To the editor:
With the news this week that the federal deficit has exploded to $779 billion — to no one’s surprise after the December tax cuts (the Republicans’ dreamy-eyed notion that “they’ll pay for themselves” notwithstanding) — Republicans are now openly taking aim at Social Security and Medicare.
While Social Security needs to be reformed in order to keep it solvent, neither the president nor the Congress should be allowed to touch that money that is specifically designated for workers’ retirement (and to a lesser extent, disability) benefits. That the president and the Republicans are even talking about slashing these benefits to pay for the tax cuts that went mostly to the wealthiest 1 percent (a distinctively trickle-up fiscal policy) ought to cause every middle- and lower-income American to stand up and scream, “No!”
And, we recently learned that they are seeking a second round of tax cuts. It is no wonder that the PACs made up of extremely wealthy folks like the Koch brothers are pouring millions into deceptive attack ads against Dean Phillips and other vulnerable Democrats. The fact that Erik Paulsen is going along with these ads is reason enough to throw him out. A more important reason for voters ought to be their desire to hold onto their hard-earned Social Security and Medicare. Make your voice heard through the ballot box — vote Dean Phillips in November!
Michael Hassl
Brooklyn Park
Click here to read the original posting in the Sun Post (10/24/18).