Wisconsin Rep. Brian Steele outlined his plans to shore up Social Security and Medicare in his first re-election campaign announcement and during a town hall meeting Wednesday, though Democrats remain unconvinced about his sincerity.
“Social Security and Medicare are promises we made to our seniors, promises we need to keep,” Steele told a caller during a town hall meeting held by telephone.
To keep the programs going for future generations, the economy needs to grow without raising taxes or increasing government spending, Steele said.
“Every person who makes a better or higher wage, also pays more at the same tax rate. So the more we grow the economy and expand the economy in the United States, the better and better we are at making sure that we fund Social Security and Medicare going forward without raising tax rates,” Steele said.
He also argued that reckless government spending on other, unnecessary government programs put Social Security and Medicare at greater risk of collapse.
“We need to think about some of the infrastructure investments that we need to make, and be really smart about it. It’s about making sure our economy grows. It’s not that we raise tax rates, but people are making more money, they’re paying more in the pie. And as we do that, we have another mechanism to protect Social Security and Medicare,” he said.
But Wisconsin Democrats remain unconvinced that Steele is committed, accusing him of aligning himself with conservatives who want to cut programs while on the campaign trail.
“Despite presenting himself as a fighter for everyday Wisconsinites, Brian Steele has aligned himself with the dangerous Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda and has proven to be just another run-of-the-mill MAGA Republican hack,” the state Democratic Party said. There is nothing else.” Deputy Communications Director Haley McCoy said in a statement Thursday.
Trump has publicly distanced himself from Project 2025, which doesn’t even call for cutting Social Security or eliminating Medicare. According to political fact checker PolitiFact.
Steele, who represents Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, also announced his first re-election bid. Campaign advertising On Wednesday, his 100-year-old grandmother pointed out, “With high prices, many seniors are struggling. That’s why I’m working to protect Social Security and Medicare.”
Steele’s opponent, former Wisconsin State Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, has also campaigned on protecting federal programs for seniors.
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