STOP Congress from adjusting Social Security benefits and retirement ages!!!
Social Security funding is a manufactured crisis. Instead of fixing the revenue problem, Republicans keep trying to adjust expenses. 40+ years of underfunding to force privatization was a deliberate choice. And Democrats let it happen.
Here's a thought. Congress broke it, so Congress must fix it. Not with a hairbrained, corrupt plan to lower or cap benefits or raise retirement ages. Try fixing the revenue side of the equation. Social Security is supposed to be fully funded for 75 years. What has Congress done? Allowed full funding to fall to only 6 years. Didn't our representatives swear an oath to the Constitution?
Stop punishing beneficiaries. Let's raise the caps on incomes subject to Social Security enough to fix THEIR mess. Not the payroll tax rates. The caps on income. Let the RICH pay 12.4% on a greater share of their gross income. Enough to expand the benefits that Republicans have purposely screwed with. Enough to change the retirement age back to 65. People in their 60s experience a second period of rapid aging (the first occurs in their 40s). Why should old people be forced to work sicker and weaker than they've ever been?
Quick notes:
Social Security is not the government’s biggest expense. SOCIAL SECURITY IS SELF-FUNDED and is supposed to be separate by law (but those surpluses made budgets look better). Surpluses have been deposited into the Trust Fund through the purchase of interest-bearing Treasury Bonds. Congress did not steal from Social Security. The Treasury sells bonds to finance the National Debt. If Social Security redeems bonds, the Treasury will simply sell bonds to someone else. Bonds are not instruments of theft.
Plus, the Trust Fund was built up to finance baby boomer retirements during the period when there would be fewer workers paying payroll taxes. The Trust Fund was expected to be drawn down. Fewer workers were planned for. Drawing from the Trust Fund does not mean Social Security is in the red.
As far as companies contributing 6.2% to Social Security, that is a cost of doing business. If companies didn’t pay, the money would rightfully go to workers directly so that they could pay the full 12.4% (same as self-employed). It’s not company money. It’s a way to make that 6.2% tax-free for workers (and less of a shock regarding payroll deductions).
I’ve been writing to my representatives about this mess since at least 2011. It would be nice if Democrats could get a greater understanding of the facts. Hopefully, you can do better!
Sincerely,
wilsonkeith962@gmail.com
