What Corrupt Politicians Won’t Tell You About Social Security
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Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart
First, the big lie about Social Security. Republicans call
the program an entitlement. Social Security was originally funded entirely by
employers and employees, no taxpayer money was used. However, corrupt
politicians have attached additional programs to this retirement fund, and the
only reason it may become bankrupt in the near future.
[After its 1935 origin, the Social Security Act
expanded significantly, adding critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid
(health insurance for elderly/poor), the federalized Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) for needy aged, blind, and disabled, and expanding child welfare
and public health grants to states, forming a broader social safety net beyond
just retirement. Key additions also included Unemployment Insurance, Disability
benefits (within OASDI), and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).
Key Expansions & Additions:
1930s-1940s (Original Act & Early Amendments):
Unemployment Insurance: A national program for job loss.
Aid to Dependent Children (ADC/AFDC): Financial aid for poor
families with children.
Maternal & Child Health, Crippled Children, Child
Welfare: Grants to states for child services.
Public Health Grants: Expanded services to all localities.
1960s (Major Health Expansion):
Medicare (1965): Health insurance for people 65 and older
and some younger disabled people.
Medicaid (1965): Health coverage for low-income families and
individuals.
1970s (Consolidation & New Programs):
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (1974): Replaced
state-run programs with a single federal program for aged, blind, and disabled.
Ongoing Additions:
Disability Insurance (DI): Became a core part of Old-Age,
Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI).
Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI): State-level programs
for short-term inability to work.
These additions transformed Social Security from primarily
an old-age pension system into the broad framework for U.S. social insurance
and assistance programs that it is today. We can do better. Think about this
when you vote in November.
This is the real problem. Politicians embezzle money
contributed by the working class and their employers and use it to fund costly
programs which should be separate from Social Security.
Our contributions belong solely to us. It must not be used
to pay for other social programs. Here are some things most of you do not know
unless you are nearing retirement.
The Social Security Act was signed by President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt in 1935. After the Great Depression, “the People’s President”
saw a need to protect our nation’s older population, and create a plan to
provide a sustainable income after they retired.
When eligible for Social Security benefits, the monthly check
is based on the amount of contributions from each individual and their
employers.
No Social Security recipient has ever received the total
amount of their contributions.
Social Security was the only government program funded
entirely by the people with the exception of its administration.
Finally, you and I pay for the “add-ons” to the original
law, and your government is stealing from you.
My wife and I are perfect examples of how important Social
Security has become for working-class Americans. We are part of the 10 percent
of Americans who rely on Social Security for all or most of our retirement income.
Tell your Congressmen and Senators to end the bullshit and
tell the truth, Social Security is going broke because of their incompetence
and lack of concern for older Americans. This is another “only in America”
situation.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Follow my blog and be informed
Sources:
https://www.pgpf.org/article/9-facts-about-social-security-and-the-need-to-strengthen-it/
https://allworthfinancial.com/articles/10-fast-facts-about-social-security
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