Looks like some bi-partisan lying going on here eh?
When President Joe Biden called out Republicans recently during his State of the Union for trying to cut Social Security, GOP lawmakers were so offended they literally booed and jeered the president, challenging him to name a single Republican who was targeting Social Security.
Even when the White House later enumerated many such Republicans, the GOP made a big show that Biden was unduly vilifying Republicans for proposals coming from an unserious corner of their party.
But less than a month later, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are suddenly having very serious conversations that would, in fact, cut Social Security—with a bipartisan group of senators quietly looking at raising the target retirement age for most Americans from 67 to 70.
While lawmakers caution everything is preliminary, the mere idea of raising the retirement age is already sounding alarms in the Capitol.
The news, which was first reported by Semafor, comes amid heightening tensions over Social Security, as Republicans seek ways to cut government spending.
After a forceful pushback to the idea that the GOP was sizing up Social Security for a trim, it seemed like the sacred entitlement of the New Deal was on surer political footing than at any point in the last few decades. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), the modern-day boogeyman of Social Security, even amended his controversial “plan to rescue America” to exclude Social Security (and Medicare) from a proposal to sunset all federal legislation and require it to be re-passed.
But the problem for Social Security is that the political reality is running up against a practical reality: Without some sort of Social Security reform, the program is currently slated to hit a cliff in coming years. Members of Congress acknowledge the need to address the issue, but there’s a reason why Social Security is called the “third rail of politics.”
The reported mention of increasing the retirement age is an example why.
Even though members of the working discussions are urging people not to panic, senators are now desperately trying to downplay the prospect of changes.
Republicans Swore Biden Was Lying About Social Security Cuts. Now They’re Questioning the Retirement Age.
Republicans were outraged when Joe Biden accused them of proposing Social Security cuts. Now a bipartisan group is talking about raising the retirement age.
www.thedailybeast.com
When President Joe Biden called out Republicans recently during his State of the Union for trying to cut Social Security, GOP lawmakers were so offended they literally booed and jeered the president, challenging him to name a single Republican who was targeting Social Security.
Even when the White House later enumerated many such Republicans, the GOP made a big show that Biden was unduly vilifying Republicans for proposals coming from an unserious corner of their party.
But less than a month later, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are suddenly having very serious conversations that would, in fact, cut Social Security—with a bipartisan group of senators quietly looking at raising the target retirement age for most Americans from 67 to 70.
While lawmakers caution everything is preliminary, the mere idea of raising the retirement age is already sounding alarms in the Capitol.
The news, which was first reported by Semafor, comes amid heightening tensions over Social Security, as Republicans seek ways to cut government spending.
After a forceful pushback to the idea that the GOP was sizing up Social Security for a trim, it seemed like the sacred entitlement of the New Deal was on surer political footing than at any point in the last few decades. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), the modern-day boogeyman of Social Security, even amended his controversial “plan to rescue America” to exclude Social Security (and Medicare) from a proposal to sunset all federal legislation and require it to be re-passed.
But the problem for Social Security is that the political reality is running up against a practical reality: Without some sort of Social Security reform, the program is currently slated to hit a cliff in coming years. Members of Congress acknowledge the need to address the issue, but there’s a reason why Social Security is called the “third rail of politics.”
The reported mention of increasing the retirement age is an example why.
Even though members of the working discussions are urging people not to panic, senators are now desperately trying to downplay the prospect of changes.
