is going out, and unless we do something, the cuts aren’t just a theoretical possibility; they are an inevitable reality.”


POVERTY PROTECTION Any effort to make real changes to the pro- gram, known as the “Third Rail of Politics,” has always been fraught with risk because of its popularity among a wide segment of the American public. During the Great Depression, as millions


be out of money by 2033, a year earlier than previously expected. This faster timeline indicates a potential


23% benefit cut for retirees if Congress does not act. The cash crunch mainly stems from


America’s aging population, especially baby boomers. As a result, the number of beneficiaries is


rising faster than the number of contributors, shifting the worker-to-recipient ratio. In 1965, four workers supported each ben- eficiary (80.5 million versus 20.2 million). By 2023, the ratio decreased to 2.7:1. Pro-


jections indicate it will drop to 2.1 by the end of the century, with 230.7 million workers and 110.4 million beneficiaries. Consequently, retirement costs, which


have exceeded income from taxes since 2021, are expected to reach $414.5 billion by 2033. Said Lawson: “The taxes coming in from current workers aren’t enough to cover what


faced poverty, President Franklin D. Roo- sevelt helped pass the Social Security Act, signed into law on Aug. 14, 1935, as part of his New Deal. It established a federal old-age pension


funded through payroll taxes, along with unemployment benefits and support for de- pendent children to help vulnerable citizens avoid financial hardship. Roosevelt viewed it as protection “against


poverty-ridden old age.” This pay-as-you-go system — where to-


day’s taxes fund today’s benefits — acts as community insurance, not a savings account. Critics opposed the legislation: Conser-


vatives saw it as socialism and government overreach, while many business leaders con- sidered it un-American, fearing dependency. Today, Social Security at least partly ful-


fills Roosevelt’s promise: In 2022, only 7.8% of recipients lived below the poverty line, compared to 9.7% of non-recipients. The program is highly popular. Accord-


ing to a July 2025 nationwide survey by the National Institute on Retirement Security,


Human Cost: Cuts Would Devastate Americans I


f Social Security’s trust fund ran out by 2033, about 74 million Americans, with an


average monthly benefit of $2,000, would face a 23% cut in their benefits. According to a report by the Peter G.


Peterson Foundation, a 21% cut amounts to about $414 less each month or $5,000 annually, affecting essentials like groceries and Medicare.


For low-income couples, the impact is


more severe. Earning about $29,000 a year on


average, they could lose $10,000 annually, eroding 34% of their Social Security-based retirement income, according to the study. Middle-income dual-earner households


face a $16,500 yearly reduction, resulting in nearly $280,000 in retirement costs.


The Center on Budget and Policy


Priorities estimates that Social Security alone reduced the poverty rate in 2022 from 18.4% to 11.5%. With benefits constituting more than half


of the income for 40% of those over 65, and over 90% for one in seven, the cuts could lead to skipped meals, delayed medical care, or an increased risk of eviction.


OCTOBER 2025 | NEWSMAX 63


“The taxes coming in from current workers aren’t enough to cover what is going out, and unless we do something, the cuts aren’t just a theoretical possibility; they are an inevitable reality.”


— Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works


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