I just turned 65. On November 6th, the Republicans and other feckless idiots who voted for the stain, (or who didn’t vote at all,) set me on a course to have to work 2-5 years longer than I’d planned should my ENTITLEMENTS be reduced or gutted. Raising the retirement age to 70 (from 67.5) is the most egregiously depressing cut of all.
I live in a CCRC (continuing care retirement center) and am, for now, fortunate enough to be able to afford this life-saving facility for both myself and my husband who has dementia. I see around me others who are just scraping by in order to live out the last years of their lives with dignity and some sense of peace and happiness. I see the care-givers here who are forced to work long hours and have the patience that is inconceivable to most outside of the community; yet their salaries come nowhere near the largess raked in by Musk and greedy trump. Some forego medical help, others have had a very meager holiday. Yet, those are the ones that trump/Musk want to take away from in order to pad their overly padded bank accounts and prestige positions. And in all of this, dare I ask where is trump's VP? A man who rose from poverty yet nowhere does he have anything to say?
I could care less about where Vance is. He’s a sycophant like the rest and not an aged, ignorant mindless bloated orange pustule. Instead, he’s as deft a liar, racist and sexist as t***p is, as well as Marine Corps war veteran and Yale law school graduate. Picture a venomous pit viper, combat veteran with a Yale law degree. He will not be an improvement over t***p.
Also, has anyone considered how the whole or partial demise of Medicare and/or Medicaid will affect the entire American medical system, especially for the disabled, elderly and poor. Medical professionals, providers, medical insurance providers, Medical degree schools and colleges. The list is long. I am sure the Republicans messing with these working employees and retirees, who had to pay in automatically for years and have to continue to pay for in retirement, will be furious. Same for Social Security. Isn’t stealing other people’s money called theft, and punishable by law? Just saying.
I think it's up to white men to buck up and start supporting the women and people of color who are leaders in the Democratic Party. There has been nothing 'wrong' with Democratic messaging per se. Democrats have been clear that Republicans were going to gut SS and Medicare. White men voted for trump anyway.
I just turned 70 this year. Since I was a 'stay-at-home' mom, my Social Security is nowhere near enough to live on, so I am still working. My hubby made great money during half of our marriage, so his will be incrementally higher, but he just hit 65 last year. He's still working too.
With any luck, our health issues won't get too much more expensive or debilitating while the incoming administration ruins the American economy, but I'm not putting all my eggs in that basket. We have purchased what imported consumables we could afford now, are hoping that our durable goods last the next 4 years, and are praying that the backlash from another 4 years of stupidity, chaos, insanity, and outright economic devastation will be enough to oust the GOP. If we're wrong, if luck and prayer and hard work to elect reasonable politicians doesn't work, we're doomed with the MAGAts.
My one consolation, in that event, will be that we're all in the same pot. Some will boil faster than others, and I will (may God have mercy on my blackened soul) take some measure of comfort from listening to the MAGAts rue their choices. :D
Happy New Year, Aaron & crew!! May the coming year bring you all joy, love, laughter, and FUN.
Trump, Musk, Johnson and Thune must believe Americans are stupid. Cutting Social Security and Medicare, which many of us rely on, is political suicide. During my working years, I paid into both programs. As a retiree, I pay Medicare premiums each month. Cut my benefits and I will work against you come election.
The repubs will blame the cuts to SS and other social programs on the democrats. And the illiterate gleefully uninformed and ignorant fox watchers will believe whatever the dear leader says. The dems have been passing bills that help the very people who are so deluded (and perhaps bigoted) that they vote for the repubs. May they get every single thing the Project 2025 have I store for them.
The GOP lies must be exposed and the truth must be revealed. The problems lie in reaching targeted voters. Anyone who is a Fox Faux News fan will not get the message. We need legislation to break up Robert Murdock’s monopoly. I also believe that Congress has to take steps to stop media like Fox from having names that insinuate they are actual news sources.
If Herr Trump is so sensitive to immigration dangers from undesirables, has he vetted MUSK? I am descended (as we all are) from immigrants, born here, veteran. loyal American, and resent any foreigners having an Oversized influence on US Policy at any level.
The woefully hapless President Elect's brain is like Taffy and can be pushed and pulled at will.
What in Hell has happened in AMERICA ?? Deport MUSK back to........wherever!
trump is a grifter, nothing else, ALWAYS for sale to the highest bidder. This is not new. elon purchased the election and purchased trump, and will depose any congressfolk who defy him, because they are also for sale. THANK YOU, Aaron for this excellent news source, and may all y'all have a Happy New Year. XO
There is nothing so evil as people like Musk, Vivek and many GOP politicians, some wealthy beyond our understanding, cutting benefits for the normal souls who have worked hard and paid into "entitlement" programs their whole lives. It's why I can't begin to understand how the average working-class MAGA voters saw Musk influencing Trump and thought, oh yeah, Trump has the backs of us ordinary working folks. I've heard theories that for some people being adjacent to power and wealth (by placing one vote?) sustains their dreams of achieving a similar status. Is there anything more delusional?
And Happy New Year, Aaron and company... always thrilled to see (yet also dreading) your next investigative piece and expecting more stellar work in 2025.
We need Medicare and SS. This is not acceptable and people will lose their homes, will be unable to get their meds and will starve. How can we prevent this? I know some members of congress have parents relying on these programs.
Golden babies like Trump and Musk had power and money handed to them, and they cannot, and do not want to, understand how normal people function, their needs and wants. They live in a fantasy world where cash = power and only they have the “answer.”
One thing is for certain, the mantras Democrats must be Democrats and Always Be Campaigning need to be practiced by EVERY Dem EVERY day. The GOP is going to rape and pillage America and if we don’t sing it from every rooftop every day we have no one to blame but ourselves!!
I am in the Disabled Adult Child category of Social Security, meaning that I have been Disabled from birth. I have an excellent Medicare-Medicaid joint insurance plan. I have a Medicaid waiver that awards me 83 hours a week of paid home health care staffing so I can remain stable within the confines of what I have, and have help with the physical things I can’t do well or at all. My life literally depends on all of these things. If my medications and/or direct medical care are cut, I will die.
The Nazis “solved” that problem with Operation T4. What does the whole Republican coalition want? Yeah. We will surely find out.
Happy new year! I have enjoyed your work since you were in Vox and on Twitter. I am pleased be a supporter of your work here as you have evolved and developed a bureau of your own. I always have a long list of subscriptions I may or may not read, but yours is one I definitely read and appreciate.
Americans and democracy itself all need journalists and journalism that continue to report the reality before us. That is what I have always found in your newsletter. Thank you for that.
6 sneaky ways Trump’s Project 2025 gang and Musk plan to kill Social Security - including raising the age limit. Follow along with this interactive infographic.
I just turned 65. On November 6th, the Republicans and other feckless idiots who voted for the stain, (or who didn’t vote at all,) set me on a course to have to work 2-5 years longer than I’d planned should my ENTITLEMENTS be reduced or gutted. Raising the retirement age to 70 (from 67.5) is the most egregiously depressing cut of all.
I live in a CCRC (continuing care retirement center) and am, for now, fortunate enough to be able to afford this life-saving facility for both myself and my husband who has dementia. I see around me others who are just scraping by in order to live out the last years of their lives with dignity and some sense of peace and happiness. I see the care-givers here who are forced to work long hours and have the patience that is inconceivable to most outside of the community; yet their salaries come nowhere near the largess raked in by Musk and greedy trump. Some forego medical help, others have had a very meager holiday. Yet, those are the ones that trump/Musk want to take away from in order to pad their overly padded bank accounts and prestige positions. And in all of this, dare I ask where is trump's VP? A man who rose from poverty yet nowhere does he have anything to say?
Good question. Where is Vance?
Very well said. JD may have come from poverty but was backed by a billionaire who help getting his senate seat.
I could care less about where Vance is. He’s a sycophant like the rest and not an aged, ignorant mindless bloated orange pustule. Instead, he’s as deft a liar, racist and sexist as t***p is, as well as Marine Corps war veteran and Yale law school graduate. Picture a venomous pit viper, combat veteran with a Yale law degree. He will not be an improvement over t***p.
Also, has anyone considered how the whole or partial demise of Medicare and/or Medicaid will affect the entire American medical system, especially for the disabled, elderly and poor. Medical professionals, providers, medical insurance providers, Medical degree schools and colleges. The list is long. I am sure the Republicans messing with these working employees and retirees, who had to pay in automatically for years and have to continue to pay for in retirement, will be furious. Same for Social Security. Isn’t stealing other people’s money called theft, and punishable by law? Just saying.
I think it's up to white men to buck up and start supporting the women and people of color who are leaders in the Democratic Party. There has been nothing 'wrong' with Democratic messaging per se. Democrats have been clear that Republicans were going to gut SS and Medicare. White men voted for trump anyway.
There, I said what I said.
White women voted for Donald Trump.
"White women [ALSO] voted for Donald Trump."
FIFY
:D
I just turned 70 this year. Since I was a 'stay-at-home' mom, my Social Security is nowhere near enough to live on, so I am still working. My hubby made great money during half of our marriage, so his will be incrementally higher, but he just hit 65 last year. He's still working too.
With any luck, our health issues won't get too much more expensive or debilitating while the incoming administration ruins the American economy, but I'm not putting all my eggs in that basket. We have purchased what imported consumables we could afford now, are hoping that our durable goods last the next 4 years, and are praying that the backlash from another 4 years of stupidity, chaos, insanity, and outright economic devastation will be enough to oust the GOP. If we're wrong, if luck and prayer and hard work to elect reasonable politicians doesn't work, we're doomed with the MAGAts.
My one consolation, in that event, will be that we're all in the same pot. Some will boil faster than others, and I will (may God have mercy on my blackened soul) take some measure of comfort from listening to the MAGAts rue their choices. :D
Happy New Year, Aaron & crew!! May the coming year bring you all joy, love, laughter, and FUN.
:D
Happy New Year to you and yours too!
As long as Trump doesn't start WW111
From your lips (fingers) to God's ears, m'dear!
Trump, Musk, Johnson and Thune must believe Americans are stupid. Cutting Social Security and Medicare, which many of us rely on, is political suicide. During my working years, I paid into both programs. As a retiree, I pay Medicare premiums each month. Cut my benefits and I will work against you come election.
The repubs will blame the cuts to SS and other social programs on the democrats. And the illiterate gleefully uninformed and ignorant fox watchers will believe whatever the dear leader says. The dems have been passing bills that help the very people who are so deluded (and perhaps bigoted) that they vote for the repubs. May they get every single thing the Project 2025 have I store for them.
The GOP lies must be exposed and the truth must be revealed. The problems lie in reaching targeted voters. Anyone who is a Fox Faux News fan will not get the message. We need legislation to break up Robert Murdock’s monopoly. I also believe that Congress has to take steps to stop media like Fox from having names that insinuate they are actual news sources.
Americans just got finished proving that they are stupid -- why wouldn't Trump&Co. believe it?
Happy New Year. Thanks for all you and PN do.
Happy New Year!
If Herr Trump is so sensitive to immigration dangers from undesirables, has he vetted MUSK? I am descended (as we all are) from immigrants, born here, veteran. loyal American, and resent any foreigners having an Oversized influence on US Policy at any level.
The woefully hapless President Elect's brain is like Taffy and can be pushed and pulled at will.
What in Hell has happened in AMERICA ?? Deport MUSK back to........wherever!
trump is a grifter, nothing else, ALWAYS for sale to the highest bidder. This is not new. elon purchased the election and purchased trump, and will depose any congressfolk who defy him, because they are also for sale. THANK YOU, Aaron for this excellent news source, and may all y'all have a Happy New Year. XO
There is nothing so evil as people like Musk, Vivek and many GOP politicians, some wealthy beyond our understanding, cutting benefits for the normal souls who have worked hard and paid into "entitlement" programs their whole lives. It's why I can't begin to understand how the average working-class MAGA voters saw Musk influencing Trump and thought, oh yeah, Trump has the backs of us ordinary working folks. I've heard theories that for some people being adjacent to power and wealth (by placing one vote?) sustains their dreams of achieving a similar status. Is there anything more delusional?
And Happy New Year, Aaron and company... always thrilled to see (yet also dreading) your next investigative piece and expecting more stellar work in 2025.
Cruelty and disdain is always the point.
We need Medicare and SS. This is not acceptable and people will lose their homes, will be unable to get their meds and will starve. How can we prevent this? I know some members of congress have parents relying on these programs.
And constituents (ie. voters) rely on these programs too. How does the GOP not see that in their quest for power they have to keep the voters happy?
Golden babies like Trump and Musk had power and money handed to them, and they cannot, and do not want to, understand how normal people function, their needs and wants. They live in a fantasy world where cash = power and only they have the “answer.”
One thing is for certain, the mantras Democrats must be Democrats and Always Be Campaigning need to be practiced by EVERY Dem EVERY day. The GOP is going to rape and pillage America and if we don’t sing it from every rooftop every day we have no one to blame but ourselves!!
I am in the Disabled Adult Child category of Social Security, meaning that I have been Disabled from birth. I have an excellent Medicare-Medicaid joint insurance plan. I have a Medicaid waiver that awards me 83 hours a week of paid home health care staffing so I can remain stable within the confines of what I have, and have help with the physical things I can’t do well or at all. My life literally depends on all of these things. If my medications and/or direct medical care are cut, I will die.
The Nazis “solved” that problem with Operation T4. What does the whole Republican coalition want? Yeah. We will surely find out.
Happy new year! I have enjoyed your work since you were in Vox and on Twitter. I am pleased be a supporter of your work here as you have evolved and developed a bureau of your own. I always have a long list of subscriptions I may or may not read, but yours is one I definitely read and appreciate.
Americans and democracy itself all need journalists and journalism that continue to report the reality before us. That is what I have always found in your newsletter. Thank you for that.
6 sneaky ways Trump’s Project 2025 gang and Musk plan to kill Social Security - including raising the age limit. Follow along with this interactive infographic.
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/12/31/6-sneaky-ways-trumps-project-2025-gang-kills-social-security/
Wow! So much to unpack! Thank you for this. Looking forward to Thursday. May just be a happy new year.🥳