this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2024
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Summary

At the first meeting of the DOGE Caucus, a new congressional group focused on government efficiency, Republican Rep. Greg Lopez stated that cuts to Social Security and Medicare are likely “on the table” as part of debt reduction efforts.

The caucus, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to slash government spending, raising concerns among advocacy groups about potential attacks on anti-poverty programs.

Critics, including Social Security Works, warn the caucus may push for privatization and benefit reductions.

This comes despite Trump’s prior commitment to protect these programs.

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[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 12 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Remember, we fucking paid for social security. It’s not government pork. It’s ours.

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

‘Member when Dark Brandon called republicans out on this in his state of the union address, and they all booed and denied it?

Pepperidge Farm ‘members

[–] Geobloke@lemm.ee 9 points 5 hours ago

It's funny, I listened to Steve Bannon's war room the other day and he was demanding that they not touch social security and go after the elites and the NGOs instead. Can't imagine this will play well with the voters that swung towards the republicans

[–] mhague@lemmy.world 36 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

A huge, mouth watering steak walks up to you and says, "There's no more food."

[–] rarbg@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 hours ago

That’s rich.

^ill^ ^see^ ^myself^ ^out^

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 5 points 7 hours ago

Thank you, I couldn't think of a better analogy

[–] sumguyonline@lemmy.world 25 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

It's funny at this point. Either the rich pay their share or we Mangione them. Tick tock musky. Tik fuckin tok.

[–] 50MYT@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I'm legit surprised some big stock brokerage or finance firm hasn't loaded up to the tits on Tesla short positions and then sent in a couple of Luigi's.

[–] JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

Wouldnt the company be more profitable without his interference and huge salary/bonus?

[–] UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world 2 points 20 minutes ago* (last edited 18 minutes ago)

Yes if you consider tesla a company. No if you consider it as a way to buy influence via President Musk. (am slightly being sarcastic)

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 2 points 33 minutes ago

Tesla valuation at this point isn't vaguely related to how good or bad their actual business is, at this point it's people buying into "co president Elon".

[–] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 15 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Don't worry, the cuts will drain social security just in time for when you go to collect. Current recipients will go un affected. I have no insider knowledge, I just understand that corporate America hates my generation.

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Eat those faces or at least scare the hell out of those faces, my pretties.

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

The House R's have a very tiny majority and their constituents will not be happy about this idea and will let them know it. So I feel like they won't be able to get the votes to do it. I also think they're going to prioritze things like more tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations first, as well as the border stuff, before they would get to that. Ya never know, but that's what I'm hoping for.

[–] TipRing@lemmy.world 44 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Yes, they want to roll back the entire New Deal and have corporate serfdom again. They have been saying it for years and now they have their chance.

[–] tootoughtoremember@lemmy.world 5 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

More and more I feel we are seeing the pendulum swing. Normally we see 5-10 year cycles of push and pull along the political spectrum, but I'm becoming convinced we're in a century long cycle.

We no longer have those with living memory of the gilded age, losing those who remember the saving grace that was the New Deal, and fewer and fewer left who were sent to war to fight fascism. The wealth gap is worsening in developed nations across the world, democratic republics are electing more far right parties and authoritarian leaders with populist messages, the incoming administration is floating the idea of scrapping the FDIC and deregulating anything on his favorite billionaire's wishlist.

Seems like we're right on track for a repeat of the 1930s.

[–] UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world 2 points 16 minutes ago* (last edited 16 minutes ago)

Removing the FDIC or when putting money under the mattress is safer than a bank......

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

Hope everyone remembers to not negotiate with capitalists next time we have a labor movement like we had in the early 20th century.

[–] CitricBase@lemmy.world 172 points 12 hours ago (9 children)

Friendly reminder that Social Security is a separate government program that funds itself.

What Musk is talking about is stealing from Social Security in order to cut taxes elsewhere (namely cutting taxes for people like Musk).

[–] n2burns@lemmy.ca 37 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

That's not completely true. Social Security is supposed to fund itself, however it's currently facing a funding shortfall with current estimates that it will be depleted in 2035. There are many suggestions on how make this program solvent, including bolstering it with general funds.

[–] Dkarma@lemmy.world 23 points 9 hours ago

That's not completely true. Long ago they put it into the general fund. There is always a shortfall in the general fund. Before they put it in there it was solvent, and if they wouldn't have it would be completely solvent today.

It was already stolen. They want the rest.

[–] CitricBase@lemmy.world 88 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I think a good start would be to stop allowing Republicans to raid Social Security for quick cash, like they've been constantly doing since the Reagan administration.

[–] teamevil@lemmy.world 40 points 11 hours ago

But then how could they argue it's insolvent‽

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[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 102 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Wow! Who woulda guessed they would immediately reneg on a campaign "promise" and immediately attack the side of the population that most reliably votes for them?

[–] Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Surprisingly enough, retired people were close to evenly split. Trump mostly won due to Gen X'ers.

[–] ohellidk@sh.itjust.works 49 points 12 hours ago (1 children)
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[–] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 21 points 10 hours ago

Lovely how this incredibly wealthy person is laser focused on making things worse for poor people. I suppose it's the usual ploy of making people as desperate as possible so people like him can prey on us more easily.

[–] tacosanonymous@lemm.ee 54 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

"But they won't take away MY social security…"

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 18 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

For most boomers, this is true. It’s genx and younger that will suffer.

[–] imsufferableninja@sh.itjust.works 3 points 22 minutes ago

older millennial, checking in.

I've been hearing since the 90s that social security would be bankrupt by the time I'm eligible for it, so i haven't included it in my retirement calculations at all.

[–] ramsorge@discuss.online 9 points 9 hours ago

Hahahahahahahaahahhaahahaaaaaaaahhahahahaa

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 34 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (5 children)

doesn't need to be, of course. they just want to cut social security because 'the poors' rely on it more.

debt reduction efforts

deep-six every loophole used mostly or only by the wealthy to avoid paying their share of taxes.

increase funding for irs, streamline enforcement actions, give them the resources needed to go after the big fish.

eliminate the cap on social security contributions, lower the ceiling on benefits for the very wealthy retirees, while raising the minimum benefit.

single payer tax funded health care, paid by higher taxes on the wealthy.

raise the capital gains rates. raise the estate tax, lower the assets value needed to trigger it.

raise the marginal rates for high income earners (by a lot. i want reagan screaming from beyond)

budget problem fixed. well over $2 trillion a year pumped into the economy by people who are now no longer padding insurance companies' bottom lines with it. but we aren't done yet....

$12/hr min wage (wait wut?!?!?! wait for it....)

$24,000 universal tax credit for everyone. the higher taxes up^there on high income earners would negate this for them, and they fund it for the others that do receive it.

this is a compromise between the $15 (or higher) crowd and small businesses. a little lower fed min wage than what's being pushed, but then essentially doubled based on full time work via the tax credit all receive.

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[–] TokenBoomer@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I know a lot of bitter Boomers with bad health and nothing to lose, this could be an interesting year.

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