Trump and/ or Mulvaney need to leave our Social Security and Medicare alone!

By SJ Otto

Right now President Donald Trump has promised not to change Social Security or Medicare. And yet he has nominated Representative Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., to become the nation's budget director. Mulvaney wants to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

As they used to say on To Tell The Truth, will the real Trump please stand up—the one that promises to leave programs for the elderly alone, or the future Trump who changes his mind after being advised by Mulvaney?  

According to the ChicagoTribune:

“Mulvaney would bring a stridently hawkish voice to the Office of Management and Budget. On Tuesday, he said he remains in favor of raising the retirement age for Social Security to 70 but emphasized that he would not reduce benefits for existing recipients. He also reiterated his support for means-testing to qualify for Medicare.”

There are a lot of us, as with myself, who have paid into Social Security all our lives, in a tax that has been forced on us. It is not a small tax. Our money has actually gone to seniors of retirement age, before us. We supported them with the idea we would have our turn and the next generation will support us. I’m presently 62. I am planning to retire in three years. But as with Obamacare (Affordable Care Act, ACT) it the equivalent of a rug being pulled out from under us. Those who have benefited from Obamacare will suddenly find themselves uninsured and without health care when the Republicans get their way. Those of us who are not quite old enough to retire may find that we now must wait much longer before retiring. We may also have a lot of illnesses that can’t be cared for because Medicare will now be out of our reach.

As with many my age, I don’t have a large savings of any kind. I do own a home, but that is it. Lately I have been looking for work, but have had no luck and much of that is because I am getting older and most employers want to higher younger people. When or if they raise the retirement age to 70, the next generation better watch out. If they lose the job they have, they may end up homeless.

As for means testing for Medicare—that would be a good idea if they mean kicking upper middle class and wealthy people out of the system. But conservatives always try to take money from the working poor. Those of us who have worked all our lives, but couldn’t quite make the middle class can be assured we will not pass the means test. If the test is like the one they try and use for those who need welfare, most of us will never see a cent of Medicare.

Mulvaney does have one good idea—that is to cut down on military spending. Again in the Chicago Tribune:

"You've spent your entire congressional career pitting the debt against the military," (Senator John) McCain said. ""I am deeply concerned about your lack of support for our military."

What they should do is cut the military and put that money back into Social Security and Medicare. Social Security promised to us. The government needs to keep its promise to us.

Pix by Brown Smith Wallace.