McConnell calls SS, Medicare and Medicaid "the real drivers of" rising deficits and debt

[Miles Archer]

“It’s disappointing, but it’s not a Republican problem,” McConnell said Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg News when asked about the rising deficits and debt. “It’s a bipartisan problem: unwillingness to address the real drivers of the debt by doing anything to adjust those programs to the demographics of America in the future.”

McConnell said it would be “very difficult to do entitlement reform, and we’re talking about Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid,” with one party in charge of Congress and the White House.

“I think it’s pretty safe to say that entitlement changes, which is the real driver of the debt by any objective standard, may well be difficult if not impossible to achieve when you have unified government,” McConnell said.

Shrinking those popular programs -- either by reducing benefits or raising the retirement age -- without a bipartisan deal would risk a political backlash in the next election. Trump promised during his campaign that he wouldn’t cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, even though his budget proposals have included trims to all three programs.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-16/mcconnell-blames-entitlements-not-gop-for-rising-deficits

[HopeAgain]

1. This is what we should be jumping on...

The Republicans will take your SS and Medicare/Medicaid! That alone could win us back a lot of elections.

[Hortensis]

6. Warnings from us? We always say that.

Rocks that scarcely splash and then sink to the bottom in this political environment. I'm older and this has been a constant shining goal for hard-core conservative leaders my entire life.

When the Republicans took over congress in the 1994 midterms, almost literally the first words out of victorious and jubilant Bob Dole's and New Gingrich's mouths on the Capitol steps, separately and then standing together, were that maybe we'll repeal Social Security. This was before the internet got going, so all I knew was that I heard no more of it in the news after that, but it's likely THAT caused attention and blowback that told them it wasn't time.

People don't learn just because they witness what's happening or someone tells them, and when they do it doesn't mean they choose to believe.

Look at the deficit: The Repubs kept the size of the deficit they'd run up under Bush I (transfers to the wealthy, via war, etc.) a secret that came out when Clinton was elected and forced Democrats to cancel much of their plans for national betterment -- no money, not possible, was no accident. When Clinton left the WH, his repairs to the economy had created had budget surpluses. If the Repubs had continued on the course Democrats set, our national debt would have been wiped out after Bush II's 8 years. (Assuming that was actually a good idea.) Instead, of course, W lead us deeply back into debt via further transfers to the wealthy (war, etc.). Obama took over after an enormous economic collapse and put us back on economic course, and Trump is leading us into a deliberate national debt that dwarfs the deliberate national debt of all previous Republican presidents.

IF you were to ask Democrats and Republicans alike which was the party of fiscal responsibility, though, which would most people choose? Republican of course. Don't expect rational decisions to follow even good information. That's not how electorates roll, and these bizarre responses mean far too few listen to warnings from Democrats.

On the plus side, Republicans are now talking about "tax reform 2.0" which is intended to deliberately put us in a position of having to cut funds to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for lack of money. THAT should get attention. But expect them to blame Democrats for it, and expect large numbers of people to choose to believe that.

[MiniMe]

10. And I hear back that they won't do that because it is the "third rail"

They don't believe that Congress would dare touch it, I keep telling them they are wrong.

[Hortensis]

11. Our pros definitely agree with you. It's cynical pundits who

have to sound knowledgeable on every subject while never endangering their in-group careers who rote-recite that approved wisdom from the safety of the middle. And much else.

But political professionals across the spectrum, political scientists, economists, long-term elected officials in this nation and watching from around the planet? They all KNOW what the goals of the anti-progressive, anti-tax, anti-regulation, anti-equality, anti-democracy pro-authoritarian powers who've taken over the Republican Party are.

It does worry me that those people have no intention of losing, and they will lose if we can still lash at them back via the vote. Which is why they're cutting power to that third rail. Shouldn't the entire nation be enraged at the blatant overthrow of democracy being attempted in Georgia? It's not.

This election and 2016 both very clearly illustrate the grave danger point we've arrived at, and yet almost the entire right and perhaps a critical portion from the left are ready to not just let people who intend only the worst to strip us of power, but even help out of a factional pathology that keeps them from seeing what's happening.

[democratisphere]

2. My hatred for jowl faced Bitchy Mitch is incalculable!

Members of Congress should have their healthcare and retirement benefits completely taken away until they can provide their constituents with the same.

[duforsure]

3. Coming from another liar

Its well documented trump and the gop drove the deficit sky high because they were bribed by the wealthy donors, and even openly threatened if they don't pass their forever tax cuts forever for them they would stop all funding of their political campaign's, or bribes. This was premeditated to hurt the middle class and poor by robbing them of these programs now. Vote!

[LakeSuperiorView]

8. It's a crime to lie to Congress, it should be a crime for Congress to lie.

Any member of Congress, when speaking in an official capacity, should be found in contempt of the US public when spewing such blatant lies. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are funded separately from income taxes. Trying to lump it all together is not factual and what McConnell is saying is a lie.

[Buckeyeblue]

4. I wonder how many people in Kentucky receive one of these benefits

Are they willing to give them up? After all, they elected this man to represent them. So I guess they are. Let's start with Kentucky as a test for the rest of the country. They can give up their benefits and the rest of us can watch how well they will prosper..

[Achilleaze]

5. "More more more TAX CUTS for us rich republicans." - KGOP republicans

"And shit for your little people. Ha ha ha." - KGOP republicans

[Vinca]

7. McConnell's face must appear in textbooks about sociopaths. It's astonishing.

He shits on people, tells them it's chocolate and takes more money for himself and his cronies. All with a straight face.

[beachbum bob]

9. FICA taxes paid into a "trust fund" has no deficits at the moment, Medicaid comes out of

general revenue. The problem is the revenue stream has been cut

In gOP eyes the SS, Medicare monies need to be redirect into the hands of the wealthy. Period, its the last frontier of MONEY available