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Social Security, Medicare are also threatened

To the editor:

A question for those who voted for Trump and Stefanik: Did you expect them to take away the Affordable Care Act, condemning 6,796 people just in Warren County to no health care insurance? Or destroying Social Security and Medicare (called “privatization”)? That is exactly what congressional extremists, led by Speaker Paul Ryan, intend. So far, Congresswoman Stefanik is in agreement. Yes, she said the process should take three years and provide some insurance coverage. But her recent vote belies this.

Friday the 13th, in Roll Call 58, “Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2017 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2018 through 2026,” she voted yes. Inside that bill, in language designed to be boring and obfuscatory, are rules requiring relevant committees to make “recommendations for changes to existing law for moving programs from mandatory funding to discretionary appropriations, where appropriate.”

This cuts the foundation away from Social Security and Medicare. Social Security, which affects the largest numbers here, is not an entitlement or welfare program. It is a defined benefit program which you all pay into and rightfully expect to get back. The above change would make payment discretionary for every new Congress, not mandatory, as designed. As Nancy Altman of Social Security Works says, “(They) cut and radically transform Social Security and Medicare, but do it in a manner that avoids political accountability. Using changes in the arcane rules of the budget to force through subsequent cuts. … By the time the American people realize what’s happening, the rules that usher in the changes are in the past, and those voting for the cuts can claim that they have no choice, for budgetary reasons.”

The Post-Star reporter Sunday describes the above bill, not only leaving out the most critical part regarding Social Security, but describes her as a moderate. That is impossible. She could have joined the other nine Republicans who voted against the Obamacare, Medicare, Social Security killing measure but didn’t. So far, that makes her a far-right Republican out of step with the majority in this district.

If you want to keep, not destroy, the above programs, I urge everyone to call Stefanik’s office (518-743-0964) and demand this clause never be implemented, that Social Security and the Affordable Care Act be strengthened and improved. Which is not that complicated. I could easily outline funding that would require no new taxation from either the middle class or the poor in another letter.

Richard Dudley

Glens Falls

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