When Democrats enjoyed a major blue wave in the 2006 midterms and recaptured both chambers of Congress — an outcome then-President George W. Bush famously acknowledged as a “thumpin'” — pundits cited two main factors for voters’ anger at Republicans: the Iraq War and Bush’s proposal to privatize Social Security. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), who went on to become House speaker, hammered Republicans relentlessly on Social Security in 2006 — and her messaging paid off.
19 years later, with Donald Trump now serving his second term as president, defenders of Social Security are still worried about what Republicans have in mind for the New Deal program.
MSNBC’s Symone D. Sanders-Townsend, in an op-ed published on March 14, lays out some reasons why she fears that the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) pose a major threat to Social Security and are taking a “gamble with people’s lives.”
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Trump and Musk, Sanders-Townsend notes, repeatedly use the phrase “waste, fraud and abuse” in connection with the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) — which they are targeting for mass layoffs. And she fears that their unproven claims will lead to millions of seniors not receiving the Social Security benefits they’re entitled to.
“As Social Security faces its biggest threat since the George W. Bush administration,” Sanders-Townsend warns, “Democrats need to do more to draw attention to it. They should highlight stories of real people who rely on these government programs. Voters should hear about how these benefits helped people fill a financial gap during a desperate time in their lives, especially at a time when the cost of living keeps rising.”
The MSNBC commentator adds: “That would put in context the fact that last month, DOGE announced plans to cut 7000 jobs from the agency, about a 12 percent reduction of its workforce.”
Sanders-Townsend points out that Martin O’Malley, who served as SSA commissioner under former President Joe Biden, fears an “interruption of benefits.”
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“Musk told us that he thinks Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, which is not an accurate description,” Sanders-Townsend observes. “Speaker Mike Johnson has said he wants to target ‘waste and abuse.’ The president, who has long claimed he would protect Social Security, sure seems dedicated to undermining trust in the system. At this point, it would be strange if he didn’t try to cut benefits.”
Sanders-Townsend continues, “People’s lives are on the line. A few missed Social Security payments due to DOGE cuts, and many seniors could lose their homes. Others could have to scrimp on food and other basic necessities to get by. And all of this would be happening with no one answering the phone to help. We can’t let this happen.”
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Symone D. Sanders-Townsend’s full MSNBC op-ed is available at this link.
