Social insecurity?
I find it hard to believe that there are those that want cuts to the Social Security retirement benefits. I’m not sure if those calling for the cuts refer to the normal Social Security benefits we all expect to get when we retire or the Social Security Disability benefits.
A quick solution to the problem of having more outgoing then incoming funds is to do what the DNR and police do. Start a “turn in your SSI Disability neighbor” program. If it works for poachers and suspected drunken drivers, why not the deadbeats that cheat SSI?
We all know some of these people. They are the ones on SSI and are out cutting firewood, exercising at the health clubs, climbing the tree stands during deer hunting season, and helping shingle the neighbor’s house.
Instead of all these commercials on TV from attorneys stating “...if you’ve been turned down for Social Security Disability benefits, call us...”, try countering these attorneys with “...if you see SSI abuse, call 800-SSI-STOP” or some such approach.
The Tribune could help us out by doing a story showing state by state what the percentage of “workers” is versus the percentage of people on “welfare” or unemployment.
Craig Anderson
Brainerd
Comments (5)
Add comment20 % of Social Security $ goes to survivor benefits vs retirees
Dependents ,spouses & possibly disabled.
Whats worse knocking older retired folks around who actually contributed to the program for 40 years , or the others ?
Pretty certain neither political party wants to go down that road.
some crack down could help clean up
I would say there could be some cleaning up in the disablity department. Look at the rise in claims lately.
One could probably narrow it down to certain judges who are
easy marks for okaying disability.
Not to say that there aren't legimate claims but, the increase
is overwhelming at best.
Everyone needs to share in solution!
The problem is MUCH bigger than the relatively tiny amount of abuse occurring. I find few retirees who understand the truth--that the money they put into SS was NOT being saved and invested to hand back to them when they retire--but was spent long ago for people drawing social security back then.
I recall first reading of looming social security deficits from a prominent conservative columnist many decades ago. Since that time, not only have solutions been refused by current retirees and the AARP, we have seen costs to the fund go UP. Automatic cost of living increased higher than the working population gets during a recession, allowing retired workers to go back to work while still drawing a social security paycheck, and more have increased costs.
But the biggest problem is simply demographics. We have a problem with more people drawing SS checks than workers putting money in to help fund those checks.
That problem is not fixable without dramatically increasing the birth rate, or allowing many more immigrants into the country.
It's the same as most national problems these days. Work on all incoming funds, and all outgoing funds--is needed to restore the system so it won't crash. Many who are currently benefitting from a social security check are refusing any changes that cut any money from that check.
The young people of today are increasingly savvy about this problem--and are voting--and dramatically influencing elections--based on this matter. They wonder why they should continue to kick money into a system when that money won't be there for them when they retire. It's going to turn into an ugly national age class war if things aren't fixed and all--including those currently drawing a check-- aren't willing to share in the solution.
So the fix is,
Increasing the birth rate or allowing more immigrants in the country? How about more people working and paying into the system?
2.6 million workers marginally attached to the workforce have quit looking for work as they are discouraged at the lack of work. We need more people in the workforce now paying in. It didn't help that they had a vacation of 2% for what? 2 years. Those were funds that will never be recovered.
I thought the whole idea was dumb.
We are on social security and as i have said before, we owned a business so, we paid in as employers and employees so we paid double to ss and medicare. We do understand and know something has to be done and have been talking about it for years. AARP really doesn't look out for seniors, they look our for AARP.