At least three of 2024 presidential candidates are pushing for cuts to Social Security benefits as the party’s leaders grapple with the explosive politics of the long-standing promise that comes with America’s only retirement program for all citizens.
Ron DeSantis is unapologetic about his proposed cuts and said on Sunday during an interview that Social Security needs to be revamped.
In 2020 Donald Trump aggressively proposed permanently terminating the employee payroll tax, a move that would completely exhaust the Social Security trust fund.
Fast forward to 2023 and Trump knows that the issue of cutting Social Security is not popular—even among his base and has backed off— at least before the 2024 election—any rhetoric that suggests he would make any cuts.
But many dedicated to protecting Social Security warn that if Trump were to succeed at winning the White House again he would in fact implement his 2020 plan or something similar by and introduce permanent payroll tax cuts which would quickly empty Social Security.
A former Arizona GOP official told Northeast Valley News (on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution) that Americans can be certain of one thing…that the Republican Party’s resolve to cut Social Security benefits dominates their agenda.
“Look, Republicans will cut Social Security benefits if they get in the White House, come hell or high water. They can promise all they want that they won’t cut benefits but they have been eyeing Social Security and Medicare cuts for at least two decades and they will absolutely dismantle the most important program to every American that has paid into the “promise of care” as they age,” he said.
“I personally cannot endorse cuts to Social Security and Medicare since there are so many other options to protect the program and won’t harm seniors.”
Both former vice president Mike Pence and former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley have echoed the position that Social Security cuts are necessary since each declared their respective campaigns for president.
But the suggestion by some of the potential GOP presidential candidates that they would seek cuts on Social Security on the young may be risky as well.
Younger voters are increasingly feeling disenfranchised from the Republican Party.
