Ron John steps on political land mine with Social Security, Medicare comments

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a stalwart Senate ally of former President Trump, is facing fresh uncertainty in his race for reelection after telling a podcast last week that Social Security and Medicare should be classified as discretionary spending, with Congress authorized to set their budgets every year.

Johnson had been cruising to reelection in a favorable political climate for Republicans, who expected to take control of the House and possibly the Senate as well.

But now Johnson is on the defensive as Democrats have political ammo to claim that he wants to cut the two popular entitlement programs, a strategy they used effectively against Republicans in the past.

Johnson has landed in hot water before for making provocative comments on conservative media, most notably when he said he didn’t feel threatened by protesters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, because he believed “those were people who love this country” while adding that he would have been “concerned” if they were Black Lives Matter protesters instead.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/johnson-steps-political-land-mine-090046391.html

Grandpa and Grandma need to get off their dead asses and get a job according to Ron John.

[applegrove]

1. Do people know they will be supporting their parents and/or

inheriting much less if SS and Medicare are destroyed? It is not just the older generation that will be affected immediately. This is another attack on the middle class wealth so they will have no power to elect Democrats.

[brush]

2. Thanks, but just a small correx, SS and Medicare are not...

entitlements. They're paid for from years of paycheck deductions. Recipients are just getting their money back they loaned to the government.

[DLCWIdem]

4. They are considered entitlements.

[brush]

6. That's a repub talking point, which is why you hear repubs like Johnson...

saying it. The word "entitlement" has a negative connotation meaning a demand for something not earned. If you get a paycheck.you know from the deductions from your check that you paid for them over the years.

We Dems don't have to spread republican talking points.

[DLCWIdem]

16. Entitlements come in 2 categories

Basically, When FDR was and Democrats put the policies in place that would eventually be called "entitlements". There ended up being a 2 tiered system with one part considered earned (which social sec and unemployment is part of because you are paying in) and the other part considered unearned. There was also difference in state and federal.. But they are entitlements and it is not a Republican talking point.

[brush]

19. Republicans have certainly turned it into a talking point.

Why do you think Johnson and other republicans who want to get rid them keep calling them entitlements instead of earned benefits? They know they're spreading negativity about SS and Medicare in hopes of cutting them by calling them entitlements.

[DLCWIdem]

24. They gave it a negative connotation

Same as the word liberals. Some people have changed what they are called to "progressive" instead. I prefer to fight back and still call myself a liberal and fight against the negative connotations. Although, considering the topic, it is ironic that we were called progressive in the 1930s when these activists were lobbying for those entitlements. We just have to keep reminding people that we have paid into soc sec

[brush]

27. Yes, they're earned benefits.

[ProfessorGAC]

23. Still A Politically Charged Term

Economists refer to them as transfer payments.
Entitlement is not an economic term of art except in the Randian/Hazletian segment of that community. And, they use ot as a politically charged term.
All that said, the connotations can be defused by saying "Yes, their entitlements because the people paid into a system so in the future they're ENTITLED to that money." That distinction, however, may be lost on troglodytes like Johnson.

[louslobbs]

26. We always refer to them as

Earned benefits. The radical right trump cult, uses “entitlement” to make these benefits sound perilous and sinister.

[Captain Zero]

18. In the LEGAL meaning they are entitlements

That means anyone who takes them from us
IS BREAKING THE LAW.

Entitlement is not a bad thing.

Under the law, It means you have a LEGAL RIGHT to something.

[questionseverything]

7. You are "entitled " because you pre paid

It’s not a bad thing

[Ms. Toad]

11. Entitlement is being used as a "buzzword" by the right for freebies from the government.

Which they can cut at any time.

We should be disrupting that position, not supporting it.

[questionseverything]

14. They are using the word incorrectly

[Ms. Toad]

20. Do you want to fight over semantics,

or get public opinion on our side?

[questionseverything]

21. In my part of the world, even repubs believe they are

“Entitled “ to their ss because they have paid into it for most of their lives

Central Illinois is kind of red but ending ss or even talking about it would turn us blue

[Ms. Toad]

25. OF course they believe they are entitled to it.

Not the point.

Labeling it as an entitlement program (not simply benefits for which you have paid and are entitled) groups it with programs paid for by taxpayers, generally which are viewed very negatively by most republicans.

[questionseverything]

29. Call it what you want

I disagree but if you want to say “ earned benefits “, go ahead

[Ms. Toad]

30. If we don't start understanding the power of naming things,

We haven't learned much since 2016.

I want all of us to start using langauge that is more likely to resonate positively with the general population. Concise, easily understood, sentiment generating naming is a significant portion of why Trump, et al, have such a strong following. We need to stop letting them own that playing field.

[TheRealNorth]

15. Exactly

Don't echo RW talking points. The MSM does that too much as is.

[Ms. Toad]

9. Thank you!

I was about to respond with the same comment.

[Caliman73]

17. There is nothing wrong with the word "entitlement"

Just like CRT, PC, and other terms, Conservatives have corrupted the word entitlement with the help of idiots in the media and the ignorance of people in general.

Entitlement simply means that it is owed to someone "by right". I am entitled to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, in the Declaration of Independence.

The term "entitled" has also been corrupted by "pop psychology" when Dr. Phil or some other idiot says, "that person is entitled" or, "You are acting like an entitled brat". As an child, I am completely and utterly ENTITLED to have my basic needs met by my parents. I can certainly develop a "false sense of entitlement" thinking they owe me a Ferrari or a free trip around the world, but like I said, that is a false entitlement. I am, as an adult, entitled to be treated with basic human dignity by my parents, and if they put me down, yell at me, try to steal from me, etc... they are being abusive.

As part of the social contract, I am entitled, after paying into the system and reaching the age of retirement, to receive my Social Security payments. Conservatives want to STEAL that entitlement an give that money to Wealthy people who are FALSELY ENTITLED to think they have a right to gamble with it on Wall Street and get even more wealthy.

[Ms. Toad]

22. Do you want to argue over semantics -

or have public opinion on our side?

A significant portion of the public views entitlement programs as freebies handed out by the government for which the recipient is entitled, but has not paid.

Whether or not it is an appropriate word for retirement benefits we purchased while we were working, we need to disrupt the link between the public's perception of Medicare and Social Security are the same as welfare, food stamps, etc.

We don't need to be fighting both attempts to cut programs paid for by the recipients AND those paid for by all taxpayers. Fighting one battle is enough.

[Caliman73]

28. Both.

[Poiuyt]

3. Considering all the stupid stuff he says, I wonder if he doesn't want to lose

[mcar]

5. He's been cruising to reelection?

Who writes this nonsense?

[Sky Jewels]

10. Most of the media/punditry have been wedded to that narrative for two years.

"Dems are definitely gonna lose the House and Senate in the 2022 midterms ... 'cuz history! Also, that's what we reeeeeally want to happen!"

They are ignoring the mood of the people and motivating factors like the end of Dobbs. Of course, most of them think abortion is "just" a women's issue and not a "real" issue that "real" Americans (aka straight, white, Christian males) care about, like the economy -- even though nothing could impact families more than being forced to have a child and raise it for 18+ years.

[mcar]

12. It makes them look even more shameless

as they ignore actual news, and their own polls, to continue pushing the narrative they've set.

[Sky Jewels]

13. Very true.

[crickets]

8. "Johnson grabbed the third rail with both hands on that one." Yes, he did. Not S-M-R-T. nt