Stop With the Fear Tactics: Republicans Aren’t Cutting My Safety Net
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
I get tired of the constant fear tactics we hear in politics. “Republicans are cutting your Social Security!” is a worn-out trope that has little basis in reality.
Our elected Republicans know any attempt to shortchange us is a non-starter. As someone who’s paid into these programs for decades, I expect our leaders to protect these programs so that my own children can one day benefit from them.
Decades of bad budgeting by shortsighted leaders, coupled with the fact that there are fewer and fewer young people paying into the system, has put these programs in jeopardy. Instead of increasing contributions or taking steps to boost youth employment, our leaders are dumping billions into nonprofit organizations that dole out undeserved tax dollars to illegal immigrants, big businesses and the willfully unemployed. They then complain that we’re broke, point the finger at fiscally-prudent conservatives and fundraise off of this smear campaign.
I raised this issue to our congressman when I first met him. Congressman Lawler was crystal clear even then: any proposals to stabilize Social Security and Medicare must protect the lifelong contributors like me.
Unlike our absentee U.S. senators, Lawler isn’t pointing fingers or pulling punches – he’s standing up for those who have paid their fair share. I expect the same of my other elected leaders, and going forward I want to hear less of the blame game and more problem-solving.
Shirley Norton
Cold Spring
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