Republicans’ Long-Standing Agenda To Attack Social Security & Medicare: Biden Administration Takes Action
During President Joe Biden's 2023 State of the Union address, he made a controversial assertion that “some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset.”[0] Following his speech, right-wing media attempted to deny the reality that Republicans have historically opposed Social Security and Medicare and falsely equated Democratic attempts to ensure entitlement solvency with Republican sabotage.[0] As evidence of the Republican Party's long-standing opposition to these programs, President Biden pointed to Trump's FY19 budget that proposed cutting $554 billion from Medicare and $72.5 billion from SSDI and Supplemental Security Income. He also cited Trump's FY20 budget that proposed cutting $575 billion from Medicare and $26 billion from Social Security programs.
The Republican Study Committee, representing over 170 members of the House Republican Caucus, proposed a budget in June 2022 that would raise the eligibility age of Medicare and Social Security and implement additional means testing for benefits.[1] These changes have been criticized as disproportionately impacting communities of color, increasing the amount 3.3 million retirees would pay each year in premiums, and fundamentally undermining Medicare’s “universality and integrity.”[2]
Freshman Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) unveiled a bill on Thursday that has 20 original co-sponsors and is endorsed by several right-wing groups, including the Koch-funded organization Americans for Prosperity.[3] This bill has been criticized as an attempt to fast-track cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
In response to the GOP bill, the Biden White House argued that rolling back the Inflation Reduction Act would represent “one of the biggest Medicare benefit cuts in American history” as well as a “handout to Big Pharma.”[3] The White House is facing pressure from advocates and physicians to cancel a Medicare privatization scheme and is locked in a standoff with House Republicans over the debt ceiling.[3] The MAGA extremists have threatened to drive the economy into a recession by defaulting on our debt, proposed a 30% national sales tax, and introduced legislation to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.[4]
It is clear that many Republicans have a long-standing agenda to attack Social Security and Medicare, and that the Biden administration is taking the necessary steps to protect these programs from cuts. Nevertheless, it is important to remain vigilant and to fight back against any attempts to undermine Social Security and Medicare.
0. “Right-wing media falsely equate GOP anti-entitlement proposals with Democratic reform efforts” Media Matters for America, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.mediamatters.org/social-security/right-wing-media-falsely-equate-gop-anti-entitlement-proposals-democratic-reform
1. “Richey: GOP on record for proposing cuts to entitlement programs” Straight Arrow News, 10 Feb. 2023, https://straightarrownews.com/opinions/gop-on-record-for-proposing-cuts-to-entitlement-programs/
2. “Watchdog: Enough House Republicans On Recent Record Demanding Social Security & Medicare Benefit Cuts to …” Accountable.US, 8 Feb. 2023, https://accountable.us/watchdog-enough-house-republicans-on-recent-record-demanding-social-security-medicare-benefit-cuts-to-debunk-mccarthys-claims-its-off-the-table/
3. “White House Says GOP Bill Would Force ‘One of the Biggest Medicare Benefit Cuts' in US History” Common Dreams, 4 Feb. 2023, https://www.commondreams.org/news/white-house-says-gop-bill-would-force-one-of-the-biggest-medicare-benefit-cuts-in-us-history
4. “White House Says GOP Bill Would Force ‘One of the Biggest Medicare Benefit Cuts' in US History” Alaska Native News, 7 Feb. 2023, https://alaska-native-news.com/white-house-says-gop-bill-would-force-one-of-the-biggest-medicare-benefit-cuts-in-us-history/66106/
