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Vote Cobb to avert disaster for services

To the editor:

The needless large tax cuts passed recently by the Republicans — mostly benefiting the wealthy — have driven up the already large national debt. If they maintain their control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, they will surely repeal the Affordable Care Act, depriving millions of ordinary citizens of health care. They will also cut Medicare and Social Security relied on by millions of ordinary citizens, in the guise of reducing the national debt.

Elise Stefanik and her Republican colleagues falsely claim that Social Security is heading toward insolvency, that the $2.8 trillion in the Social Security Trust Fund, though safely invested in U.S. Treasury bonds, are worthless IOUs. They scheme to privatize it, converting this popular, well-managed national insurance program to individually managed savings accounts that would inevitably lead to reduced and uncertain benefits, with the loss of benefits to disabled workers, widows and dependent children. Other schemes include reducing the already too low annual cost of living adjustments and raising the age for full retirement benefits. They would also recklessly privatize Medicare.

Social Security and Medicare are often denigrated as “entitlements,” subtly suggesting that the beneficiaries merely take handouts rather than receive benefits earned through their payroll taxes. Social Security has never operated within the federal budget and has never contributed to the national debt. To cut the moderate benefits in order to reduce that national debt is thievery! I highly recommend the expertly written book “Social Security Works” by Altman and Kingson.

To avert disastrous undermining of Social Security and Medicare, Stefanik and a sufficient number of her Republican colleagues should be defeated in the upcoming elections for Democrats to gain control of Congress. Citizens in our district would be wise to vote for Tedra Cobb, who is committed to protect their vital interests.

Herbert Strauss, M.D.

Wilton

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