YOUR LETTERS: Help save Social Security, Medicare

On Jan. 19 the United States officially hit the debt ceiling because Republicans in Congress refuse to do their jobs.

If nothing is done by early June, the United States government will default, sending economic shockwaves throughout the world. This is an emergency, and it’s entirely the fault of Republicans in Congress – but Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) has an idea to make things even worse.

While he was at a billionaires’ retreat in Davos, Senator Manchin told reporters that he had spoken with Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy about reviving the TRUST Act.

The TRUST Act creates fast-tracked, closed-door commissions that are designed to force Social Security and Medicare cuts on the American people. Commissions like this are what Social Security Works was founded to stop.

So far, President Biden has held firm on his demand that Congress must fulfill its responsibility to pay the nation’s bills unconditionally. We’re calling on Biden to respond to Manchin’s comments by doubling down on that demand, and specifically ruling out a closed-door commission designed to cut Social Security.

Social Security cannot, by law, add a single penny to the deficit.

When politicians in Washington blame Social Security for the debt, they are doing the bidding of Wall Street, which has wanted to destroy our Social Security system for nearly a century.

President Biden recognizes that if we give in to these legislative terrorists now, they will come back with more demands the next time they need to do their jobs. They will keep chipping away at our earned benefits until there’s nothing left – that’s why we must stand firm now. Together, we can win this fight.

ALEX LAWSON
Social Security Works

(EDITOR’S NOTE: If you want to send your thoughts on this issue to Senator Manchin, here’s how: Email – https://www.manchin.senate.gov/contact-joe/email-joe; Telephone: Washington office – 202-224-3954, West Virginia office – 304-342-5855.)