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Video of Mike Lee Vowing to Gut Social Security Resurfaces [1]
['Nick Mordowanec', 'Jonathan Tobin', 'Dan Perry']
Date: 2022-11-03 17:28:54-04:00
A video has resurfaced from a campaign event in 2010 involving incumbent U.S. Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, in which he said his intentions were to "phase out" Social Security.
Lee, who is in the midst of a reelection campaign against unaffiliated candidate Evan McMullin, was originally elected to the Senate in 2010 after incumbent Republican Senator Bob Bennett lost renomination at the GOP's state convention while seeking his fourth term.
"I'm here right now to tell you one thing you probably have never heard from a politician: It will be my objective to phase out Social Security, to pull it up from the roots and get rid of it," Lee said during a campaign stop February 23, 2010, in Cache Valley, Utah. "People who advise me politically always tell me it's dangerous and I tell them, 'In that case it's not worth my running.' That's why I'm doing this, to get rid of that. Medicare and Medicaid are of the same sort, they need to be pulled up."
The video was originally recorded by YouTube user Michelle King, who Lee addressed by name during that same campaign event. Multiple videos of Lee speaking that evening are still available for viewing on King's page.
U.S. Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, asks a question of former FBI Director James Comey at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Video has resurfaced for Lee's 2010 Senate campaign in which he said his "objective" involved phasing out entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images
Lee's comments came following a question from one resident regarding the Constitution and changes Lee would make in Washington, D.C.
"One of the biggest places we have to start is I believe with entitlements," Lee said. "There's nothing in here [Lee holds up a copy of the Constitution] that gives them the power to redistribute my wealth, yet that's what entitlement programs are—they're a wealth redistribution."
He said that generations had been born, lived their entire lives and died "under this sort of cradle-to-grave nanny state that we've created." He called it "utterly taboo" for a politician or individual seeking political office to mention Social Security in the same sentence as terms like "reform, reduction, phase out, elimination, privatization."
Lee later said it would involve "growing pains" to implement such sweeping changes to entitlement programs.
"Now in this last-ditch effort, let's lie to senior citizens and scare them to death with lies about Republicans, [that] they want to take away their Social Security and Medicare and cut it," said Fox News host Sean Hannity in a now viral video. "OK, not a single Republican has ever said it; no Republican supports it."
Hannity: Not a single Republican has ever said they want to take away your Social Security..
Mike Lee: It will be my objective to phase out Social Security. To pull it up by the roots and get rid of it. pic.twitter.com/j0EQOyKM2q — Acyn (@Acyn) November 3, 2022
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Congressional Republicans, notably if they reclaim the majority in both the House of Representatives and Senate, "have embraced plans to reduce federal spending on Social Security and Medicare." That could include benefit cuts while simultaneously raising the retirement age for both programs, including an age increase for Social Security from age 67 to age 70.
Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida was called out in March by Fox News anchor John Roberts for his proposed GOP tax hike. Roberts pointed out to Scott that his plan would raise taxes on half of Americans, and potentially sunset programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Scott replied by calling it a "Democrat talking point" prior to saying that Social Security would be "bankrupt in 12 years."
Polls show Lee leading McMullin by various amounts. An Emerson College poll from October 31 shows Lee, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump but never publicized it, up by 10 points.
The survey measured the impact of a Trump or Senator Mitt Romney endorsement, with Emerson College Executive Director Spencer Kimball saying that "either a Trump endorsement or Romney endorsement may do more harm than good" for Lee.
The McMullin campaign referred Newsweek to a new ad backed by a major TV buy that is airing across Utah, using Lee's words and record regarding Social Security.
"This attack by my opponent is straight out of the Democrat playbook," Lee told Newsweek in a statement. "Throughout my first campaign and from the day I took office, I have been clear: we must honor our commitments to retirees.
"That has been reflected in every vote I've cast, every bill I've introduced, and every speech I've given regarding Social Security. One of the first bills I sponsored would have ensured the viability of the Social Security program for the next 75 years," Lee added.
Update 11/4/22, 5:11 p.m. ET: This story was updated with response from the McMullin and Lee campaigns.
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[1] Url:
https://www.newsweek.com/video-resurfaces-senator-mike-lee-vowing-gut-social-security-1756796
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