‘We have to suck it up’: Ken Paxton privately suggests cutting federal benefit programs to reduce national deficit

Ken Paxton, the GOP Senate nominee, reportedly suggested in a leaked conversation that cutting federal benefit programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid could help reduce the national deficit. This controversial idea has sparked debate over the potential impact on vulnerable populations and the broader implications for federal fiscal policy. With the Senate election on the horizon, this proposal highlights the tension between deficit reduction and the political risks associated with unpopular spending cuts.