mariad8142: Federal Budget Blog: Social Insecurity

Issue #3 Social Insecurity

Background: The Social Security System is a form of pay for retired, disabled, and others who are unable to work for different reasons. The problem with Social Security is that currently and in years to come; there will be more people drawing off "the system" then there will be paying into "the system" meaning that within a matter of years, (maybe even months) Social Security will be overdrawing its income (spending more than it is taking in.) The idea that has been talked about the most to fix the Social Security deficit, is to raise the age that you have to be before you can draw your Social Security income out(raising the retirement age). Currently the ages are being adjusted depending on when you were born; if you were born in (or before) 1937 you could have began withdrawing Social Security at age 65, but if you were born from 1938-1942 you cannot start withdrawing until the age of 65 and 1/2. However at the current rate it is estimated that every four years after 1946 your benefits will be delayed 2 years (1946- 1950= 67; and so on...)

My Side: I believe that the Social Security Officials need to do a thorough evaluation of the people that are withdrawing money; Not only to retirees withdrawing money that they rightfully earned and worked hard to put money into for many years, but the biggest issue of people on welfare. I am NOT opposed of people getting help that are honestly trying but just need some help to get through a rough patch, but I am opposed of people getting welfare "free money" that have not worked a day in their life! Recently I was talking to a woman while waiting to go to the doctor. The woman that I was talking to was actually bragging about how much free help she gets; in disbelief I asked her how she gets free health care, free food, gas, and housing and has not worked a day in her life. Mind you she also had a nicer car than I have, and I work a full-time job in the summer and when I have time off {I am working hard for my money, that I am happily putting into Social Security (: can you sense the sarcasm? GOOD! } But back to the big issue, when I asked her how she got all of the "free stuff" she said "oh, it was simple. I have 4 kids, with 4 different fathers and I have never been married, but I claimed that my first three boyfriends (babies fathers) beat me and my children, so we all get free health and mental health care for life. But with me being disabled because of the beatings I can't work so I get disability. I will NEVER have to work! My kids get a free K-12 education and after that they will not have to work either, they are disabled, too." She also went on to talk about how she does have a "job" where she gets paid in cash and gets to stay in hotels... you get the point. That is not what is important, the problem is that this woman and her kids will never have to work but they have a "free life" because of us (the taxpayers) who work hard to make ends meet and have to struggle in life; but because we are honest people we do not qualify to have a "free life."

Public opinion- A Louisiana Politician (John LaBruzzo) wants to pay poor women $1,000 to have their tubes tied, which seems like a lot of money; but if we would pay that much to prevent more people using welfare, it would certainly be less costly than supporting children for 18 years; and then probably even the rest of their lives. I agree with Mr. LaBruzzo paying $1,000 to prevent more people from withdrawing money from the "system" that have not payed their fair share!