Ken Paxton’s Remarks on Social Security and Medicare Cuts Raise Eyebrows
In a recently leaked audio obtained by the Texas Tribune, Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, expressed potential support for reducing Social Security and Medicare benefits. This revelation came to light during a private fund-raising event last month, where Paxton addressed lobbyists.
When questioned about strategies to tackle the national deficit, Paxton stated, “Making some reasonable cuts to mandatory spending—you’re gonna have to do it. Or there is no solution. That’s just the reality. We have to suck it up.” These comments highlight his stance on mandatory spending, which includes federal expenditures mandated by law such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Despite Paxton’s viewpoint, public sentiment seems to contrast sharply. According to a Navigator Research poll from last month, a significant majority of Americans disapprove of cuts to these programs. This includes 89% of Democrats, 53% of Republicans, and 78% of independents.
Advocates for trimming Social Security argue that such measures are crucial to sustain the program long-term. Presently, the Social Security trust fund, which ensures complete retirement and survivor benefits, is anticipated to be depleted by 2032.
In contrast, James Talarico, Paxton’s Democratic rival, advocates for a different approach. He proposes increasing Social Security taxes slightly for individuals earning over $400,000 annually to sustain the trust fund.
Paxton, however, has shown support for the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which implements a $1 trillion reduction in Medicaid to facilitate tax breaks for affluent individuals and large corporations. This legislative move is expected to result in approximately 200,000 Texans losing their health insurance coverage.
Despite the substantial cut, OBBB does not achieve a deficit-neutral status. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that this legislation will contribute over $4 trillion to the national deficit within the next decade.
Ryan Martin, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, commented, “Paxton has no problem adding trillions to the debt to cut taxes for billionaires, but wants cuts when it comes to protecting seniors’ retirement benefits and healthcare.”
Meanwhile, a recent Beacon Research poll indicates that Talarico is slightly ahead of Paxton by two percentage points in the race.
The post Paxton signals openness to Social Security cuts in leaked audio appeared first on American Journal News.
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