Nearly thirty years ago, Republican President Ronald Reagan told the nation that Social Security has nothing to do with erasing or lowering the deficit. Today, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), delivered a letter to every House Republican office urging them to listen to President Reagan and take Social Security off the table in current negotiations. Below is the original clip and the text of the letter:
“Dear Colleague:
For the last 20 years, Republicans have consistently cited President Ronald Reagan’s legacy as the basis of their party platform. As Congress approaches important deadlines at the end of this year, Republicans should listen to what he said during the Presidential Debate on October 7, 1984:
‘Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit. Social Security is totally funded by the Payroll Tax levied on employer and employee. If you reduce the outgo [payments] of Social Security, that money would not go into the general fund to reduce the deficit. It would go into the Social Security Trust Fund.
‘Social Security has nothing to do with balancing a budget or erasing or lowering the deficit.’
We’re asking Republicans to listen to President Reagan and take Social Security off the table in current negotiations.”
