US Rep. John Larson addresses possible cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in Connecticut appearance
Hundreds of people gathered at East Windsor High School on Wednesday evening to see a town hall appearance from U.S. Rep. John Larson (CT) regarding the future of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in Connecticut.
Larson has been questioning the budget plan from House Republicans for weeks and offered an update on his work to those in attendance on March 19.
The U.S. representative shared his concerns about the potential harm the proposed cuts to public benefits could cause in the community. Larson also voiced those concerns once again at East Windsor High School Wednesday night, and called on Congress to take action.
"We got news for them," Larson said. "Keep your hands off our Social Security."
He called on Congress to not only keep Social Security but "enhance it for the people who have paid into it their entire lives."
Dr. Rosie O'Brien Vojtek, a 38-year veteran educator from Bristol, arrived in East Windsor for the public meeting. She says the potential cuts will hurt residents of all ages, especially children, around the country.
"I am very concerned about Social Security. Many of our kids depend on that. So many women and mothers depend on that... I don't want to see the kids in poverty," Vojtek said.
Paula Alderette, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Hartford, also made her way to Larson's appearance. She said that cuts to public benefits could be detrimental to people's mental health, particularly those who depend on Medicaid.
"Many of the young children who need therapy have Medicaid," she said. "You take that away and you're not just taking healthcare, but you're also taking away mental healthcare."
According to the White House, the administration of President Donald Trump has no plans to cut Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Elon Musk, head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, commented on the situation.
“[There is] waste and fraud in entitlement spending," Musk said. "Most of the federal spending is entitlements. That's the big one to eliminate. That's sort of half-trillion, maybe $600 billion to $700 billion a year.”
When it comes to the future of benefits such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, only time will determine their fates.