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this first hour, we are focusing a social security and medicare. do you support changes to those programs? again, prompted by the looming debt limit deadline coming up. the treasury secretary talking about that late last week. the headline from the washington times this morning, federal government to hit debt limit this week. federal government will bump up against its limit this week. putting congress on notice that it must approve an increase or risk uncle sam not being able to cover the bills. secretary janet yellen said friday her department will use other tools to cover payments. those tools can only last so long. once they run out, congress and president biden have not agreed to an increase, the government will be able to pay only according to income. on the issue of social security itself and the debt limit, axios

wrote about that as the we can begin. the fight looms over at a care in medicaid. house republicans do not have much of a path to get major health care changes past with a democratic senate and president with one possible exception, the debt ceiling fight. they say it is not clear which spending cuts house republicans will push for an exchange to expanding the government's borrowing authority later this year, but some say health care programs like medicare and medicaid should be on the table. others mindful how the talk of cuts has brought political repercussions saying they want to steer clear of the programs. do you support changes in medicare and social security? it is (202) 748-8000 for 65 and under, (202) 748-8001 for social security and medicare recipients. all others, (202) 748-8002.

this is a report on the health of social security medicare systems by the numbers, 2022 trustees report analyzed. by 2028, the hospital insurance trust fund will be depleted and there is a 10% shortfall in payments for medical services affecting 74 million enrollees by 2028. social security, the time went to watch is 2034. old age and survivors insurance trust fund will be depleted, the trustees report says. we will potentially see a 23% cut in benefits affecting 71 million beneficiaries. on the debt ceiling fight in particular, here is raphael warnock yesterday on this week with george stephanopoulos. [video clip] >> house republicans say they want something in return for raising the debt limit, that

there has got to be some controls on spending in exchange for raising the debt limit. you have heard from the white house that they will not negotiate. that is the message. no negotiation on this, republicans just have to raise the debt limit. is that a mistake? you are the 18th most bipartisan, campaigned on working republicans. shouldn't the white house be open to negotiations? >> here is the thing we have to be careful of. we have to make sure we do not make the work in d.c. about politicians. the fact of the matter is, we can do deficit reduction. we can deal with our national debt. at the same time, the last thing we ought to be doing is playing chicken with the american economy. we've been through the onslaught of a very long pandemic that has created a lot of challenges for american families.

they pay their bills, i think they expect the government to pay its bills. we can do this on a bipartisan basis as we have done time and time again. i think we lose our way when we make the issue about politicians. i am focused on the people of georgia. i'm focused on farmers who are trying their best to make it work in this tough economy. i'm thinking about ordinary workers who deserve a livable wage. i'm thinking about those trying to make their lives work. when we make it about politicians, we lose our way. host: we are opening our question for you on this monday about social security and medicare, focusing on whether you support changes, what type of changes to social security and medicare. for those under 65, (202) 748-8000. social security and medicare recipient, (202) 748-8001. all others, (202) 748-8002.

first to indiana. good morning. caller: good morning. i do not think social security or medicare should be changed or reduced. i think this whole discussion about budget deficits and that kind of thing is an irrational kind of discussion to have. because the u.s. is a sovereign currency nation. can you hear me? host: yes, we can. caller: sorry, i got distracted. the need to fund social security from tax revenue is irrational and not true. all federal expenditures are new issued currency. it is not from tax proceeds. these bad-faith arguments we do not have sufficient funds, funding something as important

as security of senior citizens, is just a ridiculous argument area i think the hold that ceiling should be eliminated. it makes no sense in the current framework of our monetary system , which is a sovereign currency. not a tax revenue-based currency model, which means we have the funds. the u.s. government can issue its own currency any value we want. we don't need to raise taxes, we do not need to do any of that. the way federal expenditures are funded, it is all issued currency. it is not from tax revenue. the arguments we have about the budget are irrational. host: to baltimore, william is on the line. caller: good morning, thanks for c-span. i am going to receive may vary for social security check on wednesday this year. it is quite an anticipated moment.

my wife has been receiving checks for about a veer -- a year. we have worked hard in social security is the people's money. we earned it, paid taxes all her lives. republicans at every opportunity -- with this trickle-down economy fairytale. we need to better spend our tax dollars and this military spending is out of control, the ukrainian aide has to come to an end. we cannot be protectors of the whole world any longer. then, talk about taking away social security. host: sorry we lost you on that, we have another recipient of social security headline from cnbc. when social security beneficiaries can expect their first checks in 2023 to include cost-of-living, eight point 7%

cost-of-living adjustment. starting this month, more than 65 million social security beneficiaries will receive checks that include a record-breaking 8.7 cost-of-living adjustment, social security benefits are slated to increase by more than $140 per month on average, according to the social security administration. next up in new york on the recipient line, go ahead. caller: yes, i am a uaw worker from upstate new york. we need to do three things to stabilize social security. i am still working, i am a recipient but still working. we need to raise the age limit from 62 when you first start receiving it, raise the cap on it. it's around 150,000. we are going to have to raise

the contribution from 6.2% for social security and 1.5% for medicare, because you just can't receive -- today's workers, if they want to receive its help retirement, they've got to contribute more to it. everybody likes social security but do not necessarily want to pay for it. social security is the most successful government program we have, because it is shared security. in a country where we mostly have looking out for number one, we are looking out for the other person. that is our contribution. host: this is the headline from insider, damaging cuts to medicare and social security are looking more likely with mccarthy as house speaker. here's what we'll mean for retirees. the speaker says that is not true. in comments to reporters, a news briefing at the end of the legislative week last week thursday, here's what the speaker said.

[video clip] >> the one thing i know, when republicans were in power those eight years, discretionary spending increased zero. i watched emma kratz take over for four years and increase it by 30%. they went from 4 trillion to 7 trillion. i watched inflation grow under their fiscal policies. we have got to get our house in order. as republicans, we will always protect medicare and social security. we will protect that for the next generation. we are going to scrutinize every single dollar spent. it is the right of the hard-working taxpayer that pays it and we want to make sure it is spent wisely and not the way democrats are spending. host: a couple comments on social media. medicare reduced their rates, social security raised income and the biting dictatorship handed you a bill for $1.7 trillion. what is not to like?

that 8.7% increase is nothing to cheer about. imagine if a family rather house like the government. after paying for the mortgage and health insurance, dad spends 50% of what is left on guns. somebody would call cps on him. raise the cap, republicans want to destroy it. in maryland, good morning. caller: good morning. i worked very hard and contributed to my social security from the time i had my first job in high school. this is something i have earned. i do not think they should mess with that, do not take that from us. if you need more, tax those who are earning more. host: to florida on the under 65

line, what are your thoughts? caller: yes, i would like to make just one change. that would be to medicare. right now, you have to wait until you are 65. i'll be turning 65 in may. what i would do, i'd make medicare for all. i think that would be a perfectly reasonable thing. our health care system, while actual doctors, surgeons are the best in the world, the problem is having access. insurance rates are just ridiculous. i think if we had medicare for all, for all ages, it would spread out all the risk so a lot more young people would be in their. i think it would cost less money, that is the one change i would make, thank you. host: on medicare in particular, the peterson foundation with their analysis of last year's trustees report, the report came

out last june, they write that will medicare is funded in part by payroll taxes, the largest source of financing currently comes from the federal government general fund. it is projected to continue to grow, which would put pressure on the federal budget. the general fund now paying 46% of medicare income and the general fund, 49% they predict by the year 2052 under current law. virginia is next. caller: good morning. give me just a minute, i will be quick and to give you some information about the situation i find myself in. i am 65 years old. i am giving a shout out to black

americans, the black americans, i want them to know that under the administration, a senior citizen like myself who had a heart attack in 2004 and had to stop working, it went up $40 under the trump administration. president obama, joe biden, neither one raise the rent. the government apartment that i live in on fixed income. i'm thinking americans to realize the republican party will not help these people. they will not, they won't. they continue to do everything they can to destroy social security and medicare. black americans, i am telling you, please be careful. host: we are getting a little interference in the background, we have got your point.

janice is next in portland. you are on the air. make sure you mute your television and go ahead. caller: ok. alright, i did that. what i want to say is this. i am going to be turning 68 this year. every time the republicans get in the house of congress, the first thing they want to do is get rid of social security. they want to get rid of social security, medicaid, medicare. they said these contribute to the debt ceiling, which it does not. they do that. they want to privatize social security, medicare, medicaid, all of this. they want the state to take over. this does not make sense for me. i do not understand why they want to take this from people. it is just ridiculous. host: we had brendan boyle on

the program last week, the incoming ranking member on the budget committee in the u.s. house, a democrat from pennsylvania. i asked him what he thought republicans plans were for social security and medicare in the upcoming budget debate. [video clip] >> they plan to use the debt ceiling as leverage to hold the rate ceiling as hostage in order to win cuts to social security and medicare. i am amazed they were that blocked and, to their credit, came out and said what they intend to do. i think it is pretty clear that is their position. it is hardly a new position for the republican side. on the democratic side, whether it is the president or the democratic house side, we will stand and fight every step of the way. >> what do you think has to be done for social security and medicare? >> to be clear, there is enough revenue coming into social

security to pay 100% of benefits. that is the case until 2035. the middle part of the next decade, we rented to a significant funding shortfall. that will continue because of issues with the aging of the population and the fact we have fewer workers today paying into the system as opposed to what we used to have. very simply, we need more revenue in the system. i've been a long time social security 2100, led by my colleague john larson. we have a plan. i hope that we would be voting on it to the end of last year, that did not happen. i am still a strong supporter of it. the idea you have people making millions and millions of dollars a year, yet they only pay a fraction into social security, means they are paying a far lower percentage in social security tax than most that i represent philadelphia.

host: needing more revenue, needing more workers. here is the analysis of the peotter foundation on the trustees report. one of the major drivers of medicare and social security costs is the aging of the population. as the baby boom generation retires, social security, medicare, hospital insurance programs will have fewer revenue contributing workers for each beneficiary. the 2022 report, 2.8 million workers per beneficiary ratio, it will be far less than that by 2020 -- 2042, plus changes are made according to the trustees report and analysis of the peterson foundation. we go to gary next in connecticut. caller: good morning, thank you for taking my call. i am a social security recipient, i just turned 76 last month -- i should say earlier

this month. i've been on social security since 66, 67 this euro -- 67 years old. i believe the program needs to be modified, there is no question about that. there are various ways of doing it. as they have in the past, slightly increasing retirement age. number two is the means testing. means testing social security is another way of doing it. host: appreciate that, we will go to michigan on the under 65 line. what are you hoping changes will be made in social security so you are able to benefit from it? caller: i think, if anything -- i agree with the caller earlier that said expand medicare. listen to some of bernie sanders

' ideas, expand medicare. expand social security. medicare is being slowly privatized right now, there is no reporting on that. with these medicare advantage plans, i do not know how they are called medicare except for medicare gives money to private insurance companies, which is not seem right to me. one of the things people never talk about is the flat wages we have had for the last 40 years. i wonder what effect that has had on money going into medicare. aside from the fact that, as other people have pointed out, the cap after you make 140 thousand dollars or 150 thousand dollars, you do not pay anything, which is not seem right to me.

-- does not seem right to me. social security h was increased under george w. bush, that affected me. it used to be 60 and 65, now it is 62 and 67. the people who are affected by that have not even gotten up to the social security age yet. myself being one of them. the longevity for the working class has been going down in the united states, going up for super rich people. but longevity in the united states is going down for the working class. so raising the age is ridiculous. host: knowing your uncertainty about potential benefits for you with social security, what are you doing personally -- how much is social security a part of your planning for retirement?

what else are you doing to mitigate any loss of social security income? caller: i have done what i can. i have a 401(k), i am one of the few people my age and younger that have a little bit of a pension coming up. i might be ok. i think -- i would suggest c-span has alex lawson from social security works on to talk about social security and medicare. he is a plethora of knowledge, i'm sure you've heard of him. that would be a great person to have on for your viewers to get concrete, factual information

about social security and medicare. i am sure he knows about how medicare is being privatized slowly but surely. host: i appreciate the guest suggestion, as this issue obviously is not going away. we certainly will have future segments in the coming weeks and months. go ahead. caller: yes, i am a social security and medicare recipient, and i am the chairman of the board of a retirement and benefit program. half the people who go to work on any given day will never get a pension. they only have $7,500 in savings. that is not according to me, that is according to investment consultants and money managers. if the congressman want to put us in poverty, eliminate social

security and medicare. that was created in 1935 because half the people then lived below the poverty line. host: in this role that you said you manage, are you managing time and fund? -- retirement fund? tell us more about that. caller: the board of trustees we approve our pension fund managers. it is a defined contribution and participants choose the investments based on their age level. risk investments, like younger people should be in small caps, big caps and real estate. older people should be in government bonds. we call it corporate paper, it

is corporate bonds. that is the thing. this debt limit, not increasing the debt limit, it would impact our ability to pay benefits. caller: thank you for taking my call. i always hear cuts from medicare, cuts from medicare. does this country every think of cutting welfare programs, foreign money we send out? why do we have to cut the poor people who are recipients of medicare who really depend and need that money? they are all senior citizens who cannot get a part-time job. some of these people collecting welfare all these years our young people who can get out and go get a job. maybe we start cutting that type of program and cutting foreign money going to foreign countries

that give us absolutely nothing, but come here and destroy our country. we have all this porter crisis going on. don't you think some of this people coming here are going to be taking from the medicare fund we worked so hard for? people work hard for medicare. they pay for medicare. that should never, ever be cut. host: brian in kansas on the under 65 line. caller: good morning. i have had this argument with my mom before, about got into it with her. she probably paid and may be $150,000 in her lifetime, now she is 83 years old. she's been drawing for 20 years. when you take the medicare part of it is what is breaking it, because social security would be sustainable, i think. but just her drugs are $12,000 a

year. you take that and social security, sometimes she is in the hospital with a heart condition, it is hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. before she dies, it will probably cost a million dollars. she paid in 150 thousand dollars, that is not sustainable. a lot of people do that, a lot of people end up in the nursing home. that is $70,000 a year. they do not pay in anything. the health care part of it is what is causing the trouble. had to call in and get it straight for everybody. it is not sustainable. host: i appreciate the perspective. is your mom still alive? caller: yes, she is still alive and she is fine. she may live another 10 years. in her lifetime, she has

probably paid and may be 150 thousand dollars, maybe 200 thousand dollars to social security and medicare. i looked at mine, i paid and probably 100 $50,000 combined social security medicare. i'm getting ready to go on social >> we believe that here. you can see the rest of it at c-span.org. in honor of martin luther king day resident biden along with a number of other civil rights leaders are speaking at the national at chicken -- the national action network breakfast at mayflower hotel. it live coverage on c-span. ♪

bless your holy name. ♪ [indiscernible]

>> this morning on martin luther king jr. day the national action network is holding a breakfast

that honors dr. king's legacy, civil movement -- civil rights movement and those continuing to do his work. expanding justice and equality in their community. coming up the rev. al sharpton who founded and leads the national action network will lead the event. we will hear from dr. king's daughter yolanda king. former house speaker nancy pelosi offers him -- offers remarks at 11:30. president biden is scheduled for noon eastern. live coverage from mlk day here on c-span.

>> you get elected to either senate or congress, my starting pay was under $75,000. you get all the benefits of the united states health care. these guys are really truthful about being so conservative

about money. cut your own salaries. how about working five days a week, they don't. i work 10 hours a day, what are they doing. just some point. they are still paying 170 $5,000 a year for lying. i couldn't do that. host: george santos there, the long island congressman. in ocean city, new jersey, good morning. caller: ed o'donnell, a means test for social security recipients could help stabilize social security funds. my father was a doctor, my mother a nurse, real estate agent. they could have withstood a modest decrease in their social security checks because they had a lot of money. a means test is something we ought to look at because the financial stability of the united states is very weak at this moment. host: to bladensburg, up next on

the under 65 line. matt, go ahead. caller: i wanted to clarify, there are so many people, including politicians who don't acknowledge this even though they know it is true. i am one, that is why i clarified, i am under 65 but i get social security. i get it because i am on disability. i pity the individual who would begrudge his mother about getting social security. because of how much she put in the system. i became disabled when i was 30. i had no control over that. this is what the right doesn't seem to understand people don't have much control over when they have a sudden action, they think they are immune to this.

the other thing is, the woman who called in about medicare advantage, it has nothing to do with social security or medicare giving them money. that is a lot of nonsense. they are completely a bogus operation for profit that will allow the use of social security. ssi and ssdi exists if you have a disability or if your funds don't get you through the month. host: when did you go on ssdi? caller: i get medicaid, that is through the state. i get everything covered that is not like vanity oriented.

my x-rays, all that stuff is covered. the only thing i take for is a dollar for -- the only thing i pay for is a dollar for my prescriptions. this is what everything should have -- this is what everyone should have. and it can be done. host: how long have you been on ssdi? caller: they want cheap labor. that is their ultimate goal. i would like to play out to people. i wanted to say there are people on social security who get it from a younger age. people who are born with disabilities. these people need to do some research. host: to our other line, stephen in vermont. go ahead. caller: good morning.

thank you for taking my call. happy mlk day. host: thank you, good morning to you. caller: i want to start out, the national debt in our country at this point in time begins with a 31 and there is 3, 6, 9, four more numbers after that. each share of the population, to balance the budget would have to pay in 94,180. when i was in college, i was 29 years old. each share person was around 14,000 some odd dollars. the country needs to set term limits for politicians and the higher echelon. the budget needs to be managed in a manner that helps the people that need it and not the ones that are on the dole.