Democrats point out that former president Donald Trump’s views on Social Security and Medicare have flip-flopped and he’s changing his tune again in the build-up to the election.
As recent as last spring Trump suggested that the oldest government investment promise to seniors could be on the line for “cutting’ and he was open to looking at its management and possible investment options—a very unpopular notion among seniors.
Since President Biden stepped away from the 2024 presidential ticket and Harris became the nominee, Trump has ramped up his rhetoric to seniors, particularly in swing states like Arizona with fresh promises to “protect” Social Security and Medicare. Beyond television and social media advertisements, Trump’s aim at senior citizens have shown up in the form of mailers sent to the homes of elder Arizonans across the state.
“It’s funny, because we got at least two large mailers in the past few weeks from Donald Trump that said he wouldn’t cut Social Security—but he doesn’t say how he would protect it or that he won’t “invest” our savings elsewhere…so I’m banking on Trump investing the whole program or just wiping it out completely if he gets elected,” says retired engineer Stan Thomas of Surprise.
Even though Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have begun to publicly back-peddle and even go silent on previous statements with regard to Social Security and Medicare cuts—Trump’s own statement in March said he was open to cutting Social Security and Medicare and stated, “There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and bad management of entitlements.”
Reportedly, Trump has recently been saying he would cut taxes on Social Security— but the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget broadly criticizes the plan saying it would effectively be a quick start to Social Security and Medicare running out of money and would effectively become insolvent by 2032, sooner than projected under the current rules and Medicare by 2030 at least six years sooner.
Harris pledged to protect and retain Social Security and points to the Biden/Harris ticket on which she highlights finding additional funding to even grow the program.
The Biden-Harris administration said it would “increase Social Security funding by 9% from the 2023 enacted level.”
Tax experts have broadly criticized Trump’s proposal. The (CRFB) Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projecting that exempting taxes on benefits would result in Social Security and Medicare receiving $1.6 trillion less in revenue between 2026 and 2035 than if the current rules stayed in place.
Then there’s the much publicized, on the record statements from Trump MAGA Republicans, on the need to cut Social Security “entitlement” programs, though they have largely remained silent on the topic recently in the lead up to Nov. 5 presidential election.
In April before Biden stepped aside and endorsed Kamala Harris, a group called Arizona Seniors for Biden-Harris began organizing events for seniors across Arizona and even offered “bingo and pickleball” competitions in order to bring awareness to seniors and inform them of the dangers of a second Trump term to retirees.
Donald Trump has said he’d cut Social Security and Medicare, and Trump along with the MAGA GOP faithful have floated cutting retirement benefits, would repeal President Biden’s caps on the price of prescription drugs, and wants to terminate the ACA (Affordable Care Act) which would cause costs to skyrocket for seniors across Arizona and leave countless individuals without the ability to have health insurance.
Arizona is a vital voting bloc for deciding who takes Arizona in November and Arizona also holds one of the largest retirement communities in the nation.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020 Arizona had a population of approximately 7.5 million people, with over 16% of the population being over the age of 65, making it one of the top states with a large retirement population.
One Arizona senior told Northeast Valley News, “I know that Donald Trump and the Republicans have their sights set on cutting my Social Security benefits and I also think about my kids and grandkids and what they will have by the time they want to see their benefits—under Trump, it will be nothing.”
“Senior care is already in crisis, homeless seniors including veterans are living on the unbearably hot streets across the Valley and because many of them rely solely on their Social Security benefits to even survive at all, without family care and support these people cannot afford even the most modest apartment. Imagine what things will be like under Donald Trump,” said Darrel Star a retired mechanic from the Union Hills community.
Seniors gathered at Tucson’s Democratic campaign field office on North Campbell Avenue and East Glenn Street for an event that was part of Harris campaign’s strategy to secure the senior voting-block in key states ahead of the 2024 election.
Campaign outreach events will continue and the Harris campaign will visit seniors at various events throughout the Valley including rallies and are collecting volunteers for phone banks.
Harris has pointed to the Biden/Harris plan with healthcare access as well as Social Security and Medicare benefit protections.
Former Congressman Ron Barber along with 27 elected and community leaders from across the Copper State announced their endorsement of the Biden/Harris ticket and has vowed to support Harris.
Barber served in the United States House of Representatives from 2012 to 2015. Prior to that he served as then Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ District Director. For more than three decades he worked in the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Barber said at the event, that the predominant issues motivating seniors in this election season were personal freedoms and rights, healthcare access as well as Social Security and Medicare benefits. Barber went on to highlight President Biden’s work to reduce prescription drug prices and efforts to preserve social security and Medicare benefits for seniors.
