Michigan GOP representative floats cutting Social Security
During an interview with The National Desk Friday, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) falsely claimed that cuts to Social Security are necessary for the program’s survival.
During an interview with The National Desk Friday, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) falsely claimed that cuts to Social Security are necessary for the program’s survival.
“The actuaries have said this — this is just math — they have said that there will be across the board cuts in Social Security and programs like that if we don’t do something to save those programs,” Huizenga said. “Now that’s not going to be immediate, and it can’t be an immediate change for those that are in the system right now for those folks. But for future generations, we have life expectancies now approaching 100 years. The system was not built to operate within those parameters.”
Bill Huizenga (R-MI) signals openness to Social Security cuts pic.twitter.com/yGNfdq5bnu
— danny (@dabbs346) February 3, 2023
The way Social Security works is by current workers paying into the program for current retirees to receive benefits. When workers reach retirement, the previous generation pays for their benefits. This has worked since the program’s inception in the 1930s, but now there are a lot less workers per retiree. While experts say that benefits will not be paid in full if changes to Social Security are not addressed, cutting into the program is not necessary.
In recent years, Democratic congressmen have introduced several bills to reform and expand the benefits of Social Security, a policy that is extremely popular among voters. However, Republicans have routinely stalled and voted down these bills. Now that the GOP controls the House of Representatives, Huizenga and his colleagues will be able to leverage cuts to safety net programs in exchange for increasing the debt limit.
It will likely extend past the debt limit negotiations, too. One likely 2024 presidential candidate, former Vice President Mike Pence, told an audience Thursday that he wants to “reform” Social Security by privatizing parts of it and introducing private savings accounts.
In addition to risking a global financial collapse to cut popular programs like Social Security, Huizenga was one of the many Republicans that voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, as well as voting in favor of overturning the 2020 election results. He has represented Michigan in the House of Representatives since 2011 and currently serves on the Financial Services Committee.
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