Social Security
By terryt52
@terryt52 (243)
United States
January 27, 2011 7:21am CST
I was just reading an article that Social Security is running in the red ( which we all knew) and by 2037 they will be broke. Now aren't we paying social security taxes out of our pay and maybe the government should pay back all the money they took from social security. Social Security has become an entitlement program, you just have to be a druggie, alcoholic or say and act like you are crazy. and for us working people when we are ready to retire there will be no money then why are we still paying into social security. what are your thoughts. and should we continue to pay in to social security.
2 people like this
4 responses
@ptower76 (1616)
• United States
27 Jan 11
Social Security has been running in the read since i first heard of it as a child. Seems like some ne'r do well politicians came up with the brilliant idea of investing social security revenues about 40 or 50 years ago and we have been playing catch up ever since. Since the running of social security is in the hands of individuals that will also receive the benefits when they retire, I have faith that these same individuals will find a way to keep it afloat at least until they no longer need it. The entitlement program you speak of I believe is the SSI benefits that is operated with state and federal funding and is based on means as opposed to universal. I also believe SSI will also continue to exist since there are simply too many stakeholders that benefit from the program.
@terryt52 (243)
• United States
27 Jan 11
SSI you are correct is federal and state funded. It is indeed a entitlement program. I bet over half the people receiving it did little to contribute to it. Yes social security has been in the red for years. I would not bet that it will be around forever. So I am sure alot of people hope you are right but for our children and our grandchildren I do not think so.
@ptower76 (1616)
• United States
27 Jan 11
People have been saying that it will not be here for our children and grandchildren for years. Its not that i have confidence in the progam itself and those that run it. Its that there are simply so many beneficiaries and stake holders of social security from nursing homes to the neighborhood bodega, that a collapse of the system will be too devestating to even imagine. Social security has become a part of this country's economy and as such will probably not die alone.
@lindaharding627 (1442)
• United States
28 Jan 11
People who don't really need the Social Security disability are able to get it and others like me who need it most are not. I have a heart condition that can be aggravated by sitting or standing in one place too long and they have denied my request for help three times now citing that I can do telemarketing. My condition makes it where I have to change positions from sitting to standing every thirty minutes and I have yet to know of a telemarketing company that will allow me to get up and walk around every thirty minutes to keep me from passing out. I also have to eat salty snacks any time my blood pressure drops too low, monitor my blood pressure and heart rate three times a day, am not allowed to drive and have to walk with a quad cane because the risk of me falling when I get too dizzy is too great for me. Meanwhile I know people that ate so much over the years that they weigh an insane weight and are getting SSD just for being heavy. I have a lawyer on my case and will get a hearing soon. Hopefully, the judge will have enough brains to be able to realize that this isn't a madeup condition just because they haven't heard of it before.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
28 Jan 11
Good luck linda ... yes, it's very difficult to receive SSI from the government, very hard. Many lawyers will take your case on a contingency basis (they get paid when they win your case)... hopefully, this is how your lawyer is representing your case.
Some may think it's simple and easy to be declared disabled by the government ... it is not, it's very, very hard. My dad suffered two (2) heart attacks, it took a very long and difficult time to convince SSI of his eligibility. I wish you all the luck in this world!
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
27 Jan 11
it is sad that you have to pay into something that you probably wont see anything come out of it. i am not american (Canadian) but ihavent heard how ours is just that there are more seniors than ever before plus they are living a whole lot longer than ever before.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
27 Jan 11
Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, plain and simple. It's unconstitutional and it would, and has been, criminal when private citizens and businesses do the same thing.
The simplest solution to the problem is to axe the whole thing, acknowledging that it has failed miserably. Return every penny put into the system back to the people who contributed, and give them the option of rolling it into an IRA, 401k, ICMARC, or directly into a bank account of their choice.
Personally, I have absolutely ZERO faith in the continued existence of this scam and, unlike many Americans, I'm actually planning for my retirement with two IRAs, an ICMARC account, and a fair amount of stocks. I've worked at libraries near retirement communities and it's sad to see old people who are 100% dependent on the government to take care of them with piddly social security checks.
