Expand Social Security?
I would like to respond to the letter “Expand Social Security.” Social Security was expanded, I believe, back in the 1950s or 1960s to include groups that were not included before that. In order to collect the maximum you must have paid the maximum into it for 20 quarters. So there were folks suddenly brought into the program who, after paying into it for only 20 quarters, received the maximum payouts for the rest of their lives.I guess to the politicians it seems like an excellent way to buy a bunch of votes, but it wasn’t sound business. Between that and the fact Congress has “borrowed” money from the Social Security trust fund, this is why Social Security is in trouble.
I was always taught when you borrow something, you pay it back. Otherwise, you are stealing, not borrowing. I have yet to hear any member of the House or Senate volunteer to cut their medical benefits or reduce their ludicrous post-retirement medical coverage. Let them pay a portion of the premiums. Most company-paid plans require the employee pay a percentage of the cost. Good leaders don’t ask of their constituents what they won’t do themselves.
While on the subject of Congress, isn’t it about time that they begin to talk to, rather than at, one another? As a political moderate, I believe that both the liberal and conservative sides have good ideas. Maybe if they started listening to each other they might be able to fix the problems we are all suffering.
Newnan
