✍️ Social Security and Medicare Are Earned—We Can’t Let Them Be Undermined
They’re Not Entitlements. We Paid In, and We’re Fighting Back
The U.S. government requires every U.S. worker to contribute part of their paycheck to Social Security and Medicare. And employers are required to match those contributions. It’s not optional—and it’s how we fund two of the most essential programs in American life.
Right now, workers pay 6.2% of their wages into Social Security and 1.45% into Medicare. Employers pay the same. That money helps cover retirement, disability, and health benefits—not just for today’s seniors but also for everyone down the line. The full burden for the self-employed—12.4% and 2.9%—comes from their earnings.
We know they aren’t handouts. They’re earned benefits. In fact, the employer’s share is part of the employee’s total compensation—just like wages or health insurance. Workers earn it, even if it doesn’t show up on a paycheck.
Still, some politicians and corporate lobbyists have spent years trying to cut or privatize these programs. Why? Partly because they object to the government mandating that employers compensate workers beyond their base pay. Those contributions are real costs for employers—especially small businesses. I get it.
But those costs exist for a reason: They help provide a safety net for our country that workers can't afford to build on their own.
And the truth is, employee deductions alone aren't enough to keep the system going. The combined contributions from workers and employers are what make Social Security and Medicare viable.
For many Americans—especially people without pensions or retirement savings—those programs are often their only form of financial security in older age or after disability.
The societal value is clear: Social Security and Medicare reduce poverty, promote dignity in aging, and offer protection against life’s most unpredictable hardships. They’re a cornerstone of basic fairness and shared responsibility in a system that often asks people to fend for themselves.
These Programs Are Under Renewed Threat
That’s why it’s so troubling to see fresh efforts to undermine Social Security and Medicare in 2025—whether through legislation, executive actions, or misleading rhetoric.
I haven’t read about any changes to Security or Medicare in the current congressional Republican budget legislation.
But Trump’s budget request, part of the broader Project 2025 agenda, includes changes that could weaken both programs over time. These so-called “reforms” include raising the retirement age, reducing future benefits, and privatizing parts of Medicare—often cloaked in language about “personal choice” or “entitlement sustainability.”
But make no mistake: They would reduce what working people have earned.
I’d also like to clear up a common myth: Social Security isn’t just another line item in the annual federal budget. It’s a separate program with its own dedicated trust fund.
But when the government borrows from that fund by issuing Treasury bonds, it creates a long-term obligation that must be repaid. Those repayments depend on the political will of future Congresses—which is exactly why attempts to cut or “reform” Social Security often surface during budget negotiations.
It’s not just numbers—it’s a question of priorities.
At the same time, some lawmakers are pushing budget caps and spending cuts that would shrink the Social Security Administration’s already strained resources. That could mean longer wait times for services, delays in benefits, and fewer staff to help seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
These threats are not theoretical. We’ve already seen underfunded Medicare call centers and Social Security offices struggling to meet demand—a direct result of administrative cuts made under the guise of fiscal discipline.
And now, in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, we’re seeing misinformation campaigns about Social Security’s solvency, designed to create fear and justify cuts. The facts show that the programs are fully funded for years to come, and modest policy changes could strengthen them even more.
We’ve Earned These Benefits—And We Must Defend Them
If we care about fairness, dignity, and economic security, we must protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare—not defund or dismantle them. These programs should be expanded, not slashed.
Let’s make sure Congress hears us loud and clear:
Don’t cut these programs. Protect them. Strengthen them. We’ve earned it.
Advocacy Resources
🟩Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid
A ranked guide to organizations defending and strengthening core public health and retirement programs.
🏛️Contact Information: Washington's U.S. Senators and Representatives