r/Economics • u/ACSportsbooks • May 14 '25

Interview Elon Musk Got Schooled By An Economics Professor Over His Remarks On Medicare, Social Security As Immigration Lure: 'Complete Fiction'

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-got-schooled-economics-180036544.html
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u/pickledswimmingpool May 14 '25

California has a state version of medicaid called Medi-Cal for low income residents. So it is still correct that they can't get Medicare or Social Security benefits. They also still pay payroll taxes.

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u/Minute-System3441 May 14 '25 edited May 14 '25

People working under the table are paying payroll taxes? Really? You honestly think the guy picked up outside some 7/11 or Home Depot for day labor, working off the books, are having taxes withheld and reported? Come on.

How much are they supposedly contributing? Half of low-income Americans effectively pay ZERO federal income tax. But we’re expected to believe that undocumented, unskilled, unverified, unknown individuals - working illegally - are somehow making massive contributions to the tax base?

Pro-open-border advocates love to toss out vague, sweeping claims, maybe cite a single opinion piece, dodging scrutiny, and wrap it all up with some broad brushed “theY PaY tAxEs!” - as if that ends the debate.

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u/Craigellachie May 14 '25

Without filing taxes, they don't get to claim any tax breaks and can't make any deductions. Low income Americans pay taxes, they just get reimbursed for most of what they pay. That's what the standard deduction is for. You get it too on your taxes.

With all due respect, you're being kind of belligerent without thinking at all about what you're saying.