Yes, taxes, laws, police, courts are all intolerable impositions on your freedom. I get it.
For those who prefer limited government providing some limited services, Social Security is not a bad program.
Yes, Social Security is a tax-funded transfer payment system. The purpose of the program is income security for the elderly and the disabled. What's wrong with that?
The taxes are accounted for as loans from Americans to the government in the SS Trust Fund. That creates a political imperative to "pay back" to the taxed. In fact, as long as we do have voting, SS is a popular program and cuts to benefits which are immediately imposed would create a huge reaction.
There are a few numbers which are significant. One is US GDP per capita, which is around $55,000 per person. That includes children, the retired, and the disabled. It shows that US GDP can sustain the SS systems' modest payments. Another is government spending in the US, which is only 38% of GDP, compared to Japan at 42%, Germany at 44%, and Finland at 58%. Social Security is included in that percentage, along with a lot more foolish stuff like missile bases in Poland and sugar and corn subsidies. It means there is a lot of room for Social Security in the US economy.
Out of all of the replies, I have not seen one serious proposal for an alternative retirement system. Wall Street wants to replace the SS tax with a forced contribution to Wall Street.
For those who prefer limited government providing some limited services, Social Security is not a bad program.
Yes, Social Security is a tax-funded transfer payment system. The purpose of the program is income security for the elderly and the disabled. What's wrong with that?
The taxes are accounted for as loans from Americans to the government in the SS Trust Fund. That creates a political imperative to "pay back" to the taxed. In fact, as long as we do have voting, SS is a popular program and cuts to benefits which are immediately imposed would create a huge reaction.
There are a few numbers which are significant. One is US GDP per capita, which is around $55,000 per person. That includes children, the retired, and the disabled. It shows that US GDP can sustain the SS systems' modest payments. Another is government spending in the US, which is only 38% of GDP, compared to Japan at 42%, Germany at 44%, and Finland at 58%. Social Security is included in that percentage, along with a lot more foolish stuff like missile bases in Poland and sugar and corn subsidies. It means there is a lot of room for Social Security in the US economy.
Out of all of the replies, I have not seen one serious proposal for an alternative retirement system. Wall Street wants to replace the SS tax with a forced contribution to Wall Street.