EAST LANSING, Mich. - When it comes to Social Security and Medicare, Michigan residents are letting their representatives in Congress know exactly how they feel, as the debt ceiling continues to dominate debate. AARP Michigan says the organization has delivered the signatures of nearly 52,000 state residents urging Congress not to cut programs that have nothing to do with the deficit.
Andrew Farmer, associate state director for health and supportive services with AARP Michigan, says Congress should not blame Medicare and Social Security, "especially since they don't contribute to those financial problems. It's by now common understanding that Social Security does not contribute to deficits."
Supporters of the cuts say they are needed to control the growth of entitlement programs, but Farmer calls linking those programs to the current debt ceiling debate "smoke and mirrors."
Combining talk about the debt ceiling while also discussing Social Security and other programs has caused confusion for many. Farmer reiterates that the two are not linked.
"The debt ceiling is a tactic to go after programs that some politicians don't like in the first place."
If there is no final approval on a debt ceiling agreement by Aug. 2, the government could default.
Andrew Farmer, associate state director for health and supportive services with AARP Michigan, says Congress should not blame Medicare and Social Security, "especially since they don't contribute to those financial problems. It's by now common understanding that Social Security does not contribute to deficits."
Supporters of the cuts say they are needed to control the growth of entitlement programs, but Farmer calls linking those programs to the current debt ceiling debate "smoke and mirrors."
Combining talk about the debt ceiling while also discussing Social Security and other programs has caused confusion for many. Farmer reiterates that the two are not linked.
"The debt ceiling is a tactic to go after programs that some politicians don't like in the first place."
If there is no final approval on a debt ceiling agreement by Aug. 2, the government could default.
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