Democratic Party of Wisconsin
Press Release

Nicholson and Vukmir Endorse Cuts to Earned Benefits

Kevin Nicholson and Leah Vukmir embrace Paul Ryan's plans to cut earned benefits, including Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid

By - Dec 29th, 2017 09:00 am
Leah Vukmir. Photo courtesy of Vukmir for Senate.

Leah Vukmir. Photo courtesy of Vukmir for Senate.

MADISON — Right-wing corporate shill Leah Vukmir and out-of-state billionaire puppet Kevin Nicholson have joined Speaker of the House Paul Ryan‘s call for cuts to Wisconsinites’ earned benefits, according to a new report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

  • Nicholson in broad terms indicated support for gutting Wisconsinites’ earned benefits, even leaving open the possibility of slashing Social Security in addition to Medicare and Medicaid. Previously, Nicholson has floated means-testing Social Security and raising the retirement age.
  • Vukmir similarly confirmed through a campaign spokesperson that she supports Republican plans to cut Wisconsinites earned benefits. This comes after Vukmir last week endorsed Ryan’s proposed earned benefit cuts as “certainly on the table.”

Republican plans to target Medicaid in particular are especially disturbing. Over 68 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, which, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, provides vital health care coverage for:

  • 33% of Wisconsin children;
  • 50% of Wisconsinites with disabilities; and,
  • 60% of Wisconsinites who live in nursing homes.

“Of course Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson agree with Paul Ryan on slashing Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid: Vukmir and Nicholson have pledged to champion D.C.’s corporate special interest corruption that gives CEOs and billionaire donors more handouts while Wisconsinites are stripped of their hard-earned benefits and forced to foot the bill,” said Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 Senate race.

Read more — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP Senate candidates open door to cutting entitlements like health care, welfare programs.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Comments

  1. Rita says:

    What are “earned benefits”?

  2. TransitRider says:

    Rita, Social Security and Medicare Part A (hospitalization coverage) are “earned benefits”. Throughout your working years, you and your employer share a 15.02% tax to pay for these benefits. By the time you get old enough to collect, you (and other people your age) have covered their cost.

    Because you have paid their entire cost, you have earned them.

  3. daniel golden says:

    Rita, there is a snarky tone in your comment that is apparently based on the Republican position that Social Security and Medicare must be cut to pay for the Billionaires tax cuts they just passed in their toxic tax bill. A civilized nation does not treat its children and working poor as inconveniences. Neither does it stand as the only nation in the developed world that holds the position that health care is a privilege.

  4. Rita says:

    Absolutely not snarky….I just wasn’t quite sure what the definition was…like what it covered…
    I am all for keeping what we’ve earned, and I’m all for Universal Health Insurance. You are right…we are the only civilized country that sees health insurance as a “privilege”..
    Actually, I’m beginning to think we really aren’t all that “civilized”….
    I’m glad you replied to me so I can straighten that out…

  5. MKE Kid says:

    Owning a gun in the US is a “right,” yet health insurance and old age care that you pay into through your pay check your entire life is a “priviledge.”
    Okey dokey.

  6. Rita says:

    Wow that’s an interesting way to put it…so health care is a “privilege”..
    On another subject, but related to health care: 4 teens who STOLE a car, and crashed into another car(s)?…All taken to hospital and expected to live…nice…but whose going to pay the bill????!!! Me thinks us….

  7. will says:

    Been working my whole life to pay for politicians to have the best health care for life and have these prostitute’s give our money to the 1%. We must get rid of them now.

  8. Eric J. says:

    -Will : They will next ask you for a tax increase after ” trickle down” fails to deliver .Whoever believes in the benevolence of american big business is naive.
    -Read David Stockman’s( Budget director for Reagan ) book “The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed “and see it all replay in 2018/19. Simultaneously in D.C. everyone wants a unpaid for tax cut and departmental increases in spending.
    -I believe it was a republican that said ” Read my lips;No new taxes”

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