Social inSecurity
Republican Senators are considering options to reform Social Security before it totally implodes from inability to pay benefits. Though President Bush's primary proposal is to allow individuals to invest a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes themselves, this option is not popular (mostly from ignorance of the issue), and so Republicans are considering other alternatives to extend Social Security's solvency, such as raising the retirement age to 69 or eliminating benefits for higher income earners.
Both of these options are good first steps at weaning Americans off the Government doll and Republicans should pass them. But, if they do, the Republicans should be prepared to be voted out of office. With some coaching by the Democrats, millions of Americans falsely believe that their Social Security taxes are accumulating somewhere in a retirement fund just for them, and they won't like someone tinkering with their retirement. Despite America's apparent lean to the right, this is the Dems' one trump card, an entitlement gift given by FDR that just keeps on giving!
Both of these options are good first steps at weaning Americans off the Government doll and Republicans should pass them. But, if they do, the Republicans should be prepared to be voted out of office. With some coaching by the Democrats, millions of Americans falsely believe that their Social Security taxes are accumulating somewhere in a retirement fund just for them, and they won't like someone tinkering with their retirement. Despite America's apparent lean to the right, this is the Dems' one trump card, an entitlement gift given by FDR that just keeps on giving!
I have heard actual liberals on the radio say things like "you expect American citizens to be responsible for their own retirement?" He said it in the same tone of voice as if he were saying, "You mean, you expect all Americans to fly to the moon in their own SUVs?" I don't see why there is so much opposition in the option to voluntarily save YOUR OWN MONEY! Weird Americans.
Posted by
Sarah |
June 21, 2005 2:38 PM