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Honest to God, I'm not trolling. This is a real question.
I hear a lot of conservatives say that the government should only provide for defense and little else. So here's my question: If you had the power, would you eliminate Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other entitlements, since, in your view, they aren't part of the Constitution's enumerated powers, and therefore unconstitutional? Or do you dislike entitlements because the federal govt. runs them and not states? I look forward to any responses.
Eliminate, no. Restructure to help only those who truly need the help and not those who leech off the system even though they are physically and mentally able to work. My father-in-law is 85 and receives aid through SS, Medicare, and the VA. My wife is disabled due to multiple spinal problems causing her constant shooting pain and is on Medicare and SS. She uses my health insurance as the primary. She would rather stop getting aid and be pain free but we've yet found a doctor who could end her pain without the use of strong pain medicine which incapacitated her.
I also have a relative receiving aid for their severely autistic daughter who is almost an adult now. He works and his wife cares for the daughter but it takes it's toll on the whole family.
Eliminate, no. Restructure to help only those who truly need the help and not those who leech off the system even though they are physically and mentally able to work. My father-in-law is 85 and receives aid through SS, Medicare, and the VA. My wife is disabled due to multiple spinal problems causing her constant shooting pain and is on Medicare and SS. She uses my health insurance as the primary. She would rather stop getting aid and be pain free but we've yet found a doctor who could end her pain without the use of strong pain medicine which incapacitated her.
Honest to God, I'm not trolling. This is a real question.
I hear a lot of conservatives say that the government should only provide for defense and little else. So here's my question: If you had the power, would you eliminate Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other entitlements, since, in your view, they aren't part of the Constitution's enumerated powers, and therefore unconstitutional? Or do you dislike entitlements because the federal govt. runs them and not states? I look forward to any responses.
mackinac
Yes. Over and extended period of time.
Entitlements have ruined America, stolen the responsible spirit of millions and made us dependent on government and other people's money.
No, you haven't heard Republicans espouse that viewpoint. That is a libertarian view.
It's one of the core stances on the right to defund medicare, medicaid, social security, etc. while keeping the handouts and heavy spending for the rich and large corporations. Libertarians feel everything should be cut and no one should be getting handouts.
For a start, there are countless federal agencies and bureaucracies, not to mention enormous waste, that could be eliminated or severely trimmed back--and all this before even taking a harder look at "entitlements".
Does anyone remember the Grace Commission from the Reagan years? It was an investigation requested by President Reagan, in 1982. The focus of it was waste and inefficiency in the US Federal government. It's findings were presented to Congress, which ignored them and continued with business as usual.
It appears that Congress has finally gotten the message that the country is fed up with its waste and inefficiency and wants some real reform in how they handle OUR money. We need a sensible austerity program that doesn't use the threat of holding up salaries to soldiers and Social Security payments to seniors as clubs to scare the public with.
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