Trump goes back on his word: Will slash Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid

[kickingandscreaming]

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/01/report-trump-team-wants-slash-social-security-medicare-medicaid-and-pretty-much-e

Donald Trump is ready to take an ax to government spending. Staffers for the Trump transition team have been meeting with career staff at the White House ahead of Friday’s presidential inauguration to outline their plans for shrinking the federal bureaucracy, The Hill has learned....Overall, the blueprint being used by Trump’s team would reduce federal spending by $10.5 trillion over 10 years.

Medicaid: No details. There will be a spending cap, and all mandatory spending will somehow be cut to fit.

Medicare: Increase eligibility age, add a "temporary" premium for Part A, increase premiums for Parts B and D, phase out subsidies for seniors with "significant" income, "reform" cost-sharing arrangements, transition to vouchers premium support starting in 2021.

Domestic Discretionary: Magic spending cap.

Social Security: Increase retirement age, index retirement age so it keeps going up, reduce benefits by adopting chained CPI for inflation adjustments, and "transition the payment to a flat, anti-poverty benefit focused on individuals who need it most," whatever that means.

More at link

Medicare cuts: 47%
Medicare cuts: 41%
Domestic Discretionary: 41%
Social Security: 8%

Defense Spending: 1%
---------------------------------------

So much for campaign promises.

[Michael Murphy]

Social Security has been referred to as the third rail in American Politics.  If these morons try this they will never get it through congress.  They will be buried during the mid year elections.  At lest 2/3 of the house republicans, and about 10 senators will be looking for a new job. 

[Simon Dog]

"transition the payment to a flat, anti-poverty benefit focused on individuals who need it most," whatever that means.

This sounds more like a Democrat income/asset redistribution model than Republicansim.  Perhaps Trump is a RINO.

phase out subsidies for seniors with "significant" income,

In other words, those who paid the most in Medicare taxes over their working lives will receive the lowest in benefits.   This doesn't sound very Republican either.

[Jean]

 If you read the whole text, you will find the very last sentence, you will find them saying " I wonder if this is what Trump is going to do" In an article today, he talked about what he is slashing and one of the first is the Art programs. Unfortunate but true, at this point, we need more money than Art. " Martha Jones" Really?

[MooseMom]

Who is Martha Jones?

[Jean]

Martha Jones is the magazine or newsletter name that the original item appeared in.

[kickingandscreaming]

It's Mother Jones and it's one of the only investigative journalists we still have left.

[MooseMom]

It's Mother Jones and it's one of the only investigative journalists we still have left.

LOL!  I know, which is why I subscribe to it.

One way to save the ACA, which the article describes, is for Democrats to remind Trump that he promised not to do away with the pre-existing conditions part, and if he keeps that promise, the ACA will do a lot of what it was designed to do, anyway.

Secondly, Republican governors are beginning to get very worried because in their states, the vast majority of people who have gained coverage through the ACA did so via the ACA's expansion of Medicaid.  It would be political suicide for them if their constituents suddenly found themselves uninsured.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2017/01/20/gop_governors_worried_about_obamacare_repeal.html

[nursey66]

So far Trump is going back on every thing he has said. He forgets his promise with in a day or two. He did say he was not going to mess with Medicare and Social Security , so I'm sure he will mess it up in his normal pattern of doing things. I just never heard a President so self centered and rude ! Heaven help us all !

[Jean]

He has been President for TWO whole days and he has not said he would go back on one single thing, not one!!! Where in the world do you ladies get this stuff from???

[MooseMom]

Jean, the vast majority of people who now have health insurance under Obamacare gained it through the expansion of Medicaid.

Trump has promised to repeal the ACA.

Therefore, those people who now have insurance through the expansion of Medicaid will, upon the promised repeal of Obamacare,  lose it.

So, we get "this stuff" from Trump himself.

We've known for years that Paul Ryan and his cadre want to privatize both Medicare and Social Security and is already drafting legislation to do so.  The question is what will Congress present to Trump, and will Trump agree?

But none of this seems to matter at the moment because the only thing that's important seems to be the crowd size at the Inauguration.

[Michael Murphy]

You can't trust what he says he lives in his own delusional world.  Photos showing larger crowds at the 2009 inauguration then at his are in his delusions a media construct.  I am beginning to wonder that instead of the White House he should be housed in a mental institute.

[Jean]

Still, he has not gone back on one single thing he said he would do. Not one. Can't you at least wait until and or if he starts jabbering about what he is going to remove? You guys are not giving him even one tiny break. You think that saying this information that comes from Mother Jones is enough to convince people? For Heaven's sake, it might as well be " Sister Susie" or Grampa Jones. No one in the world has ever heard of this rag. Yeah, get all offended at that.

[MooseMom]

Jean, Trump and his spokespeople promised that he would release his tax returns after they had been "audited".  (The IRS said that he could release his returns despite any audit. )

He promised.

Today, Kellyanne Conway, his "White House Counselor" announced that he would NOT be releasing his tax return.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/01/20/first-online-petition-trump-release-your-tax-returns/96856328/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/after-broken-promise-wikileaks-seeks-donald-trumps-tax-returns/

 http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/donald-trump-will-not-release-tax-returns-white-house-adviser-n710511

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/22/politics/kellyanne-conway-trump-tax-returns/index.html

Of course, this assumes that he is telling the truth in the first place that he's been audited.  Who knows?

I want to know about his foreign investments and his foreign debts so that I can be sure he has no personal/financial reasons to sign (or not) particular pieces of legislation.

I want to know about his financial ties to Russia.

Hillary Clinton released 30 years worth of returns, yet she was labeled as a liar.  Trump specifically promised to release his returns, but now he says he will not.  Why should he get away with that?

Promise broken.

[Michael Murphy]

You can judge him by the rich people he has chosen for cabinet posts, the hhs head has a history of opposing Medicare and Social Security, energy is a drill anywhere advocate, state is a putin butt boy awarded medals by the kremlin.  Drumph the Idiot ran saying Medicare and social security won't be touched, but he picks people to head the agency who has stated over and over again he wants to gut both programs. Personally 10 years ago I learned Republicans are snakes when I retired in 2004 from At&t I got the same pension I had in 1992.  The IRS enforces the pension garuntee law and was set to rule against At&t when the Bush White House told them to wait for Congress.  Over several years AT&T was the largest corporate donor to republican congressmen.  They made what At&t did retroactively legal but banned the practice going forward.  So I lost a third of my pension. 

[Jean]

Trump's tax return has been a burr in your butt right from the start. I dont understand why. Please do not now say, "but he promised" That is irrelevant. Most Americans now are more concerned about what their tax returns look like, not his.

Michael that absolutely sucks. Hard to blame Trump for that tho, isn't it? Whether he is a "rich Republican " or not. But I do guess it that your are tucked and it is hard not to hate all Republicans.

[Michael Murphy]

Yep but I'll get revenge if my wife dies before me, I will find a 18 year old to marry because the will get half my remaining pension for life.  In the mean time when ever At&t puts in a request to build a cell tower I show up to all the public meetings and ask embarrassing questions about the site.  After 34 years at At&t I know what to ask.  Have twice delayed their approvals for over a year.  Best part it's entertainment for me, but the lawyers are a expense for them.

[Jean]

LOL Michael, revenge is sweet!!!

[MooseMom]

Trump's tax return has been a burr in your butt right from the start. I dont understand why. Please do not now say, "but he promised" That is irrelevant. Most Americans now are more concerned about what their tax returns look like, not his.

I've just told you why his tax return has been a burr in my butt.  Trump has significant business interests in Russia and in other countries, and I want everyone to see his tax returns so that Congress and the American people can decide for themselves whether or not his business interests might be a national security risk.  Don't you care that Trump may be in the pockets of Putin and the oligarchy of Russia? 

It seems that now that Trump is in the White House, you don't care about what happens next.  Well, I do.

It's "irrelevant" that the now President Trump has gone back on a campaign promise he and his staff made so often?  What matters to you?  What is important to you?

And it is completely and entirely untrue that "most Americans" don't care about this issue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-tax-returns_us_5884e7cfe4b070d8cad32f89

[willowtreewren]

Trump's tax return has been a burr in your butt right from the start. I dont understand why. Please do not now say, "but he promised" That is irrelevant. Most Americans now are more concerned about what their tax returns look like, not his.

Michael that absolutely sucks. Hard to blame Trump for that tho, isn't it? Whether he is a "rich Republican " or not. But I do guess it that your are tucked and it is hard not to hate all Republicans.

Wait, WHAT?

First you say that Trump has not gone back on a single promise and then you say that this promise is irrelevant?

REALLY? And which promises are you going to consider relevant?

To say that "most Americans" are more concerned about their own tax returns is a logical fallacy. But hey, logic shouldn't have anything to do with our opinions because now the President's will be working from "alternative facts."

And just to be clear, the actual term for "alternative facts" is LIES.

Trump himself stated that if you say a lie three times anyone will believe it.

Sorry, but I think you have been duped.

[willowtreewren]

As for broken promises, how about this one?

"I will build a great wall – and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me – and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."

 

[Michael Murphy]

Mean while in Mexico they are building bigger ladders and deeper tunnels.  Plus since any wall ends at the ocean they may just sail around it.  C

[Jean]

Yes, indeedy that wall will be going up. Just you watch. Seriously now, MM and Aleta, do you really think that if you saw his tax return, which worries the heck out of you do you honestly think you would be able to understand it? I know you are two smart ladies, but I dont think you could. It does not say" Contributions from Russia, see line 567" Or, Illegal works Line 192. So why get all fussed up abput it. He was a private citizen when he had his taxes written last year, so, what interests you will not be visible. An attorney or preparer with 300 years experience, maybe. The ordinary person, doubtful.
What matters to me is the safety of our country, what is important to me is the financial stability of our country.
Let me be more clear about lies. IMHO of course. There are times when it is smoother to tell people things that are not quite at the top of legality. You know, when you told your children about Santa? Or maybe you think every one who did that should be hung or shot. You must have seen by now that there are so many lovely people who hate Trump for no logical reason that they would sign anything they thought might harm him. Dont deny it. Most especially the woman who made vagina's out of their heads. Ewww!!!
Again, insofar as the "Wall", I do believe Mexico will pay for it too. Whenever he says they will pay for it tho, he does not flat mean they will hand us the money. They ( The Mexican Government) can be held up in other ways too.
Good night ladies, sleep well.

[MooseMom]

Jean,

1.  I am sure there is no way I'd understand the implications of information contained in Trump's tax returns, but there are tax attorneys out there just waiting to pounce and are eager to interpret his returns.  The media will have a field day, you can be sure, which is why Trump is not releasing them.

2.  I, too, and extremely concerned about the security of our nation, including our financial security.  I want to make sure that Trump has no financial ties/debts to other nations that would influence his foreign policy or his national security policies.  Not only that, I am also concerned about his cabinet nominees for the same reason.  I don't understand why YOU are not concerned.

3.  Let me be more clear about lies.  I am not a child, so I don't need Trump to lie to me in some effort to protect me from some ugly truth he is hiding.

4.  I am not a fan of Trump for many very logical reasons.  You may not understand the reasons so many of us do not like him, but that does not make those reasons illogical.

5.  It would be political suicide for Trump to build his stupid wall in the way that you imagine he will build it, and here is why (source from FOX NEWS!!!)

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/01/01/completing-border-wall-is-daunting-task-in-texas-were-most-land-is-privately.html

[nursey66]

The only words Trump is keeping are the bad things he says he will do , has done more damage in 2 weeks than most Presidents do in their whole term.  He has millions of Americans angry and frightened, and the rest of the world is mostly mad 😡 at us ! The only ones happy are the Billionaires he has working for him in HIS White House!  This no longer belongs to the people, Trump is now King 👑 Hope every one who voted for him are happy !  Maybe they still have their heads in the sand.