Manchin-Romney attack on Social Security is ‘last thing we need’: Sanders

Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday slammed right-wing Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin’s widely panned proposal to explore slashing Social Security benefits as part of a debt ceiling pact with Republicans.

During a Wednesday interview with Fox Business at the ruling class’ annual gathering in Davos for the World Economic Forum, Manchin (W.Va.) suggested that members of both major U.S. political parties “work together” on solving the nation’s so-called “debt problem.” Although Manchin didn’t explicitly demand cuts to Social Security and expressed opposition to GOP calls for privatization, he singled out the program for intervention, saying that Congress “should be able to solidify it.”

Given that Republicans are currently threatening to tank the global economy unless Democrats agree to reduce social spending, Manchin’s unilateral call for appeasement has set off alarm bells.

What’s especially concerning to progressives is that the corporate-backed lawmaker is the co-author, alongside Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), of the TRUST Act, a bill that would enable Congress to create bipartisan “rescue” committees for the nation’s trust fund programs—including Social Security and Medicare—and give the panels 180 days to develop “legislation that restores solvency and otherwise improves each.” Measures put forth by the bipartisan committees would be fast-tracked for floor votes in both chambers of Congress, with no amendments allowed.

Not only is Social Security legally incapable of adding to the federal deficit, but budget analysts have shown that the program is financially sound, requiring just a small increase in payroll tax revenue to ensure full benefits beyond 2035.

“The last thing we need is another commission to propose cuts to Social Security and Medicare,” Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted Saturday.

“The last time we had one, it proposed cutting Social Security benefits for middle-class seniors by up to 35% and cutting tax rates for billionaires,” Sanders added, referring to the notorious 2010 Bowles-Simpson Commission, on which Manchin and Romney’s bill is based.

Historically informed critics have condemned Manchin and Romney’s legislation as “a Trojan horse to cut seniors’ benefits.”

Sanders’ staff director Warren Gunnels provided additional historical context on Saturday, linking to a 2012 essay in which the senator explained that in addition to seeking to cut wealthy households’ tax rates and current retirees’ Social Security benefits, the panel also proposed raising the retirement age to 69 years, slashing veterans’ benefits, increasing interest rates on student loans, and eliminating 450,000 federal jobs, among other harmful measures.

Surveys have shown that U.S. voters are strongly opposed to cutting or privatizing Social Security and want Congress to expand the program. Last year, Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led the introduction of the Social Security Expansion Act, which would lift the cap on income that is subject to the Social Security payroll tax and boost the program’s annual benefits by $2,400.