Republicans Are Trying To Fast Track Secret Cuts To Social Security

Under the radar, House Republicans are trying to create a commission that would allow them to fast track cuts to Social Security.

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House Republicans Are Using Budget Legislation To Fast Track Social Security Cuts

Last week a group of 116 House Democrats issued a letter opposing the House Republican effort to create a closed door commission made of six members of the House and six Senators that would be able to fast track cuts to Social Security.

The members wrote:

Fiscal Commission legislation currently under consideration by the House Committee on Budget would create a process in which legislating would be done by a small group of individuals behind closed doors. The goal of these commissions would be to produce legislation that cuts benefits and calls for an up or down vote without hearings, and that is unamendable. This is not a simple debate over process.

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There is no shortage of legislation that will improve the fiscal standing of the United States while directly benefiting the public. Democratic proposals include legislation that would extend Social Security’s solvency for another generation while expanding benefits the American people rely on – benefits that haven’t been expanded in more than 50 years. It is Congress’s responsibility to conduct the oversight and recommend enhancements to solvency or cuts, and it should be done in the open and not behind closed doors.

The process would be that 12 members of Congress would get together and discuss cuts to Social Security with no public hearings or comment. The legislation that they agree on would go straight to the House and Senate floors for final votes.

The reason why Republicans want to operate in darkness when it comes to Social Security is that once the public hears about their efforts to cut the widely beloved program, a firestorm of outrage ensues.

Social Security is so popular that polling shows 82% of voters opposing cutting the program. Polling also reveals that 63% of Republicans support raising taxes on the wealthy to fund Social Security.

The only way that Republicans think they can cut Social Security is to hide their actions from the American people, but there are consequences to this action that go beyond a single program that we will talk about below.