Brunswick Beacon, 03.21.24
In 2023’s State of the Union Address, President Biden warned that “some Republicans” want to cut Social Security and Medicare. Republicans booed. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted “liar!”
In 2024’s State of the Union Address, Biden again warned that Republicans “want to put Social Security on the chopping block. If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare, or raise the retirement age, I will stop you.”
Four days later, Donald Trump proved Biden right and Rep. Greene a liar. On CNBC’s Squawk Box, Joe Kernan asked Trump: “It’s almost a third rail of politics…have you changed your outlook on how to handle entitlements: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid?” Despite Kernan’s warning, Trump grabbed that third rail like it was a life preserver and he was a drowning man. “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting,” Trump said. “There’s tremendous amounts of things and numbers of things you can do.”
Biden pounced: “We have two ways to go at Social Security and Medicare. Republicans will cut Social Security and Medicare to give more tax cuts to the wealthy. Even this morning, Donald Trump said cuts to Social Security and Medicare are on the table again. I’m never going to allow that to happen. I won’t cut Social Security. I won’t cut Medicare. Instead of giving tax breaks to the wealthy, I will protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare and make the wealthy begin to pay their fair share.”
Ninety-two percent of Americans think Social Security and Medicare should not be cut. The numbers are virtually identical for Democrats, Independents and Republicans! Seventy-one percent of Americans agree with Biden that the wealthy should pay more instead.
President Eisenhower said, “There is a tiny splinter group that believes” you can cut Social Security: “Their number is negligible and they are stupid.” Trump and today’s GOP are determined to prove Ike right.
Ryan Buck
Calabash