Hillary Clinton said voters ‘don’t really understand’ the consequences of electing Republicans in the midterms
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- Hillary Clinton questioned whether voters "really understand" what's at stake in the midterms.
- She said Social Security and Medicare are under threat should control of Congress change.
- Republican leaders say they don't back proposals that could see the programs cut.
Hillary Clinton warned that voters may not appreciate what's at stake in the midterm elections, and alleging that Republicans are seeking to strip back welfare programs if given control of Congress.
In a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC with host Joy Reid, Clinton discussed next Tuesday's election, when Republicans are expected to take back control of the House, and could win back the Senate.
Clinton said she believes Americans don't "really understand" what that would mean.
"I think that with all of the noise that we've gotten in this election season I don't think that people are really able to grasp that," said Clinton.
The said that "the Republicans in the House and others like the chair of the Republican Senate Campaign Committee are on record saying they're going to put Social Security and Medicare up for a vote."
The former Democratic presidential candidate was referring to reports that some House Republicans want Social Security and Medicare eligibility to be on the table in negotiations with Democrats over the US debt limit, as well as recent GOP proposals to subject the programs to frequent congressional votes.
Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida, chairman of the GOP's senate campaign arm, has touted putting all federal spending programs, which would include social welfare, to a congressional vote every five years. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Jonson has argued for a similar measure.
If enacted, the proposals would put the programs at the mercy of partisan congressional politics and budget cuts, but they have not been backed by Republican leaders.
Democrats including President Joe Biden and Barack Obama have seized on the proposals to attack Republicans ahead of the midterms.