Republicans just can’t help themselves — after congressional Republicans repeatedly embraced plans that would put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block, new reporting shows they’ve come up with yet ANOTHER plan that would jeopardize these critical programs.

That’s right: Republicans have managed to hatch yet another wildly unpopular plan to gut Social Security and Medicare — and are making it one of their“top priorities” if they take control of Congress.

Bloomberg Government: “Social Security and Medicare eligibility changes, spending caps, and safety-net work requirements are among the top priorities for key House Republicans who want to use next year’s debt-limit deadline to extract concessions from Democrats.”

But it gets worse: Republican leaders are so hellbent on gutting Social Security and Medicare that they said they would be willing to threaten a credit default if they don’t get their way.

Bloomberg Government: “The four Republicans interested in serving as House Budget Committee chairman in the next Congress said in interviews that next year’s deadline to raise or suspend the debt ceiling is a point of leverage if their party can win control of the House in the November midterm elections.”

Gutting Americans’ hard-earned Social Security benefits is the GOP party line. Florida GOP Senator Rick Scott — the man in charge of electing Republicans to the Senate — has already doubled and tripled down on his plan to put Medicare and Social Security on the chopping block. 

Washington Post Opinion: “Scott’s plan would also sunset — eliminate — all federal legislation over five years, under the (risky) assumption that worthy laws would be reenacted. That could mean an end to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, everything else mentioned above — and potentially more.”

And all of these extreme proposals fall in line with the Republican Study Committee’s “Blueprint to Save America” — which also called for gutting Americans EARNED Social Security benefits.

NBC News: “The Republican Study Committee, a large group of House conservatives, proposed a budget in June that would incrementally raise the retirement age to collect Social Security… and lower benefits over the long term.”

Between the Republican Study Committee’s budget, Rick Scott’s proposal and now this plan — one thing is clear: If Republicans take control, they are coming after Americans’ hard-earned Social Security benefits.