Thread by @ASlavitt

COVID Update September 23: The assault on older people from COVID-19 is quite serious.

It pales in comparison to the assault on seniors from Trump. 1/

We all know COVID preys on people with weak immune systems and the elderly, people with chronic conditions, and people with a lot of exposure to virus-- forced to spend time in cramped poorly ventilated settings. 2/

Trump's retort that "nobody" young is being impacted as part of his overall defense of the indefensible is of course a lie.

10s of millions of Americans < 65 have compromised immune systems. Young people are getting ill-- and in Trump's ideal world also becoming uninsurable.3/

Of course, the death toll is now past the outter limits of his worst case scenario. He believed we would lose 60,000 people, likely less, but out of an abundance of caution said it could be as high as 100,000 to 200,000.

He didn't make it until the end of summer. 4/

Its far far far worse than that.
-He benefitting from a declining death rate based on ICU procedures he didn't know about (or he would have taken full credit)
-We are sadly not done o slowing down much
-The Fall wave hasn't begun
-There are so many other excess deaths 5/

Trump's damage is incalcuable. But he's not concerned. Why?

-Billionaires have made a 1/2 trillion more wealth during the pandemic
-It's only "old people" 6/

Seniors should take note of a president ready to discard them. But that is not where it ends by a long shot.

While everything has been going on Trump has been robbing from Medicare and Social Security, 7/

If you think you got a tax break think again:

Trump has taken 2 years from the Medicare Trust Fund. It now expires in 2024
Social Security expires in 2031 & he has a proposal which would have it run out in 2023.

This is what he wants. Will explain. 8/

https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1308769766761467905?s=20

I was a Trustee during the Obama-Biden Administration of Medicare & Social Security. They were proud to add a decade to Medicare. Let me be clear. It is a duty.

Let me be VERY clear what happens if Trump wins a second term. 9/

If Trump wins a second term, he will now have FORCED drastic changes to those programs. There are only 2 ways Medicare can be cut: increase taxes (which Trump & GOP would not do) OR reduce the program. 10/

In 1965, when Medicare & Medicaid passed,y 1 in 3 seniors lived below the poverty level. Since the dawn of those programs, even as other inequalites have grown, that number is down to 8%.

Before in 1965 seniors lost their homes, moved in with their kids, or into their cars.11/

The favorite ways of the GOP to "reform" the program are to limit the amount Medicare covers & put the rest on seniors' backs. Start cutting benefits and the amounts doctors would be reimbursed. Raise the eligibility age-- just as fewer people have outside coverage. 12/

That's exceedingly unpopular and unnecessary for good reason. So Trump has decided he will force it. He would "save" Medicare by fundamentally gutting it.

He is already executing his plan. 13/

The number one pain point, besides sending them out to pasture and taking their Medicare? The day to day cost of prescription drugs.

So of course, he is attacking that. In ending the ACA, he is seeking to end the closing of the donut hole for seniors. 14/

This will cost seniors billions and billions more in drug costs. On a fixed income, this means going without your medicine. 15/

He will ask you to pay attention to his coming Executive Orders: "Drug prices be lower!" "Pre-existing conditions be covered."

On top of it all, he's like one of those people who commits scams on the elderly. He thinks you are gullible. 16/

Just in case you don't feel ready to go just yet, just in case you're not ready for your parents to go, just in case you expect to get age some day with grace, just in case these years matter--vote. Drive someone to the polls. Make phone calls. Ensure seniors get their ballots.17

If you live in Florida or Arizona, this attack on seniors is a story that must be told over and over. Seniors should understand what Trump is trying to do. Is already doing.

18/

Medicare is a generational promise. IMedicare and Social Security are also promised to people with disabilities.

They are lifeblood programs and some of our proudest accomplishments as a nation. It will be hard to protect them from Trump if he remains in the White House. 19/

I have run these programs. I spent my days, nights and weekends for 2 years serving the tens of millions of people who count on them every day. The time to stop this is NOW. /end

https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1308041395475750913?s=20