Why Are Republicans Going To Hurt Their Own Voters ?

The Republicans just passed a tax reform bill that gives the rich and corporations massive tax cuts. Their new tax law also increases the deficit by $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion -- blowing a huge hole in the budget.

But they say they have a way to pay for the new tax cuts for the wealthy. They want to attack Social Security and Medicare (and Medicaid) -- cutting benefits in various ways. These are all programs that benefit American seniors (most of whom live on a fixed income and cannot cover rising costs).

This is not only immoral and mean-spirited, but it makes no sense. Why do I say it makes no sense? Because we are just a few months away from the 2018 congressional elections, and the Republicans are trailing right now among every poll's generic preference. The Republicans need every vote they can get if they want to retain control of Congress -- especially since they are facing an energized Democratic Party.

Seniors (those 65 and above) are generally the largest group in any American election, and they probably will be in 2018 also (now that Baby Boomers are swelling their ranks). And note in the chart above that those seniors are the only age group that says they would prefer Republicans in the congressional races (by 9 points over Democrats).

Does it make any sense at all for Republicans to attack the very popular Social Security and Medicare programs (especially among seniors) when they need the votes of those seniors so badly? Aren't they playing with fire by messing with those programs? If they anger seniors, they will have no chance at all to retain power after the 2018 election.

I think the Republicans are fixing to engage in political suicide.