ICYMI - Zinke: We Need to Protect Social Security
Zinke Fact Checks Biden and Senate Democrats’ lies on Cutting Social Security and Medicare
Zinke Fact Checks Biden and Senate Democrats’ lies on Cutting Social Security and Medicare
(WASHINGTON, D.C) - During the State of the Union Address, President Joe Biden told Montanans that Republicans are attempting to cut Medicare and Social Security, a lie that has been repeated by Senate Democrats. Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke joined CNN’s This Morning with Kaitlyn Collins to correct the President’s blatant lies.
Rep. Zinke: There was some blatant mistruths. That the Republicans, for instance, would terminate Social Security or Medicare.
Collins: He said some Republicans want to sunset Social Security, Medicare. That is true that Rick Scott did propose that last summer. I know what we've said now.
Rep. Zinke: Terminating and sunsetting would be saying that we want to end it, or not honor the protections and the benefit. That's not true. Speaker McCarthy had a conversation with Biden. He had a conversation with our caucus. That's off the table. The President knew it, McCarthy knew it, and the caucus knew it - and I think now the American public knows it too.
Collins: Regardless of the debt ceiling though, are you open to making changes to Social Security and Medicare? Because I was looking at some comments you've made recently. You said Congress needs to open up both sides talking about mandatory spending, discretionary spending. You said there are some entitlements that have outlived their lifestyle that no longer produce results. Are those two of those?
Rep. Zinke: I think when you look at it, everything should be reviewed. But when you put 72% of the budget and you lock it in the safe and say we're not going to look at it. Look, when you look at discretionary funding, military; I think there's room for savings in the military too.
Collins: And that could happen with his debt ceiling you think – cuts to defense spending?
Rep. Zinke: I think everything should be looked at and reviewed. Some programs, for instance, you can't pay people not to work. And a lot of the COVID still is happening where people aren't engaged in the workforce. As the President said, work is honorable. We should all strive to make sure we have a healthy economy, and that healthy economy is people working. So why they're not working? There's a lot probably a lot of reasons. But, we can join together and make sure America is prosperous and working is part of it. We want to make sure the Social Security system itself is viable and healthy.
Collins: So, you are open to changes?
Rep. Zinke: I'm open to review and sitting down in an honest dialogue because we need to protect Social Security.
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