John,

Here’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans on Social Security:

Republicans say the solution is to go behind closed doors and make “hard changes.” Translation: They want to cut your benefits, but won’t come out and say that.

Democrats, on the other hand, have united behind plans to increase Social Security benefits and require the wealthiest Americans to contribute to Social Security at the same rate as the rest of us. This plan not only sustains Social Security’s long-term financing, but combats wealth and income inequality.

The choice is clear: Republicans would rather let wealthy people and corporations avoid paying taxes than keep Social Security’s promise. Democrats don’t.

At a town hall last week, Sen. Joni Ernst reiterated the Republican position: “We do need to sit down behind closed doors so we’re not being scrutinized.” She complained that if she revealed her position in public, she would be (rightfully!) accused of throwing “granny over a cliff.”¹

Why do Republicans want to hide their ideas, while 210 House Democrats have co-sponsored a specific plan to secure and expand our Social Security system into the 22nd Century? Because when voters hear what Republicans are saying behind closed doors, they’ll throw them out of office!

Social Security Works was founded to fight back against the very closed door fast-track commissions Sen. Ernst wants to bring back. We know how to stop them: with a grassroots movement, lifting our voices together!

Together, we stopped the Bowles-Simpson commission, the Supercommittee, and the debt ceiling hostage crisis. Now, it’s up to us to stop the latest GOP plan to cut Social Security behind closed doors.

Ernst isn’t the only Republican Senator acknowledging their desire for cover in order to cut our earned benefits. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) said that cutting Social Security and Medicare is “usually best done during divided government,” while also acknowledging the GOP’s long-held desire to cut benefits, saying, “We’ve brought it up with President Trump, who has talked about it being a second-term project.”

While Barrasso is at the beginning of his six-year term, Ernst is up for re-election next year, and she seems to be taking the same re-election tactic as Mitch McConnell:² Promising closed door cuts to Social Security and Medicare, falsely blaming them for the ballooning deficit. They seem to be setting the table for Trump’s “fun second-term project.”³

We’re not going to let that happen. Chip in today to hold Senate Republicans accountable to the American people and demand we EXPAND, not cut, our earned benefits!

Thanks,

Alex Lawson
Social Security Works

¹ https://iowastartingline.com/2019/09/04/ernst-need-to-sit-down-behind-closed-doors-for-social-security-fix/
² https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-16/mcconnell-blames-entitlements-not-gop-for-rising-deficits
³ https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/donald-trump-republicans-federal-deficit