On 85th Social Security Anniversary, Seniors Are Under Attack by GOP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, August 14, 2020

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On 85th Social Security Anniversary, Seniors Are Once Again Under Attack by the GOP

Washington GOP politicians – led by Donald Trump and Joni Ernst — are vowing to slash Social Security benefits if re-elected

DES MOINES  — Today, on the 85th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Bill into law, the promise that was made that day to protect our seniors is under attack by GOP politicians. Even as Iowa workers face unprecedented hardships, Republican officials are once again making clear their intentions to slash Social Security benefits for Iowans if they win re-election.

President Trump has said nearly a dozen times in the last week that he would eliminate the main source of funding for Social Security and a main contributor to Medicare if re-elected — a move that would leave 600,000 Iowans and millions of seniors across the country defenseless and without support. Throughout the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Trump has left seniors to fend for themselves and this threat to cut Social Security is just the latest in a string of attacks on the health and wellbeing of seniors.

All the while, Senator Ernst has doubled down on her own threats to roll back Iowans’ hard-earned retirement benefits. Ernst was caught secretly telling D.C. donors that spending for vital programs like Social Security is “out of control,” and she called for gutting the program “behind closed doors so we’re not being scrutinized.” She continues to campaign on her sham bill to force people to choose between child care and social security, and she even introduced a measure that would defund Social Security in the middle of this pandemic.

“On the anniversary of Social Security, Iowa Democrats are renewing our commitment to fight for and support the retirement security of seniors and hardworking Iowans,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Mark Smith. “The same cannot be said for Donald Trump and Joni Ernst, who have worked to undermine Iowans’ hard-earned retirement benefits at every turn and threatened to permanently weaken the critical program if re-elected.”