No need to comment on Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Freedom Caucus, the Gang of 20, McCarthy’s committee appointments, the election denier and conspiracy crazies in charge of the “institution” or my former party … but Christopher Weyant’s Jan. 20 cartoon (Page A4) – yes.

Social Security and Medicare are not entitlements. We paid Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes from our first to last paychecks, and still are in retirement! The fact that both parties have used Social Security funds as a source from which to borrow money is just wrong. “Entitlements” like Medicare health care are needed by many. Those who need them most have been hoodwinked by the Freedom Caucus.

For McCarthy (spineless on the national stage – now George Santos?) and his minions to pull this deficit ceiling PR stunt is the epitome of being two-faced and dishonest. There was a $7.8 trillion deficit increase under the previous administration.

Cut entitlements, huh? Start with a bloated military budget, congressional perks/health care costs, pork-barrel projects and log rolling. Increase IRS oversight to collect the billions tax cheaters owe us. Stop the BS investigations of the investigators. There are endless sources of needless special interest and inefficient spending to cut – not Social Security or Medicare.

And the rest of us, next time, vote these nut-jobs out of office. Come on, folks, get serious and stop all of this nonsensical culture war vitriol and pettiness (both sides) and get serious about addressing the issues that are truly impacting our lives on a daily basis and will well into the future. Just saying.

Ed Moser III
Freeport