[ Republican politicians in Washington have been clear about how
they plan to force Social Security cuts into law—and Walker would
have been a rubber stamp for that plan. ]
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SENATOR WARNOCK’S RE-ELECTION IS A VICTORY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY  
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Nancy J. Altman
December 7, 2022
Independent Media Institute [[link removed]]

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_ Republican politicians in Washington have been clear about how they
plan to force Social Security cuts into law—and Walker would have
been a rubber stamp for that plan. _

Raphael Warnock during an election night watch party Tuesday in
Atlanta., John Bazemore / AP

 

Social Security was on the ballot in Georgia’s December 6 run-off
election. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock’s re-election is a win
for working families. It is a victory for Gold Star families,
paralyzed veterans, seniors, and indeed all of Social Security’s
over 65 million current beneficiaries and all future beneficiaries. 

It is a loss for Republican politicians and their Wall Street donors
who are determined to reach into our pockets and steal our hard earned
benefits. If Herschel Walker had won, he would have rubber stamped the
Republican agenda to cut Social Security’s modest but vital
benefits. 

Walker proudly
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campaigned with and took money
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from Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), the author of a plan
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that would put Social Security on the chopping block every five years.
If Walker had been elected, he would have been a rubber stamp for
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), whose plan
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would put Social Security on the chopping block every single year.

What cuts do Republicans have in mind? The Republican Study Committee,
a group that counts about 75 percent of House Republicans as members,
released a detailed plan
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to cut Social Security in multiple ways: Raising the retirement age to
70 (a 21 percent benefit cut), slashing middle class benefits, and
handing billions of dollars of Social Security’s revenue over to
Wall Street and private insurance corporations.

Republican politicians in Washington have been clear about how they
plan to force those cuts into law—and Walker would have been a
rubber stamp for that plan. Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy has
announced
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the Republican plan to take hostage the must-pass debt limit next
summer. The ransom to be paid in exchange for their votes? Cuts
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to our earned Social Security benefits.

Nor is McCarthy only speaking for House Republicans. Senator John
Thune (R-SD), number two Senate Republican leader, has echoed
McCarthy’s plan to hold the debt limit hostage to Social Security
cuts.

It is important to recognize that, as a self-funded program that has
no borrowing authority and can only pay benefits if it has sufficient
revenue to cover every penny of the cost, Social Security does not add
even a penny to the federal debt. It is not contributing a penny to
the debt whose limit must be raised to avoid a default by the United
States on its obligations. Nevertheless, Republicans in Congress want
to cut our earned benefits so badly, they’re willing to risk an
economic catastrophe to make it happen.

Fortunately, Senator Warnock won, giving the Democrats a clear
majority in the Senate. President Biden and the Democrats he leads
have made it clear that they are committed to expanding Social
Security, with no cuts, while requiring the wealthiest to begin to pay
their fair share. And Senator Warnock himself understands how
important our Social Security system is.

He recognizes that Social Security embodies the best of American and
religious values—values that Senator Warnock has lived by his entire
life. Among those values are that it is our birthright as human beings
to have dignity, freedom and independence; that hard work should be
rewarded; that we have responsibilities and concern for ourselves, our
families, and our neighbors; and that we are all connected, sharing
the same risks and benefits.

Social Security is as reliable as it is essential. Through pandemics,
wars, and economic recessions, Social Security has always continued to
reliably pay monthly benefits, allowing its beneficiaries and their
families to pay rent, buy food, and fill life-saving prescriptions. 

Senator Warnock understands that Americans of all political
backgrounds rely on our earned Social Security benefits, and supports
protecting and expanding them. He knows how important Social Security
benefits are for the people of Georgia, both now and in the future. 

In his two years in the Senate, Warnock has been a champion for
seniors. As a member of the Senate Aging Committee, he led the
successful fight to cap the cost of insulin for seniors. He was part
of the winning vote to finally allow Medicare to negotiate with Big
Pharma to lower drug prices.

Now, Georgia voters have re-elected Senator Warnock. Warnock and his
Democratic colleagues have a mandate to protect Social Security’s
earned benefits. Fortunately, President Biden and Demcrats in Congress
have made clear that not only do they oppose cuts, they will not
negotiate over debt limit legislation with the Republican terrorists
who plan to kidnap it. 

To avoid a dangerous and potentially calamitous game of chicken when a
default is imminent, Democrats should thwart the kidnappers by raising
or eliminating the debt ceiling before the end of this year. That will
foil the Republican hostage-taking plans, a plan to force highly
unpopular and unwise social cuts that voters in Georgia—and across
America—resoundingly rejected in this year’s midterm elections.

_Nancy J. Altman is a writing fellow for Economy for All
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the Independent Media Institute. She has a 40-year background in the
areas of Social Security and private pensions. She is president of
Social Security Works and chair of the Strengthen Social Security
coalition. She is the author of The Truth About Social Security
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and The Battle for Social Security
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and co-author of Social Security Works!
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and the forthcoming Social Security Works for Everyone!
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_This article was produced by __Economy for All_
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of the Independent Media Institute._

* Georgia runoff
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* Rev. Raphael Warnock
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* Social Security
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* Herschel Walker
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* Right-wing agenda
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