Musk, Ramaswamy ready to go to war with seniors. Trump won’t save Social Security. | Letters

Musk and Ramaswamy’s war on seniors

During his first term, Donald Trump proposed billions in cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — billions in every budget!

Then, when he ran in 2024, he claimed that he “protected” them.

Now, Donald Trump has put Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, and Vivek Ramaswamy, a pharma billionaire, in charge of a commission to slash and burn the government, by cutting the federal budget by $2 trillion.

And recently, JD Vance confirmed that Musk has Social Security in his crosshairs.

Americans didn’t vote to cut Social Security and Medicare.

Nor for higher drug prices. In fact, Trump ran on a promise to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Based on his long history of trying to cut and undermine our earned benefits, we shouldn’t trust that promise for one second. But we should make him keep it.

There’s a good reason Trump didn’t campaign on cutting Social Security: Americans overwhelmingly think that’s a terrible idea.

Whether they’re coming for administrative funding or benefits, Elon’s and Vivek’s commission will declare war on seniors. So, we must send a clear message: hands OFF Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

It’s our money. We’ve paid in through our entire working lives.

Jennifer Logan, Brunswick

Developing good citizens key to our future

Those too young to vote but old enough to understand had plenty of drama to watch last election season.

Despite easy access to millions of opinions, the data points to the family as the setting that most impacts a person’s political views. The questions that kids ask within the home about politicians and issues matter because our answers to them are shaping the future of our nation.

If the ideological polarization we are experiencing as a country begins at home, we can each be part of the solution by asking our kids questions before telling them our own answers.

What if we taught them about human rights before inculcating a party line? What if we discussed what makes a good leader in general before painting political figures as “good guys” or “bad guys?”

May our focus be the development of good citizens rather than the division of the youngest among us into a blue team and a red team. We just might raise a generation that cares more about solving problems than taking sides.

Erin Bellingham, Columbus

Trump has already proven himself unfit

The word “resignation” not only has “nation” in it. It cuts both ways for understanding the state of politics in America.

Democrats are expected to resign themselves to a new administration under President-elect Donald Trump. The right thing to do, it would seem, considering Trump got a majority of the votes cast in the November election.

A slim majority, nonetheless, considering that he received a mere 2.3 million more of the roughly 152.2 million votes cast, a fact which reveals a balance of power in America.

But Americans don’t just disagree.

Democrats and Republicans digress to the point of being at each other’s throats. To expect Democrats to resign themselves to an administration they voted against because they consider it an aberration of America’s core values is absurd.

Trump gave half of America even more reason to strongly resist him llast month when he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that he could mass deport children of Dreamers after moving to end birthright citizenship enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Not to mention that the incompetency inherent in Trump’s Cabinet-level picks suggests dereliction of duty on his part.

While Republicans stubbornly stick with Trump, Democrats could call for him to step down citing that President Richard Nixon’s “resignation” was for something relatively minor by comparison.

John E. Reinier Sr., Columbus

Is this freedom or anarchy?

It is clear that Americans have the freedom to do, buy, post online or say just about anything they wish or want, but we do not have freedom from fear, pain or suffering. Our national and personal well-being is under siege as a lack of national health care, racism, classism, epidemic obesity, the proliferation of guns, insane wealth and pay gaps and increasing random violence affect us all in various negative ways.

The politicians have figured out that if they just take turns, they never actually have to do anything significant.

Great freedom without great responsibility and real accountability is actually just anarchy.

Jay Smith, Columbus

The universe has a sense of humor

Donald Trump is scheduled to slither back into the White House Monday.

Nine days later is the start of the Lunar New Year that will be known as the Year of the Snake.

How appropriate is that? It appears the universe has a sense of humor.

Martin Bramlett, Ravenna

Disrespect is the new norm

Any person who disrespects the presidency is not fit for office.

President-elect Donald Trump did not attend President Joe Biden’s inauguration and wish him well. Now he has whined his way into having the United States flags flying full-staff during our national time of mourning for Jimmy Carter.

Since most Americans voted for Donald, this must be the new American norm, disrespect and rudeness for our heads of state. What a nation we have become.

Michaelynn Fiorini, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Trump’s billionaire buddies ready to steal Social Security| Letters

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