November 14, 2016
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
Presidential Transition Office
c/o U.S. GSA Bldg
1800 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Dear President-elect Trump:
Please accept my congratulations upon your election as our 45th President of the United States. Your campaign victory reflects the American electorate’s desire for change in Washington politics.
As you move forward from the celebration to the hard work of transition, I would ask you to consider that while many Americans may want our nation’s political structure to change, numerous bi-partisan polls and surveys have shown that Americans do not support changes in vital programs like Social Security and Medicare which target already modest benefits. Americans of all political persuasions overwhelmingly agree that their earned-benefit programs, which have successfully protected their health and income security, must be preserved and protected.
During your campaign, voters were reassured to hear your promise to not cut Social Security and Medicare and that you believe Medicare should be allowed to negotiate prescription drug prices in the Part D program. That was welcome news. At the same time however, many of your colleagues in Congress were continuing their years-long crusade to privatize Medicare and cut Social Security via means-testing of benefits, raising the retirement age or changing the formula for the annual cost-of-living adjustment.
Here at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare our members and supporters who represent all political stripes agree that Social Security and Medicare are critical for maintaining financially stable families, boosting state and local economies, and that they should not be subject to the cuts proposed in the National Republican platform.
Your campaign’s economic and policy advisors were quite forthcoming about a Trump administration agenda that would “take a hard look at entitlements.” For advocates like us, this language is indicative of an intent to cut these safety net programs. Rather than cutting benefits, we believe there should be a thorough public discussion of ways to strengthen Social Security and Medicare without weakening benefits or undermining public support. In fact, in the last few years, momentum for benefits expansion and adjusting the cap on wages subject to the payroll tax has rapidly increased.
The will of the public has placed you in the highest office in America. The will of the public should also be the driver of any future changes to our nation’s social insurance programs. President-Elect Trump, I hope that America’s workers, retirees, the disabled and their families can count on you to keep your word to protect their future benefits.
I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these essential programs.
With Best Regards,
Max Richtman
President & CEO
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare