We all saw this one coming…
It seems Republicans have returned to the same, tired playbook we’ve seen before: rail against the deficit, pass tax cuts that don’t yield economic growth and add trillions of dollars to the debt, and then demand cuts to Medicare and Social Security. So much for President Trump’s promise that he wouldn’t touch these critical programs. Here’s a look at how it’s playing in the news:
Washington Post: GOP eyes post-tax-cut changes to welfare, Medicare and Social Security
“High-ranking Republicans are hinting that, after their tax overhaul, the party intends to look at cutting spending on welfare, entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and other parts of the social safety net.”
“House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said recently that he wants Republicans to focus in 2018 on reducing spending on government programs. Last month, President Trump said welfare reform will ‘take place right after taxes, very soon, very shortly after taxes.’”
“During the presidential campaign, Trump vowed that there would be ‘no cuts’ to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, although the president has reversed many of his economic campaign promises since taking office.”
Wall Street Journal: After Push on Taxes, Republicans Line Up Welfare Revamp Next
“As Republicans near the finish line on a long-sought tax overhaul, President Donald Trump has committed them to taking up a welfare-revamp fight next.”
“Mr.Trump has repeatedly said he is interested in kick-starting a debate around means-tested social programs, with allies seeing significant political rewards from taking up the issue even without a clear-cut goal.”
“The president didn’t offer specifics about which of the dozens of welfare programs he was seeking to change, or how. But congressional Republicans who have been pushing him for months to pursue the issue have proposed layering tougher work requirements on beneficiaries of programs such as food stamps, which are used by around 43 million Americans, and the cash benefit known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is received by around 3.5 million people.”
“Such proposals have been floated in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s ‘A Better Way’ plan, which included a broader call to review the ways in which welfare programs interact, as well as bills from lawmakers such as Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), who also has proposed tallying spending on all welfare programs.”
“A draft executive order has been prepared during the past two months for Mr. Trump to sign, at the president’s request, said Paul Winfree, Mr. Trump’s domestic policy council deputy at a November forum of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.”
Newsweek: Republicans Will Cut Social Security And Medicare After Tax Plan Passes, Says Marco Rubio
“Florida Senator Marco Rubio admits that the Republican tax cut plan, which benefits corporations and the wealthy, will require cuts to Social Security and Medicare to pay for it.”
“To address the federal deficit, which will grow by at least $1 trillion if the tax plan passes, Congress will need to cut entitlement programs such as Social Security, Rubio told reporters this week. Advocates for the elderly and the poor have warned that entitlement programs would be on the chopping block, but this is the first time a prominent Republican has backed their claims.”
“Republican senators say their bill helps the middle class, but most analyses of the plan shows that it increases taxes on low-income Americans and significantly aids wealthy business owners. Cuts to welfare and safety net programs would directly affect the poorest and most vulnerable Americans.”
Washington Post: GOP eyes post-tax-cut changes to welfare, Medicare and Social Security
“High-ranking Republicans are hinting that, after their tax overhaul, the party intends to look at cutting spending on welfare, entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and other parts of the social safety net.”
“House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said recently that he wants Republicans to focus in 2018 on reducing spending on government programs. Last month, President Trump said welfare reform will ‘take place right after taxes, very soon, very shortly after taxes.’”
“During the presidential campaign, Trump vowed that there would be ‘no cuts’ to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, although the president has reversed many of his economic campaign promises since taking office.”
Wall Street Journal: After Push on Taxes, Republicans Line Up Welfare Revamp Next
“As Republicans near the finish line on a long-sought tax overhaul, President Donald Trump has committed them to taking up a welfare-revamp fight next.”
“Mr.Trump has repeatedly said he is interested in kick-starting a debate around means-tested social programs, with allies seeing significant political rewards from taking up the issue even without a clear-cut goal.”
“The president didn’t offer specifics about which of the dozens of welfare programs he was seeking to change, or how. But congressional Republicans who have been pushing him for months to pursue the issue have proposed layering tougher work requirements on beneficiaries of programs such as food stamps, which are used by around 43 million Americans, and the cash benefit known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is received by around 3.5 million people.”
“Such proposals have been floated in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s ‘A Better Way’ plan, which included a broader call to review the ways in which welfare programs interact, as well as bills from lawmakers such as Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), who also has proposed tallying spending on all welfare programs.”
“A draft executive order has been prepared during the past two months for Mr. Trump to sign, at the president’s request, said Paul Winfree, Mr. Trump’s domestic policy council deputy at a November forum of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.”
Newsweek: Republicans Will Cut Social Security And Medicare After Tax Plan Passes, Says Marco Rubio
“Florida Senator Marco Rubio admits that the Republican tax cut plan, which benefits corporations and the wealthy, will require cuts to Social Security and Medicare to pay for it.”
“To address the federal deficit, which will grow by at least $1 trillion if the tax plan passes, Congress will need to cut entitlement programs such as Social Security, Rubio told reporters this week. Advocates for the elderly and the poor have warned that entitlement programs would be on the chopping block, but this is the first time a prominent Republican has backed their claims.”
“Republican senators say their bill helps the middle class, but most analyses of the plan shows that it increases taxes on low-income Americans and significantly aids wealthy business owners. Cuts to welfare and safety net programs would directly affect the poorest and most vulnerable Americans.”