Today is the 89th anniversary of Social Security being signed into law. Social Security has been one of the most successful and popular government programs since its inception. And despite Republican handwringing, Social Security’s finances remain strong.
Despite its success and popularity, gutting Social Security has been a dream of Republicans for decades, and a second Trump term could be a disaster for the program. Donald Trump’s Project 2025 proposes raising the retirement age from 67 to 69, and his recent proposal to cut taxes on Social Security benefits would cause harm to the program.
The Bottom Line:
Donald Trump will make cuts to social security, while Kamala Harris and the Democrats will protect it by expanding benefits and raising the payroll taxes on those who earn more than $400,000/year.
Essential Context: Republican cuts to Social Security are not hypothetical either. Three of the past four Republican presidents have attacked Social Securitys:
President Reagan raised the retirement age.
President Bush tried to privatize Social Security.
President Trump suspended the payroll tax and has proposed policies that would harm Social Security if elected again.
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Talking points to highlight:
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz plan to expand benefits and raise the taxable income cap on people making over $400,000 a year.
Donald Trump has mentioned several times that he is open to cuts to SS.
Project 2025 proposes raising the retirement age from 67 to 69 which amounts to a large cut in benefits.
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If you are looking for more information on Social Security and why this is a Gen Z issue, check out our previous post for a more detailed breakdown.