Meet the Press – November 6, 2022
CHUCK TODD:
Let me ask you, you've been asked a million different ways about Social Security, you know the Democrats want to bring this issue up. Sunsetting the program every five years for renewal, why do that? Why put Social Security into, sort of, the political arena every five years? Why put seniors through that? Why do you think that's a good idea?
SEN. RICK SCOTT:
I have no interest in changing the Medicare program. I want to make sure we preserve the benefits of Medicare and Social Security, and I don't know one Republican that wants to change that. In my plan, I said we have got to start being honest with the public that, “What's our plan?” Medicare is going bankrupt, Social Security is going bankrupt. Here's what the Democrats did: they just cut $280 billion, every Democrat that's running right now in the Senate, okay? And those in the House. They all voted to cut $280 billion out of Medicare, which is going to cut life-saving drugs. They did this. Joe Biden proposed doing this in the Senate, and –
CHUCK TODD:
You know, you're playing a math game.
SEN. RICK SCOTT:
And, on top of that, he didn’t pay his taxes. Say it again?
CHUCK TODD:
You are playing a math game there, Senator. Senator, you're playing a math game here. You're playing a math game. They didn't cut anything on Medicare. It's cost savings having to do with the prescription drug benefit. Look, I understand that you want to call it something else. But they didn’t cut Medicare.
SEN. RICK SCOTT:
Chuck, if you cut spending in Medicare, it's probably going to impact the ability for somebody to provide things. When you cut out $280 billion –
CHUCK TODD:
I will remember that, when you guys argue that a Medicare cut –
SEN. RICK SCOTT:
–there's a lifesaving drug that your mom will not get. That’s what’s going to happen.
CHUCK TODD:
All right. I will remember this when you guys claim a Medicare cut isn’t a cut.
Of course the fairest way to shore up Social Security is to remove the income cap. But Republicans are dead set against removing the income cap, because the Republicans only work for the ultra-wealthy, NOT the folks back home.