Republicans finally offer solutions … to privatize Social Security and dismantle Medicare?

Over the last few days, House Republicans have claimed in a series of interviews and opinion pieces to offer “better solutions” to our nation’s fiscal problems.  However, a closer look at these plans shows that their proposals are actually old ideas to privatize Social Security and dismantle Medicare by turning it into a voucher program - ideas that have been roundly rejected by the American people.   

As Talking Points Memo reported, several Democratic lawmakers held a press conference call to discuss these rehashed and recycled plans that Republicans have recently dusted off and the disastrous effects they would have on seniors’ retirement security and health care.

"They are dusting off their old playbook, rehashing the policies that the American people have rejected in the past," House Democratic Caucus Chair John Larson (D-CT) said. "They want to privatize Social Security. They want to turn Medicare into a voucher program. And they're providing tax breaks for the wealthy while they raise taxes on the middle class."

Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) also noted, "This is not new. These are ideas, but they're not new ones. And privatization is on the row again by the Republicans."