Schumer: "It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security"

[kerry-is-my-prez]

Social Security Checks Could Stop Going Out by April, Ex-Head Warns
Mar. 3 2025

https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-social-security-head-warns-system-could-collapse-in-next-30-to-90-days/

The former head of the Social Security Administration warns that proposed cuts to the agency could lead the entire system to “collapse,” disrupting benefits payments to millions of Americans.
“Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse, and there will be an interruption of benefits,” Martin O’Malley, former Social Security commissioner under the Biden administration, told CNBC. “I think that will happen within the next 30 to 90 days.”

-snip-
“It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, but that’s what’s happening,” Schumer said.

-snip-

“The Trump administration is putting Social Security benefits at risk by firing the staff who help beneficiaries and closing down the offices that serve communities across the country,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement earlier this week.

[Gore1FL]

1. Why is this hard to believe?

Is Schumer trying to be ironic, or is there the echo chamber still as big as it was from the Iraq war?

[harumph]

2. Just Schumer doing what Schumer does.

Speaking to the lowest common denominator. If you go back to the 70's and look at the goals of the John Birch society,
you'll have the whole playbook. NONE of this is the least bit surprising. Schumer knows this but lacks the skill? (IMO) to effectively message. I honestly don't know what demographic the deliberate obtuseness of this statement aiming for - but it ain't me and I suspect it ain't you.

[dalton99a]

3. So gullible and clueless - such charming innocence

[Raven123]

4. Sigh

These are the times that try Democratic Party supporters. I got another request for money from Chuck within the last few days. THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE to the war on the American people is why I will not donate.

[SammyWinstonJack]

5. Does he even care?

[senseandsensibility]

6. Why is he wording it like that?

No sentient person is surprised by this. His choice of words and speaking style is not convincing or compelling. We need someone else to deliver the message.

[Scrivener7]

7. This schtick isn't working, Chuck.

[CanonRay]

8. Chuck needsa heavy duty wake up call.

[BoRaGard]

9. Snap out of it Schumy!

Hello! Believe. Believe because its right in front of your face. Believe.

And act, for crying out loud.

[ibegurpard]

10. He desperately needs a lesson in framing

The way he phrased that gives them the benefit of the doubt

[republianmushroom]

11. Ding ding.

[EarlG]

12. You cut Schumer's quote in half

For clarity, the full quote is, "It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, but that’s what’s happening."

Seems to me that Schumer is saying, "The Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, can you believe it?!?" and not, "I don't believe the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security." Although it looks more like the latter if you leave out the second part of the quote.

[sakabatou]

15. Still not hard to believe, as IIRC

Republicans have been calling for cuts for decades.

[msongs]

16. full quote is worse. the guy is hapless. nt

[EarlG]

18. How is the full quote worse?

There are plenty of things to criticize Chuck Schumer for, but going after him for a normal turn of phrase seems a bit unnecessary.

If Trump said, "It's hard to believe that Democrats want to kill unborn children, but that's what's happening," I doubt we'd be sitting around applauding him for his pro-choice message.

I'll be the first to admit that Schumer is not very good at this, but I don't really get the need to work him over for using a normal turn of phrase -- particularly if cutting it in half makes it sound worse than it actually is.

[ibegurpard]

17. That's true

But framing it that way gives Trump the benefit of the doubt.
Schumer needs to sit down with Lakoff.

[EarlG]

19. See my post above

If Trump said, "It is hard to believe that Democrats want to kill unborn children, but that's what's happening," we wouldn't applaud him for his pro-choice message, would we? We'd bash him for saying Democrats want to kill unborn children.

So when Chuck Schumer says, "It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security, but that’s what’s happening,” how come the takeaway is that he sounds like he's on Trump's side?

I honestly don't get it.

[ibegurpard]

20. You're right

But I'm talking about framing.
Leading with "It's hard to believe that Trump wants to cut Social Security" gives him the benefit of the doubt. It's NOT hard to believe that. It's been a right-wing goal since the SSA inception.
Lead with THAT not a statement that implies Trump has the benefit of the doubt.
I agree this post is misleading about Schumer's statement and intent but I agree he's not good at framing discussions.

[EarlG]

22. I think we're mostly on the same page

I understand what you're saying about it giving him the benefit of the doubt, but to me it comes across as a conversational way of putting the topic front and center.

"It's hard to believe Trump cheats on his wife, that's what's happening."
"It's hard to believe Trump wants a trade war with Canada, but that's what's happening."
"It's hard to believe Trump would abandon Ukraine to Russia, but that's what's happening."

Indeed, it's not really hard to believe any of those things -- but to a disinterested, mostly apolitical person, who really does think that, say, Trump doesn't want to cut Social Security, it might penetrate. Those things would be "hard to believe" if Trump were a normal person.

All that said -- Schumer could do much, much better with his messaging. I just don't think this turn of phrase is particularly harmful. But I do think it's unfair to make it sound worse than it was by editing the quote.

[Nanjeanne]

14. Hard to Believe? What about the year spent telling us about Project 2025?

[Mariana]

21. "It is hard to believe that the Trump administration wants to cut Social Security," Schumer said.

No it isn't. Why is Schumer lying? Don't we get enough of that from Republicans?