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If you consider yourself a MAGA Republican and vote accordingly, plan on seeing cuts in Social Security and Medicare, should Republicans become the majority. Things you’ll need one day, if you aren’t already collecting.

What used to be discussed behind closed doors among Republicans is now out in the open, with many not hiding their desire to gut the system, or make changes that will affect 60 million older Americans. For those who haven’t reached the age of eligibility, it’s possible they never will.

It is yet another sign of how extreme the Republican party has become. So, if you think Republican candidates are going to help you, you’re sadly mistaken.

Congressional Leader Kevin McCarthy stated he would not “predetermine” whether Social Security (and Medicare) would be part of his proposed budget cuts.

His comment was noticed, and it has become apparent that should Republicans gain control of the House and Senate proposed plans will likely move forward. “The future of Social Security and Medicare is on the ballot this November,” warned Alex Lawson, executive director of the pressure group Social Security Works.

Like their assault on abortion rights, it is often the case that many avoid acknowledging what is at stake until it’s too late. However, a bounty of evidence paints a clear picture of the threats to the U.S. economy and the aged, from a MAGA Republican majority:

• Rick Scott’s (R-FL) “Rescue America” plan: The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee—Sen. Rick Scott—released a plan that would sunset Social Security and Medicare after five years.
• Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) pledge: In June, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee promised “entitlement reform is a must for us to not become Greece” if Republicans gain control of the Senate.
• Republican Senate candidates: At least five Republican candidates in the seven most hotly contested U.S. Senate races have publicly endorsed cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and/or prescription drug reforms that lower drug costs for seniors. The remaining two candidates have not taken definitive stances on these topics.
• Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)’s debt limit threat: In an interview with Punchbowl News, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy “signaled that Republicans would again hold the debt limit hostage for policy changes.” Despite the fact that Republicans added trillions to the debt with their tax cuts, McCarthy said, “You can’t just continue down the path to keep spending and adding to the debt. And if people want to make a debt ceiling [for a longer period of time], just like anything else, there comes a point in time where, okay, we’ll provide you more money, but you got to change your current behavior.” When pressed on whether Republicans would seek cuts to entitlement programs in a debt ceiling fight, McCarthy refused to take cuts off the table.
• Republican Study Committee (RSC) budget: Nearly 75 percent of House Republicans are members of the RSC, whose budget would cut Social Security by “raising the retirement age by three months per year through 2040, at that point the new age requirement to receive full Social Security benefits for people born after 1978 would be 70. After 2040, the group recommends linking the new retirement age to modern life expectancies.” The RSC budget would also increase the Medicare eligibility age and turn Medicare into a means-tested voucher program. RSC chairman, Jim Banks (R-IN), endorsed McCarthy’s hostage-taking strategy. So too have House Freedom Caucus (HFC) Vice Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and HFC member Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX). House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) described the RSC’s proposed changes as “shoring up and strengthening Social Security” in a recent Fox News Sunday interview. This language is notably similar to that included in the policy agenda House Republicans released last month, which promised to “save and strengthen” Social Security and Medicare.
• Republican candidates in House tossup districts: 47 percent of Republican candidates for U.S. House running in tossup districts, according to the Cook Political Report, actively support ending Social Security or Medicare as we know it.
• Every Republican running for the top GOP slot on the House budget committee has endorsed holding the debt ceiling hostage over making cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
• Senate Republican bill to eliminate Medicare prescription drug reforms: Senate Republicans Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and James Lankford (R-OK) have sponsored legislation to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug provisions, including the creation of a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug spending for Medicare beneficiaries; a crackdown on drug companies that increase drug prices in the Medicare program faster than inflation; and empowering Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.
• House Republicans back repealing Medicare drug reforms: In a September 2022 story in Axios, several House Republicans called for repealing the prescription drug reforms included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)—the ranking member on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee—even went so far as to say, “I would imagine that will be a top priority for Republicans in the new [Congress].”