Readers React: Mnuchin’s not worried about Social Security or Medicare, but many Americans are

To the editor: Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin’s decision to do nothing to save Social Security is consistent with Republican doctrine.

The excuse that the tax cuts will stimulate the economy and we will grow ourselves out of debt was used by Ronald Reagan as he said, don’t worry, the benefits will trickle down to you in the middle class. That didn’t happen then and it won’t happen now.

Republicans want to end this government program and stalling with Reagan-era fake promises is fine. Why not? Mnuchin, who loves to fly free on government planes, is a billionaire. He will never need that Social Security check.

Norwood Price, Burbank

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To the editor: Social Security and Medicare funding will be saved by President Trump’s new healthcare policies that will offer reduced coverage, resulting in the deaths of millions of Americans with chronic diseases before they reach Medicare age.

Sidney Rubinstein, Rosemead

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To the editor: Demographic trends do not support government entitlement programs for society as a whole. Recipients are increasing in number while contributors are decreasing, and this is not sustainable.

Going forward, appropriate adjustments appear to include: enhanced tax incentives for IRA accounts, reinforcing the Affordable Care Act to ensure broader participation, and slowly scaling back Social Security and Medicare to only cover low-income individuals.

Government entitlement programs are important as part of our social safety net; beyond that, they are an increasing burden on both taxpayers and the economy.

Ed Salisbury, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Mnuchin’s retirement fantasy correctly identifies the fallacy of magical thinking that giving more money to the wealthy will cure all the ills of society, including Social Security and Medicare.

The only way to preserve these essential benefits is to pay for them with our taxes. Our elected officials, of both parties, are scared of touching the third rail of taxation. Politicians who propose raising taxes are seldom elected, and if elected are subject to recall.

The simple and obvious truth is that if we want to have a civil society we must be willing to pay for it.

Michael Telerant, Los Angeles

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