Congressman Garamendi Says "No and Hell No" to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid Cuts on MSNBC’s Ed Show

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Last night Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA) appeared on MSNBC's The Ed Show and spoke out against harmful and unnecessary cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid in a possible debt ceiling deal. Garamendi is outraged that Congressional Republicans are holding the full faith and credit of the United States hostage to force extreme reductions in our country's most essential services protecting vulnerable seniors.

 

When host Ed Schultz asked Congressman Garamendi if he would support cuts to Social Security as part of a debt limit deal, Congressman Garamendi responded, "No and hell no. There's no way. There’s absolutely no way we should let this happen. … We're being held hostage. There's a simple way of doing this – a clean [vote] to lift the debt limit."

 

"We have no right at this time, or any time in the future, to harm those who are on Social Security. Period," Congressman Garamendi said. "We need to solve the deficit with a long-term program that is based on tax increases on the wealthy. There is no way in the world that those Wall Street barons who have managed to rip this country off … are getting off with a 15 percent income tax. It's just not right."

 

Congressman Garamendi also urged the Congress and President Obama to refocus on creating American jobs. Congressman Garamendi has been a proud supporter of the Democrats' 'Make It In America' agenda that works to rebuild the manufacturing sector that remains the backbone of the American economy and middle class.

 

"This is about jobs. It's been about jobs since 2008 … We've gotten into this deficit issue, which can only be solved by getting people back to work." Congressman Garamendi said. "We need a job agenda. We've been working on that with our 'Make It In America' agenda and frankly we've got to get the President on board."

 

For more than half of elderly beneficiaries, Social Security provides the majority of their cash income. For one-quarter, it provides nearly all of their income. For 15% of elderly beneficiaries, Social Security is the sole source of retirement income. In 2010, the average benefit was $14,000 a year.

 

Nearly 50 million seniors and individuals with disabilities rely on Medicare for their health coverage. The Republican budget passed in the House and authored by Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan replaces Medicare with a privatized voucher system not adjusted for ballooning private health care costs. It would more than doubles seniors' health care costs, forcing them to pay over $6,000 more each year starting in 2022.

 

Meanwhile, in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, ending subsidies for Big Oil, repealing the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, ending tax loopholes that reward companies for shipping jobs overseas, allowing Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate drug prices, and accelerating our drawdown from Afghanistan are still off the table.