[In a controversial move, the GOP-led House Budget Committees
hearing to establish a fiscal commission raises alarms for potential
cuts in Social Security and Medicare.]
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FISCAL COMMISSION AS PATH TO SOCIAL SECURITY CUTS  
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Alexandra Jacobo
November 30, 2023
Nation of Change
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_ In a controversial move, the GOP-led House Budget Committee's
hearing to establish a fiscal commission raises alarms for potential
cuts in Social Security and Medicare. _

, Nation of Change

 

The House Budget Committee, now under Republican control, is convening
a critical hearing this Wednesday. The agenda? To scrutinize a
proposal to form a fiscal commission focusing on U.S. debt. However,
this initiative is steeped in controversy, as critics warn it could be
a covert strategy to cut Social Security and Medicare.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), known for advocating Social
Security reductions, has thrown his weight behind this commission,
marking it as a top priority since assuming his position. The proposal
also enjoys support from right-wing entities, including the
Koch-affiliated FreedomWorks group.

This proposed fiscal commission, backed by certain congressional
Republicans and conservative Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin
(D-W.Va.), aims to evaluate trust fund programs such as Social
Security and Medicare. It’s tasked with developing recommendations
to ostensibly enhance these programs’ financial health. The worry,
however, is that these proposals, once formulated, will be
fast-tracked through both the House and Senate.

Organizations like Social Security Works are pushing back hard,
emphasizing that Social Security doesn’t contribute to federal debt.
They interpret this move as a cloaked agenda to slash Social Security
and Medicare, labeling it a ‘death panel’ operating in secrecy.
The organization cautions Democrats to remain united in opposition.

The Wednesday hearing will spotlight Manchin and Sen. Mitt Romney
(R-Utah), both of whom have collaborated on a bill to establish a
16-member bipartisan fiscal commission. This commission would feature
12 elected officials and four external experts. Interestingly, both
Manchin and Romney have announced they won’t seek reelection next
year.

Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, minced
no words in calling Manchin and Romney “cowards” for their
proposal, accusing them of attempting to orchestrate Social Security
and Medicare cuts before leaving office.

Manchin’s office has released a legislative summary stating the
commission’s goal: to propose solutions for improving the federal
government’s long-term fiscal state and ensuring the solvency of
federal trust funds over 75 years. These proposals would get expedited
consideration in Congress, requiring a simple majority for initial
proceedings but a 60-vote threshold for final passage in the Senate.

The hearing will also discuss two other related legislative pieces.
Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), a supporter of the fiscal commission
and chair of the committee, has previously advocated for raising the
Social Security retirement age.

Progressive lawmakers and groups argue against benefit cuts,
suggesting that fully funding Social Security for over seven decades
and expanding benefits is feasible by lifting the payroll tax cap,
which currently shields high-income earners from additional taxes on
earnings above $160,000. They stress that all options to address
Social Security’s projected shortfall, which is still a decade away
and manageable, are well understood. The implication is clear:
resorting to a secretive commission suggests an intent to cut benefits
while dodging political accountability.

Simultaneously, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has
called on House Republicans to exclude Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid cuts from the fiscal commission proposal. He criticized
Speaker Johnson for his past actions favoring the wealthy at the
expense of these programs. Wyden’s stance reflects a broader
Democratic approach that advocates for the wealthy to pay their fair
share, thereby securing the fiscal health of Social Security and
Medicare.

Johnson, during his time as chair of the Republican Study Committee,
was instrumental in drafting budget resolutions calling for
significant cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. His
stance aligns with the broader House Republican caucus, which, under
the new leadership of Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), proposes to raise the
Social Security retirement age and make sweeping changes to Medicare
and Medicaid.

These developments point to a deepening divide on fiscal policy, with
the future of critical social programs hanging in the balance. As the
House gears up for this pivotal hearing, the nation watches, waiting
to see if these foundational pillars of American social security will
be upheld or undermined.

Alexandra Jacobo is a progressive writer, activist, and mother who
began her political involvement in earnest passing out blankets to
occupiers in Zuccotti Park in 2011. She is concerned with educating
the public and inspiring them to take action on progressive issues
that promote positive change at home and abroad.

* Social Security
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* Medicare
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