Let’s talk. Let’s talk about Social Security. Let’s talk about Medicaid. Let’s talk about Medicare. Let’s talk about what DOGE (I still think it should be DOG) and Congress are going to do to it. There are about a gazillion people (excess number is deliberate) in this country that barely survive on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as it is. How many people would end up homeless if they were cut? How many people would have to lose their medications if they were cut? How many people would we lose if they were cut?
If you’re a billionaire you don’t have to worry about these sort of things. The loss of money is irrelevant to them. Why in the hell are they deciding what “needs” to be cut? Ask the people who count on it, the people for whom it really matters!
The largest single expenditure for the US government is SS at $1.4 trillion, yet DOGE (and some Congresspeople) want to cut $2 trillion of waste out of the government. That’s an admirable vision, yes, but I believe it looks like these lifelines are going to be the first of a few places to be severely cut, or even the first to go. After all, that’s an easy place to start, right? Trump promised (ha) that there would be no cuts in Social Security and other assistance agencies, yet there is talk that the department could see staff cuts. That will mean longer and longer wait times for people to get the help they need. What are they going to do in the meantime, beg on the street? Freeze or broil under a bridge? Have their few possessions stolen by others? Yet we even have Congresspeople who want to cut Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare!!
I have relatives on a fixed income and these are part of it. I’m worried about them with the new government coming in. Trump’s promises made are easily promises broken. We’ve seen it before. Often. We are fortunate that DOGE won’t have any actual power to make changes. They can only suggest them, which is one tiny ray of light. It’s a tiny one, but it’s still there. I’m hoping the sane people in Congress will shut that **** right down.
Oh, and MAGAts are included in this group, too, even though they won’t admit it.
Long before Trump came along conservatives have painted a picture of the “other”, as in people sucking up government assistance who didn’t deserve it. Reagan coined the term ‘Welfare Queen’ and white middle class, working class and poor folks got the message loud and clear. It was coded racial talk but everyone knew what was being said. And remember, those red states with wide swaths of rural/small town and mostly white voters have applied for and used up govt. assistance themselves! They of course believe in their hearts THEY are “real Americans” and deserving. Just not those “other” people. Not even a lot of the white folks in cities or suburbia.
These people are already struggling but they will be substantially worse off if Trump’s DOGE team gets its way on this thing, especially cutting Medicare, and worse, Medicaid funds. An awful lot of MAGAs who’ve benefited from Medicaid expansion are going to be up that nasty creek and without a paddle. The thought of another attempt to privatize Social Security should scare us all, because each time conservatives talk about it, we get a bit closer to them being successful. So we have to talk about this. And keep talking about it. More importantly, we have to talk to people who don’t read blogs like this. It only takes one step forward to move into the future.
I’m going to be applying for help in a few short years. I’m barely getting by as it is. So they want to take these away … just take out that sword and cut, cut, cut. Do you wonder why I, and likely many, many others, are angry? Do you wonder why I’m worried about funds running out next decade? Do you even wonder?! Or are you too blind to see?
We survive on his pension and his and my social.security. We have a small house in a working class neighborhood; we moved in in 2023. Without Social Security we’d be homeless or unable to.own a car or buy food.
One thing we do get that most people don’t is Tricare for Life. It paid for all but $200 of his medical bills when he was hospitalized for 3 weeks after heart surgery. We didn’t have a,spare $200K lying around. And Private after age 65 is free so that helpd.
FA…check. FO…in progress. The next Maga to complain to my face about losing something they voted to lose…please block my slap. Oh, and please don’t be carrying a gun…I may be tempted beyond my capacity to disarm you…you know the rest of the story.