Biden Presidency

[Irish#1]

Biden was always a SS and Medicare hawk ..... right up until he got elected President.



Excellent article documenting Biden's stance on SS and Medicare was largely consistent prior to him getting elected President. Now he is the champion of SS. I'm in agreement with Biden's stances prior to getting elected. Something needs to be done, but their is absolutely no appetite for this in the general public or in Washington.

Fact Check: Joe Biden Has Advocated Cutting Social Security for 40 Years

“I tried with Senator Grassley back in the 1980s to freeze all government spending, including Social Security, including everything,” Biden said in 1995.

theintercept.com

 

[Irish#1]

Apparently we're too stupid to understand.

 

[ulukinatme]

After his SoU speech, Joe then goes to a rally in Wisconsin and still tries to sell everyone that the Repubs want to eliminate Social Security.

View attachment 3052799

Imagine him doubling down on a rumor that's been debunked a number of times, but remains a fearmongering lie they push. That was an amusing moment in the speech though.

 

[Bishop2b5]

It's not really surprising that Joe lies, and that's not even the problem. The problem is that half the country KNOWS he's lying and doesn't care. And those nitwits are the reason we get a perpetually dishonest, low IQ, career politician in the White House. We joked during the Trump years that the TDS/Orange Man Bad crowd would vote for a bucket of shit just to get rid of Trump. Well, apparently they did.

 

[jprue24]

Imagine him doubling down on a rumor that's been debunked a number of times, but remains a fearmongering lie they push. That was an amusing moment in the speech though.

Heck are you going on about?

Rick Scott counts as "some republicans". Rick Scott wants to sunset all legislation and that includes Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

From Point 6 of his "Rescue America Plan"

• All federal legislation sunsets in 5 years. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again.

6. Government Reform & Debt - Rescue America

Many government agencies should be either moved out of Washington or shuttered entirely.

rescueamerica.com

 

[jprue24]

Imagine him doubling down on a rumor that's been debunked a number of times, but remains a fearmongering lie they push. That was an amusing moment in the speech though.

Since we use old political quotes around here, Mike Lee counts as "some republicans" too.

Mike Lee in 2010 said,

"One of the biggest places we have to start is I believe with entitlements," Lee said. "There's nothing in here [Lee holds up a copy of the Constitution] that gives them the power to redistribute my wealth, yet that's what entitlement programs are—they're a wealth redistribution."

"I'm here right now to tell you one thing you probably have never heard from a politician: It will be my objective to phase out Social Security, to pull it up from the roots and get rid of it,"

"People who advise me politically always tell me it's dangerous and I tell them, 'In that case it's not worth my running.' That's why I'm doing this, to get rid of that. Medicare and Medicaid are of the same sort, they need to be pulled up."


Now Lee, never really acted on those statements and now says,

"Throughout my first campaign and from the day I took office, I have been clear: we must honor our commitments to retirees."

"That has been reflected in every vote I've cast, every bill I've introduced, and every speech I've given regarding Social Security. One of the first bills I sponsored would have ensured the viability of the Social Security program for the next 75 years,"

Doesn't matter what Lee thinks or does, he said it.... He counts.

Video of Mike Lee vowing to gut Social Security resurfaces

"It will be my objective to phase out Social Security," Senator Mike Lee of Utah said while campaigning for his current seat in 2010.

www.newsweek.com

I bet if I were to go digging I can find pleeeenty of Republicans wanting to mess with SS, Medicare/Medicaid benefits.

 

[jprue24]

"ArMy oF 87,000 iRs AgEnTs"

 

[Rockin’Irish]

"ArMy oF 87,000 iRs AgEnTs"

Now if we could simplify the ridiculously complex federal tax code, we could run this part of our bloated government more efficiently. I would love to see a Federal employee reduction, talk about an earth shattering thought! Maybe that would reduce our taxes……

 

[ulukinatme]

Since we use old political quotes around here, Mike Lee counts as "some republicans" too.

Mike Lee in 2010 said,

"One of the biggest places we have to start is I believe with entitlements," Lee said. "There's nothing in here [Lee holds up a copy of the Constitution] that gives them the power to redistribute my wealth, yet that's what entitlement programs are—they're a wealth redistribution."

"I'm here right now to tell you one thing you probably have never heard from a politician: It will be my objective to phase out Social Security, to pull it up from the roots and get rid of it,"

"People who advise me politically always tell me it's dangerous and I tell them, 'In that case it's not worth my running.' That's why I'm doing this, to get rid of that. Medicare and Medicaid are of the same sort, they need to be pulled up."


Now Lee, never really acted on those statements and now says,

"Throughout my first campaign and from the day I took office, I have been clear: we must honor our commitments to retirees."

"That has been reflected in every vote I've cast, every bill I've introduced, and every speech I've given regarding Social Security. One of the first bills I sponsored would have ensured the viability of the Social Security program for the next 75 years,"

Doesn't matter what Lee thinks or does, he said it.... He counts.

Video of Mike Lee vowing to gut Social Security resurfaces

"It will be my objective to phase out Social Security," Senator Mike Lee of Utah said while campaigning for his current seat in 2010.

www.newsweek.com

I bet if I were to go digging I can find pleeeenty of Republicans wanting to mess with SS, Medicare/Medicaid benefits.

It's fear mongering. It hasn't been proposed, and as mentioned Lee hasn't suggested it once after his initial campaign in 2010. The comments are taken out of context, which makes sense given the fact no such proposal has come to the floor:

Sen. Mike Lee claims 2010 comments about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid taken out of context

Utah Senator Mike Lee has responded to criticism he recently received on social media after users resurfaced comments he made in 2010 about wanting to “pull up” and “get rid of&#8…

www.abc4.com

In a statement posted by Lee on Twitter, the senator said the point he was trying to make was that the federal government should not be trusted with “sweeping power over people’s livelihoods,” claiming Congress has long used Social Security as a “slush fund.” Lee also said his point was that Congress had a responsibility to honor the commitments made to Americans who paid into Social Security.

“In repeatedly quoting my 2010 remarks today, President Biden conveniently left out that critical detail – that even when I voiced that position, I insisted that we honor the reliance interests of those who have paid into the system,” said Lee. “He also ignored in my 12 years in the Senate, I have never proposed abolishing Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits. Instead, I have offered solutions to improve those programs and move them toward solvency.”

As far as Rick Scott, he has a very small minority support for his America Rescue Plan and McConnell has said he doesn't support anything that removes Social Security, or Medicare. The plan doesn't directly address mention ending either, and Scott's position in the past has been to prevent them from going bankrupt. Looks more like he wants to protect these programs:

Scott announced he is introducing a new bill that would make it more difficult for Congress to make any cuts to Social Security and Medicare and that would send the Inflation Reduction Act’s $80 billion in Internal Revenue Service funding to Social Security and Medicare instead.

Democrats Misleadingly Claim 'Republicans' Plan' Would 'End' Social Security, Medicare - FactCheck.org

As part of his plan to downsize the federal government, Republican Sen. Rick Scott says he wants all federal legislation to "sunset" in five years, and "[i]f a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again." Well, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid were all created by legislation. And now...

www.factcheck.org

Scott never specifically mentioned Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in his call for sunsetting all federal legislation in five years, but he has acknowledged that they would be included. Scott says his aim would be to “fix,” not end, the programs.

 

[Blazers46]

Just wanted to point out that the object is not identified… meaning it’s an Unidentified Flying Object… UFO.

Live updates: US shoots down "high-altitude object" over Alaska

President Joe Biden ordered the military to down a "high-altitude object" hovering over Alaska on Friday, the White House announced. Follow here for the latest news updates.

www.cnn.com

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Just wanted to point out that the object is not identified… meaning it’s an Unidentified Flying Object… UFO.

Live updates: US shoots down "high-altitude object" over Alaska

President Joe Biden ordered the military to down a "high-altitude object" hovering over Alaska on Friday, the White House announced. Follow here for the latest news updates.

www.cnn.com

Also it wasn’t drifting or floating…….it was hovering. Does this mean it was “powered“?

 

[jprue24]

It's fear mongering. It hasn't been proposed, and as mentioned Lee hasn't suggested it once after his initial campaign in 2010. The comments are taken out of context, which makes sense given the fact no such proposal has come to the floor:

Sen. Mike Lee claims 2010 comments about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid taken out of context

Utah Senator Mike Lee has responded to criticism he recently received on social media after users resurfaced comments he made in 2010 about wanting to “pull up” and “get rid of&#8…

www.abc4.com

As far as Rick Scott, he has a very small minority support for his America Rescue Plan and McConnell has said he doesn't support anything that removes Social Security, or Medicare. The plan doesn't directly address mention ending either, and Scott's position in the past has been to prevent them from going bankrupt. Looks more like he wants to protect these programs:

Democrats Misleadingly Claim 'Republicans' Plan' Would 'End' Social Security, Medicare - FactCheck.org

As part of his plan to downsize the federal government, Republican Sen. Rick Scott says he wants all federal legislation to "sunset" in five years, and "[i]f a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again." Well, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid were all created by legislation. And now...

www.factcheck.org

So Biden wasn't lying. Thanks for coming around.

Please explain away what Ron Johnson said in August for me,

“We’ve got to turn everything into discretionary spending, so it’s all evaluated, so that we can fix problems or fix programs that are broken, that are going to be going bankrupt. Because, again, as long as things are on automatic pilot, we just continue to pile up debt.”

Ron Johnson calls for annual approval of Social Security, Medicare funding

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said in a radio interview Tuesday that funding for Medicare and Social Security should be approved by Congress each year rather than being automatically renewed. […]

www.wpr.org

 

[jprue24]

Ron Desantis?

"A CNN KFile review of comments from DeSantis’ 2012 congressional campaign found he repeatedly said he supported plans to replace Medicare with a system in which the government paid for partial costs of private plans or a traditional Medicare plan. In one interview with a local newspaper, DeSantis said he supported “the same thing” for Social Security, citing the need for “market forces” to restructure the program."

Ron DeSantis once expressed support for privatizing Social Security and Medicare giving his rivals an opening

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for privatizing Medicare and Social Security during his first campaign for Congress in 2012, giving political rivals who have pledged to protect the programs an opening to attack him ahead of DeSantis' expected run for president in 2024.

www.cnn.com

 

[ulukinatme]

So Biden wasn't lying. Thanks for coming around.

Please explain away what Ron Johnson said in August for me,

“We’ve got to turn everything into discretionary spending, so it’s all evaluated, so that we can fix problems or fix programs that are broken, that are going to be going bankrupt. Because, again, as long as things are on automatic pilot, we just continue to pile up debt.”

Ron Johnson calls for annual approval of Social Security, Medicare funding

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said in a radio interview Tuesday that funding for Medicare and Social Security should be approved by Congress each year rather than being automatically renewed. […]

www.wpr.org

No need to be an ass. Scott is the one that made the comment, and it's not a position the party supports. His position isn't even to do away with them, it's to fix the programs.

Johnson's comments are similar. They want to address the current budget practices and make sustaining it a priority:

US Sen. Ron Johnson stands by Medicare, Social Security remarks after being called out by President Joe Biden

A day after he was called out by President Joe Biden, Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson reiterated his support for taking annual votes on funding Medicare and Social Security, calling […]

www.wpr.org

"We've got to put everything on-budget so we're forced to prioritize spending," Johnson said. "That doesn't mean putting on the chopping block. That doesn't mean cutting Social Security. But it does mean prioritizing."

Johnson also said the current structure of Social Security is unsustainable.

"It's a legal Ponzi scheme," Johnson said, echoing an argument he first made in his 2010 Senate campaign, one he's repeated during his dozen years in office.

 

[jprue24]

Republican Study Committee?

'The Republican Study Committee, the largest group of House Republicans, released a budget plan in June that called on lawmakers to gradually raise the Medicare age of eligibility to 67 and the Social Security eligibility to 70 before indexing both to life expectancy. It backed withholding payments to those who retired early and had earnings over a certain limit. And it endorsed the consideration of options to reduce payroll taxes that fund Social Security and redirect them to private alternatives. It also urged lawmakers to “phase-in an increase in means testing” for Medicare.'

All-in-one public affairs and government news platform - Bloomberg Government

Federal and state government public affairs software. Get breaking policy news, legislative updates, bill and regulation tracking, and directories.

about.bgov.com

 

[jprue24]

No need to be an ass. Scott is the one that made the comment, and it's not a position the party supports. His position isn't even to do away with them, it's to fix the programs.

Nah, I'm gonna be an ass because even now you are still down playing it despite what the republican party has been saying FOR YEARS!

 

[GoIrish41]

Also it wasn’t drifting or floating…….it was hovering. Does this mean it was “powered“?

That is my understanding.

 

[ulukinatme]

Republican Study Committee?

'The Republican Study Committee, the largest group of House Republicans, released a budget plan in June that called on lawmakers to gradually raise the Medicare age of eligibility to 67 and the Social Security eligibility to 70 before indexing both to life expectancy. It backed withholding payments to those who retired early and had earnings over a certain limit. And it endorsed the consideration of options to reduce payroll taxes that fund Social Security and redirect them to private alternatives. It also urged lawmakers to “phase-in an increase in means testing” for Medicare.'

All-in-one public affairs and government news platform - Bloomberg Government

Federal and state government public affairs software. Get breaking policy news, legislative updates, bill and regulation tracking, and directories.

about.bgov.com

I've got no problem with private alternatives. I'd rather be in control of my own money, I can do more with it than the government can. I don't see anything there about them suggesting eliminating Social Security. You did leave out that "Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted after 2034, according to the program’s board of trustees." So if something isn't done to either raise taxes, or adjust benefits and eligibility then the program will cease to be solvent. Searching for solutions to preserving Social Security is the opposite of ending it, which is what Biden and many Democrats have been pushing for years. Again...fear mongering BS. It's not been proposed in Congress and it won't be.

 

[GoIrish41]

I've got no problem with private alternatives. I'd rather be in control of my own money, I can do more with it than the government can. I don't see anything there about them suggesting eliminating Social Security. You did leave out that "Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted after 2034, according to the program’s board of trustees." So if something isn't done to either raise taxes, or adjust benefits and eligibility then the program will cease to be solvent. Searching for solutions to preserving Social Security is the opposite of ending it, which is what Biden and many Democrats have been pushing for years. Again...fear mongering BS. It's not been proposed in Congress and it won't be.

Maybe Congress should return the money they looted from the fund to pay for things which it was not intended. Solvency solved.

 

[ulukinatme]

Maybe Congress should return the money they looted from the fund to pay for things it was not intended. Solvency solved.

Wishful thinking. That's one of the proposals I believe, quit allowing Congress to use it like a petty cash fund.

 

[drayer54]

Heck are you going on about?

Rick Scott counts as "some republicans". Rick Scott wants to sunset all legislation and that includes Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

From Point 6 of his "Rescue America Plan"

• All federal legislation sunsets in 5 years. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again.

6. Government Reform & Debt - Rescue America

Many government agencies should be either moved out of Washington or shuttered entirely.

rescueamerica.com

So, can I say that Democrats want to do… everything Cori Bush or Elizabeth Warren propose?

Can I take Bernie as the party?

It’s such a dishonest move that I’m glad the GOP interrupted.

Rick Scott is an idiot and one guy.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Instead of the politicians using rhetoric (old and new) trying to make themselves look good, maybe it would be constructive to work on a resolution. Continually blaming one another will most likely never produce a decent result. It makes me think that they don’t really have any decent ideas on how to fix the SS situation so it will work as originally intended AND be self sustaining.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

So, can I say that Democrats want to do… everything Cori Bush or Elizabeth Warren propose?

Can I take Bernie as the party?

It’s such a dishonest move that I’m glad the GOP interrupted.

Rick Scott is an idiot and one guy.

So where’s the lie? It’s politics, bro.
Are there any honest Republicans?

And Bernie isn’t a Democrat; he caucuses with Democrats.

 

[ulukinatme]

Are there any honest politicians?

FIFY

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Does Bernie lie?

 

[jprue24]

I've got no problem with private alternatives. I'd rather be in control of my own money, I can do more with it than the government can. I don't see anything there about them suggesting eliminating Social Security. You did leave out that "Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to be depleted after 2034, according to the program’s board of trustees." So if something isn't done to either raise taxes, or adjust benefits and eligibility then the program will cease to be solvent. Searching for solutions to preserving Social Security is the opposite of ending it, which is what Biden and many Democrats have been pushing for years. Again...fear mongering BS. It's not been proposed in Congress and it won't be.

Cool story. I'm glad you agree that some Republicans (including yourself) want to cut Social Security benefits.

 

[jprue24]

So, can I say that Democrats want to do… everything Cori Bush or Elizabeth Warren propose?

You can say that "some Democrats" sure.

Was that supposed to be a "gotcha" or something?

 

[ab2cmiller]

Cool story. I'm glad you agree that some Republicans (including yourself) want to cut Social Security benefits.

I (and many Republicans and Joe Biden pre-presidency) definitely want changes to be made which results in reduction of payments in some way to ensure that SS remains viable. These can be a combination of increasing the retirement age, changing the cost of living index, reduction of benefits, eliminating the benefit for the wealthy etc etc etc

It’s obvious you don’t agree. This means that you want SS to die.

See, we can play this game too.

 

[jprue24]

I (and many Republicans and Joe Biden pre-presidency) definitely want changes to be made which results in reduction of payments in some way to ensure that SS remains viable. These can be a combination of increasing the retirement age, changing the cost of living index, reduction of benefits, eliminating the benefit for the wealthy etc etc etc

It’s obvious you don’t agree. This means that you want SS to die.

See, we can play this game too.

Lol, figured this would be the pivot. Get called out and now it's all "well, yes I do actually want to cut it, we just don't want to call it that."

At least we are past the nonsense that you (edit - ukulele not you, apologies) were spreading in here about Biden lying about GOP plans for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Lol, figured this would be the pivot. Get called out and now it's all "well, yes I do actually want to cut it, we just don't want to call it that."

At least we are past the nonsense that you were spreading in here about Biden lying about GOP plans for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Look at my posts. My stance has never changed or pivoted. I said nothing about your prior focus. But so good of you to try to deflect.

Do you think cuts should be made to SS to keep it solvent???? No changes ….. automatic cuts at approximately 2035 estimated 20% reduction. Your choice…. Which one?