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Social Security Defenders Warn of Buttigieg “Right-Wing Talking Points” on Austerity

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LINDA BENESCH, lbenesch at socialsecurityworks.org, @ssworks
Benesch is communications director of Social Security Works. She said today: “Austerity is a lie. America is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. We can fully afford expanded Social Security, Medicare for All, universal childcare, and many other progressive priorities — so long as millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share.

By saying that Democrats should focus on cutting the deficit, Pete Buttigieg is promoting right-wing talking points and serving the interests of his billionaire donors. These billionaires want to pit working class Americans against each other by creating a false sense of scarcity, while continuing to hoard their ill-gotten wealth.

“Buttigieg’s comments raise serious concerns about how he would govern. Senator Mitch McConnell says he wants to work with the next Democratic president on cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, so that the Republican Party isn’t blamed for the cuts. McConnell uses the deficit as a pretext for demanding cuts to earned benefits, even though Social Security (unlike the $2 trillion Republican tax scam) doesn’t add a single penny to the deficit.

“We need to make sure the Democratic nominee is someone who would never take McConnell’s bait.”