The writer of the letter “Republicans not nihilists” (Feb. 2, TribLIVE), states that “The only fact is Social Security is broken and needs to be reformed. It’s the Republicans who want to fix it.”
Below is listed a brief history of past Republican proposed fixes to Social Security programs:
1935: Almost all Republicans in Congress oppose creation of Social Security.
1939: 75% of Senate Republicans try to kill Social Security legislation.
1965: 93% of Republicans in the House and 62% in the Senate vote to kill Medicare.
1981: President Reagan proposes a $35 billion cut in Social Security ($126 billion in 2022 dollars).
2006: President George W. Bush includes Social Security privatization in his 2007 budget.
2018: After a $1.5 trillion tax cut and $675 billion defense budget, Sen. Mitch McConnell calls for cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Richard Dulemba
Washington Township, Westmoreland County