They’ll have to come through us
In the wake of November's election, Republicans have been giddy about their plans to make deep cuts in the programs that millions of Americans rely on and have worked hard to earn — including Social Security.
Elon Musk (who seems to have Donald Trump's ear more than anyone else right now) has amplified these calls, so know that we should take these threats very seriously. In fact, new reporting indicates that Musk's "DOGE" team — hot off trying to raid the Treasury Department to steal your data — is looking to target the Social Security Administration next.
But I've got a simple message for the GOP: you come for Social Security, you come through the American people.
Republicans think they can just explode the deficit by giving tax cuts to billionaires and force everyone else to foot the bill.
They're about to find out that Americans value their families' well-being over the self-interested whims of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and the other ultra-wealthy donors setting the GOP agenda.
Many are comparing our current moment to 2016. But I'm reminded of the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election (incidentally, the previous time Republicans won the popular vote).
Democrats were dejected, and George W. Bush claimed he had a mandate to enact major changes. Among those changes? Privatizing Social Security.
The first time Democrats began to regain their footing in the wake of the 2004 election was in our mobilization to defend Social Security. We had even smaller minorities then in both the Senate and House – but we found our voice in standing up for the right of Americans to be able to retire with dignity. It was the start of a political comeback for our party in which we would take back Congress and the White House within four years.
I will fight with the same tenacity to protect Social Security in 2025 that I did in 2005.
The Republicans think they have an easy path to enact their most extreme policy dreams. We need to organize and mobilize at every level to show them just how wrong they are.
Together, we can harness public sentiment and stop harmful cuts to Social Security – and any other essential program Republicans want to put on the chopping block.
More soon,
Ron
