labor laws - 40+ hour work weeks, no mandatory breaks, no paid sick or vacation leave

[socialjusticeinamerica]

[tomorrowusa]

Broligarchs – sounds like the name of a TV series that should be in development at HBO (if they're smart). Imagine a cross between Silicon Valley and The Regime. 🤨

As awful as a second Trump term may be, there will be the occasional odd bits of unintentional entertainment as well. Imagine the Department Of Greedy Egotists announcing cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans' Benefits, and Social Security around the same time the GOP Congress is voting to extend the earlier Trump tax breaks for the filthy rich. Hilarity (and chaos) will ensue.

[2bpoliticallycurious]

Still, it is helpful to look more closely at the numbers from the WSJ poll:

NOTE: Formatting of the above table was changed to only show selected parts of this WSJ poll, and a color block was added to highlight likely 2024 Republican primary voters.

First, notice that only 600 likely 2024 Republican primary voters were surveyed--a fairly small sample.

Second, notice that the total base of 1500 registered voters (which apparently includes some of the likely GOP primary voters), 60% would most likely vote for "a candidate who would preserve Social Security and Medicare in their current forms." Furthermore, even 49% of likely GOP voters said they would most likely vote for such a candidate.

The questions about what was "most important" to respondents (regarding "protecting Social Security and Medicare" vs. "fighting woke ideology", were only asked of the 600 likely 2024 GOP primary voters. Clearly these questions were designed to elicit expected responses from conservatives. This might be important to take into account in interpreting the 27% to 55%, respective finding.

What is fascinating is that 49% of the base 1500 registered voters were aged 18 to 49, compared to only 33% of the 600 likely 2024 GOP primary voters (with some overlap between groups as noted above). So the "woke" issue is clearly more important to the GOP voters, who skewed older. We know that older generations tend to be more conservative in their values.

Still, what was most surprising is that 33% of the 600 likely GOP primary voters were in the 65+ group, compared to only 25% of the 1500 base registered voters (with some overlap between groups as noted above). So the likely GOP primary voters skewed into the elderly group, which one would assume would be more invested in "protecting Social Security and Medicare" than in "fighting the woke ideology." However, this group of elderly Republicans might also believe that they would be protected from any changes to SS & Medicare, which would only apply to those who are not currently using those programs.

Regardless, it's always helpful to take a look at the numbers in these polls more carefully before drawing conclusions.

Most Republican primary voters say fighting "woke" ideology in schools and businesses is more important to them than protecting Medicare and Social Security from cuts, a new Wall Street Journal poll out today showed.

Driving the news: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a potential 2024 candidate, has made conservative cultural issues in education a central part of his agenda, a move the poll indicates could help him with the GOP's most ardent supporters.

He signed into law a ban on the instruction of gender and sexuality in elementary school, which was recently expanded to include middle and high school.

He also signed the "Stop WOKE" Act which would ban classroom and corporate trainings that make students or employees feel discomfort over their race. (The bill has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.)

The big picture: Former President Trump has attacked DeSantis over his past support for changes to Social Security and Medicare.

But 55% of Republicans say that fighting "woke ideology in our schools and businesses" is more important than protecting entitlement programs from cuts, per the Journal poll.

[aunti-christ-ine]

[democracyunderground]

WE'RE NOT GOING BACK

[liberalsarecool]

This is who Republicans are.

You know who denies they are abusers? You know who deny they are caught in lies?

A: Abusers.

Republicans have a war on women.

Republicans have a war on social society.

Republicans have a war on families.

All in the name of their 'religion'.

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

You can bet your ass!

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

6 minute YouTube video explaining how Ramaswamy and Musk’s DOGE budget cuts are completely unrealistic. The only way they can save the $2 trillion they proposed is by cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Veterans benefits. They are also planning on cutting the National Institute of Health, and all funding for the arts and sciences among other things. Best of all they are going to further cut taxes for the top 1% while cutting all those services to the bottom 98% of the country.

👆

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Hafiz Rashid at TNR:

Senator Mike Lee wrote out a blueprint for dismantling Social Security on X Monday night that Elon Musk amplified, hinting at disturbing GOP plans for the program. In a thread now pinned to his X profile, the Utah Republican laid out a case for overhauling the program and amending the 1933 Social Security Act itself, claiming that the law allows for the government to steal taxpayer funds for its own purposes rather than safeguard Social Security itself. Musk, along with Trump crony and business executive Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tasked by Trump to run the figurehead Department of Government Efficiency, where their mission will be to eliminate government waste. It’s no secret that their vision of waste includes Social Security, and they seem to have the backing of Trump and Vice President–elect JD Vance.

Elitist fat cat Elon Musk’s cosmetic DOGE agency has a dastardly and dangerous plan to eliminate Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

[socialjusticeinamerica]