Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has released a new ad that reveals that either he doesn’t understand Social Security or he wants to galvanize opposition to Social Security. Either way, his rhetoric undermines our collective security.
In his ad, Trump wrongly attacks immigrants and refugees. Contrary to Trump’s claims, unauthorized workers do not receive Social Security. In fact, while they contribute to Social Security through their jobs, they cannot receive Social Security. Undocumented immigrants are not even eligible for means-tested welfare programs like Supplemental Security Income. There is no ambiguity or debate: They are not eligible for Social Security’s earned benefits.
Unauthorized workers have billions of dollars in Social Security contributions deducted from their pay checks each year. Social Security’s chief actuary estimates that in the last 10 years they have paid more than $100 billion into Social Security. But, under the law, they are not eligible for benefits.
Donald Trump appears to be trying to undermine people’s confidence in Social Security. Yet, Social Security is a foundation of economic security for all of us. It pays vital benefits to tens of millions of retirees, people with disabilities and many others, including nearly one in ten American children. Indeed, Social Security is one government program that old and young, Republicans and Democrats, all overwhelmingly support.
President Eisenhower, recognizing Social Security’s enormous support, spoke of the “tiny splinter group” that opposes it. He added, “Their number is negligible, and they are stupid.”
Let’s ensure that Donald Trump understands Social Security’s value and the benefits it offers to all Americans. And let’s not allow him and others who oppose our Social Security system to hoodwink the rest of us into believing things about it that just aren’t so.
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We’ve borne witness to a chaotic first few months in Trump’s presidency.
Over the last months, each executive order has delivered shock and bewilderment — a core part of a strategy to make the right-wing turn feel inevitable and overwhelming. But, as organizer Sandra Avalos implored us to remember in Truthout last November, “Together, we are more powerful than Trump.”
Indeed, the Trump administration is pushing through executive orders, but — as we’ve reported at Truthout — many are in legal limbo and face court challenges from unions and civil rights groups. Efforts to quash anti-racist teaching and DEI programs are stalled by education faculty, staff, and students refusing to comply. And communities across the country are coming together to raise the alarm on ICE raids, inform neighbors of their civil rights, and protect each other in moving shows of solidarity.
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