To the editor:

Treasury Secretary (Scott) Bessent accidentally revealed the Republican plan to privatize Social Security benefits with the new “Trump accounts.” These accounts are contributions made for children born in the U.S.

Before the Great Recession of 2007 the George W. Bush administration was very enthused about private accounts. For those of us who were adults at that time we remember that idea suddenly became unpopular with the stock market crash in 2007 and was suddenly dropped. It appears the Republican Party believes we have amnesia about that devastating recession, loss of homes and investments, etc.

A fact about Social Security benefits virtually never mentioned is it is INSURANCE. For those who accuse it of being a Ponzi scheme I ask do they have health, auto and home insurance? Based on their theory, those are also Ponzi schemes. The purpose of any insurance is we participate to share the risk. The tax rates for SSA programs have not increased since 1990. That is not true of private insurance premiums.

Republicans have misled the public as to who is eligible for federal benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. I worked with these programs, and I guarantee there is very little fraud because applicants must provide original (not photocopies) government-issued documents proving age and citizenship to qualify. (Sen.) Joni Ernst has made cruel, incorrect statements about this in order to instill fear and resentment in her fanaticism to retain power. The costliest of fraud of these medical programs is by providers, not the insured.

For those of us concerned with the cuts of assistance for the needy, a belief of some Christian groups is that only “good Christians” are prosperous. This is known as the “prosperity gospel.” If a person is doing well financially, they consider this a sign of faith and righteousness in Christ. They think the poor are not “good Christians” or God would have made them wealthy. They justify their cruelty with this arrogance. Is this what our current Republican representatives believe? Donald Trump recently said at the Iowa State Fairgrounds he hates Democrats.

A slogan to remember at this time is one describing the Democratic Party, “For the many, not the money.”

Linda Warren

Des Moines