Eddie Edwards Says We Need To "Wean People Off Social Security"

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Sun Oct 14, 2018, 10:09 PM - Edit history (1)

https://nhlabornews.com/2018/10/eddie-edwards-says-we-need-to-wean-people-off-social-security/

by Matt Murray

I have said it before and I will say it again, Republicans are coming for your Social Security.

In this election, one candidate is not hiding behind his false promises of "protecting Social Security by privatizing it" or "making improvements" to the program that ends up providing fewer benefits, he wants to end Social Security completely.

Candidate for Congress in New Hampshire's First Congressional District, Eddie Edwards told NHPR during a live debate that we need to "start weaning people off Social Security." Even the debate moderator, Laura Knoy was taken aback at his response to weaning people off Social Security.

"Social Security is a foundational program that has kept seniors out of poverty. We have to make sure that it's there for today's retirees as well as tomorrow's," said Pappas in response to Edward's statement.

"We built our Social Security system because it is the fairest, most efficient, universal, and secure way for Americans to maintain their standards of living when wages are lost due to death, disability, or retirement," said Social Security Works, an advocacy group intent on preserving Social Security for generations to come.

Social Security is "one of the most successful programs in history," and is extremely efficient with a 0.7% administrative cost.

Over 61 million people are collected from this earned benefit program last year. These benefits have protected more than "21 million Americans, including 15.2 million seniors and 1.7 million children" from falling below the poverty line. Social Security also helped to create over "9 million jobs and added almost $1.4 trillion dollars in output to the U.S. economy."

"Chris Pappas knows 'weaning people off Social Security' is a terrible idea that amounts to taking away our seniors' hard-earned life savings," said Kari Thurman, Chris Pappas for Congress campaign manager. "Eddie Edwards will have to explain to seniors across the district why he wants to take away this essential program."

In 2016, 1 in 5 (22%) Granite Staters receive benefits from Social Security totaling $4.6 billion dollars in income or approximately 6% of the state's total income. Social Security protected more than 76,000 Granite Staters from falling into poverty with an average payout of $15,629 annually.

It is also important to note that Social Security does not only help retired people, it helps current disabled workers and children. "Social Security provided disability benefits to 48,091 workers" and "provided benefits to 21,562 New Hampshire children" in 2016.

The debate should not be about how we need to "wean people off Social Security" or make drastic cuts to a program that helps keep tens of thousands of Granite Staters from falling into poverty. We need to be talking about ways to expand the program and raise the benefits to keep up with the growing cost of living.

[Xipe Totec]

1. He needs to be weaned off of oxygen. nt

[dewsgirl]

10. +10000

[Mr. Big]

12. And living in a 100% arsenic environment.

Anything else is toxic to Eddie.

[trueblue2007]

20. and eating dog poop for breakfast lunch and dindindinner

[Mr. Big]

23. Why feed the beast?

Best to starve it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. +1000000!

[ProudLib72]

34. I hear sulphur dioxide is a good substitute if you're an R

Gets them ready for their end of life environmental adjustment.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Better yet, take away his social security totally and don't give it to him, period. Hypocrite. ...

We've paid into this system every day of our working lives a sizable chunk of OUR money. Not theirs.

[dchill]

4. And he doesn't need a government job, either!

That's a savings, right there.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. Absolutely!! Word gets around that this guy is advocating this, he won't be around either. NT

[pangaia]

9. I wouldn't bet on it

[Garrett78]

3. Trump won that district but not by much. Haven't seen any polling for that race.

[Ccarmona]

6. What Does That Even Mean?

So I should expect 2.8% less money next year, instead of a COLA increase? I can understand this talk from Wall St bankers who are drooling to get their filthy mitts on the $3 Trillion, but it’s a death knell for any politician to say that crap.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

7. I hear you, Omaha Steve.

I believe that there is NOTHING the repubs want more to do than raid SS. All of that money sitting there is too much of a temptation to them.

We need to stay vigilant on this one.

[pangaia]

11. Not stay vigilant... get out in front of it -- NOW !!!

[Haggis for Breakfast]

21. Yes, Pangaia

Even smarter.

If -- god forbid -- this grifting thief gets another term, we WILL need to stop him and his band of nazi degenerates in their tracks.

[pangaia]

30. You said it.

I have this gurggling sense that there were be serious violence at some point in all this.

[pangaia]

8. I tell you, ALL dems better get the fuck out in front of this AND Medicare

damn fast.. before they (WE) are playing defense and catch up.....Like in so many other situations...

[pnwmom]

13. Here is the link to that piece.

https://nhlabornews.com/2018/10/eddie-edwards-says-we-need-to-wean-people-off-social-security/

[Omaha Steve]

15. Thanks

I fixed the OP. I didn't mean to exclude the link to Matt's work.

OS

[Oneironaut]

14. "Instead of starving them to death right away, we'll slowly starve them to death. Great plan!"

[TreasonousBastard]

16. I hate these guys-- SS should be held up as an ideal program others...

public and private, should emulate.

It is not, strictly speaking, a retirement program, since there is no provision for the pensioner to profit. But there is also no provision for the pensioner to lose, thereby eliminating expensive bailouts. And it does not prevent anyone from participating in other plans.

What it is is an effective wealth transfer program-- it takes from wage earners to pay retirees, with the promise that the present wage earners will get the same benefit. Surpluses are invested in US treasuries, not harebrained schemes, reducing the chance of loss of principal.

Everyone benefits, with very little cost to taxpayers.

This is the sort of program any true conservative should applaud and emulate.

(But, what the hell, they've been trying to kill off the Post Office for years, and that's in their beloved Constitution.)

[stopwastingmymoney]

27. This should have its own thread, nt

[Progressive Jones]

37. Real Conservatives have no problem with Social Security.

I say that less than 40% of those who claim to be "conservatives" actually are Conservatives.
FOX News and Limbaugh told them that they're Conservatives.
I know people who are lifelong, principled Conservatives.
Some of them are now collecting their SS benefits. They know the value of SS. They don't want SS done away with.
They are nothing like the rabble at Trump's body odor fests.
They despise Trump. They are embarrassed by him, just like the majority of Americans.
They are not crazed pseudo-christians.
They are good people who can't stand the direction in which this nation is being pulled.
They are not racists, nor haters of democracy, nor haters of LGBTQ people, nor haters of any Americans.
Old school, level headed, Chicagoans / Americans whose political party has been infested with undesirables.
I truly feel bad for them, despite the policy differences I have with them.

[czarjak]

18. Keep voting republican...

Rubes.

[BlueStater]

19. So his parents named him "Edward Edwards"?

That's just cruel.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

22. I think it shows a distinct lack of imagination

and intellectual laziness.

[VMA131Marine]

24. There are 300,000 people in the US population with Down Syndrome

Most, if not all, rely to some degree on Social Security disability payments. The degree to which they achieve a measure of independence is enabled by SSDI. Weaning them off Social Security would likely mean a lifetime of institutionalization for many who's families don't have resources to care for and support them.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

32. In addition to the groper-in-chief there's a person with dimwit syndrome

His name is Eddie Edwards.


What a great idea! Cancel social security! I'll be considering that right after getting my appendix put back in.

[jaysunb]

25. Will there be refunds for those that have already paid in ?

Or does the gentleman understand how the program works.? :

[sprinkleeninow]

26. Wean eddie offa his wishful thinking cushy job as a repuke mouthpiece.

[catbyte]

28. What say we wean corporations off the public teat instead?

He's just another dishonest asshole.

[IMG][/IMG]

[area51]

29. Eddie Edwards came from the same shitstain factory as

Michele Bachmann.

"But basically what we have to do is wean everybody else off [Social Security and Medicare]. And wean everybody off because we have to take those unfunded net liabilities off our bank sheet, we can’t do it."

[gratuitous]

31. Social Security and Medicare are "unfunded net liabilities"

But the ongoing occupations of Iran and Afghanistan are . . . well, I'm sure we'll start seeing a soaring return on that investment just any day now. I like the "bank sheet" notion, as well; it just says so much about the mentality we're dealing with.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

33. We need to ween him off of public service

Let this asshole work for the private sector.

[Progressive Jones]

35. I will be SS age in 7 years. If anyone cuts my access to that,

they aren't going to be happy when I come a callin'.
It will be reported for centuries by historians as "The Great Shitting Of The GOP Pants".

[Iggo]

36. So...like...kill 'em?

[appalachiablue]

38. K&R This has to stop.