Dear Editor,

When Senate Republicans confirmed Rep. Mick Mulvaney as Trump’s budget director they aimed a big gun at Social Security — despite Trump’s campaign promise to never cut it.

Mulvaney is co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, the most extreme element of the Tea Party. He described Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme” and argued that we must “end Medicare as we know it.”

During his hearings, a senator asked Mulvaney if Trump knew of his desire to cut these programs when he nominated him to control Trump’s budget. Mulvaney said, “The president knew what he was getting when he asked me to fill his role.” Make no mistake, that is a threat.

A big majority of Senate and House Democrats are now on record in support of expanding Social Security benefits. But with Trump in the White House, Republicans controlling Congress, and Trump’s cabinet packed with people more than happy to “throw grandma out in the street,” Democrats will have to fight with backbone or generations of grandmothers and grandfathers could suffer. We must send a signal that voters are paying attention and care deeply about this issue.

Please contact members of Congress and tell them to expand Social Security and Medicare not destroy them!

Sincerely,

Ben Lofton

Bellaire