LA Times: Joni Ernst Hints at Cutting Social Security 'Behind Closed Doors' |

Article by Theodore Bunker in "Newsmax":

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, says that Congress should discuss Social Security “behind closed doors” to avoid “being scrutinized,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

Democratic operatives recorded Ernst during her appearance at a town hall in her home state last weekend, where she said that Congress needs to talk about Social Security “behind closed doors” because “the minute you say we need to address Social Security, the media is hammering you, the opposing party is hammering you — there goes granny over a cliff.

“But there is a real issue out there, and as long as we are being hammered as members of Congress for even saying we need to do something about it, you’re not going to find people that are willing to step forward and do it.”

She added that privacy is necessary “so we’re not being scrutinized by this group or the other, and just have an open and honest conversation about what are some of the ideas that we have for maintaining Social Security in the future.”

In response to criticism to her comment, a spokeswoman for Ernst said in a statement to The Washington Post: “Just as Senator Ernst predicted, we can’t have honest conversations about solving problems anymore without liberals and their media allies trying to demonize it and create a faux controversy. Senator Ernst has always and will continue to stand up and fight to protect Social Security now and for generations to come.”

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/joniernst-socialsecurity-congress-discussions/2019/09/06/id/931596/