Image via Wikipedia
Social Security was not intended to be a person’s only source of income after retirement. It was meant to be a form of insurance to supplement existing retirement plans. Every US citizen pays into social security insurance over their lifetime of employment, yet many are unaware that the money that was meant to be put aside, and untouched for OASDI, has been used to back up the ever-growing US deficit. This is the only real reason behind why so many politicians tell everyone that Social Security for the baby boomers, and future generations is at risk. Currently, money received from OASDI and other social security programs is not enough for most Americans to retire on, and another part of the problem is that many people have not been properly financially educated about how to save for retirement, and improve their quality of life.
In the United States, Social Security is an umbrella term that includes departments for unemployment, disability, medical, and retirement benefits. The retirement part of social security is officially referred to as “Old age survivor’s disability insurance” (OASDI). The funds paid into Social Security and OASDI become available to Americans at age 62. Social Security was one of many government public service agencies formed under President Roosevelt's “New Deal” for America. Social Security has been at the center of much heated debate for about the last fifty years. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike all have some interesting ideas on what how to solve the problems with social security. They range from reforming the system to ensure that the Social Security Trust will be always be separate from the rest of the deficit, to eliminating Social Security altogether (www.ssa.gov).
I recently watched a Public Service Announcement video about Social Security on YouTube that was made by the Ad council in 1946. In the video, a newspaper reporter is assigned to report on what happens inside a local social security office. Before she went out on the assignment, she stopped by her grandfather’s house to see if he wanted to go with her. He goes along and they arrive at the Social Security office. The granddaughter-reporter does an interview with one of the workers, asking common questions that people might have about social security. The social worker explains parts of the law, and that social security is something that every working American pays 1.5%, off every paycheck, over their lifetime. She also says that this money is put aside in a personal savings account separate from other government funds and resources. Simply put: It cannot be touched. They even show a cartoon of the money going into a vault in the video. The reporter’s grandpa receives his first social security card but was reluctant about receiving the SS retirement benefits that he was entitled to. The worker assures grandpa that he can still work and receive retirement benefits.
The video is very informative and pleasant to watch, and it is reminiscent of a time when most people trusted the government with their tax dollars. It presents social security in a very positive light, and as a good thing for a new America. These days it seems like every time there is something in the news about social security, it is almost always about how the system is in jeopardy and might not be able to fund retirements for generations to come. It was meant to be a pay-as-you-go program, and as long as young people kept paying in, the payments would keep going out to retired people. Millions of tax-paying citizens are still far from the age of retirement and paying into social security. So what happened?
In 1968, under the Johnson administration, the federal government consolidated the Social Security Trust fund under a “Unified Budget.” They used the surplus of funds created through social security in an attempt to make the United States deficit appear to be less than it was. The “Budget Enforcement Act” of 1990 essentially reversed the implications of the “Unified Budget” act, and separated Social Security funds, along with US Postal service funds, from the rest of the federal deficit. This act was intended to once again make Social Security funds untouchable and unaffected by economic conditions. However, the “Budget Enforcement Act” expired in 2002, and Social Security has reverted back in to being included in the US deficit, and part of the “Unified Budget. (www.ssa.gov)”
The AARP insisted during latest economic debt-ceiling crisis that Social Security funds will be paid out, and there is no need for retired people to worry . (aarp.og) The debt-ceiling crisis now seems to be under control, and retirees are still receiving benefits, but something President Obama said in an interview during the crisis raises more than a few questions about the integrity of Social Security funds. In a televised interview with Scott Pelly of CBS evening news, when asked if Social Security payments would be delivered on time, President Obama said “This is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out…I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.” (CBS Evening News) Really? Not enough money in the “coffers” to do it? The reason there is not enough money in the coffers is that politicians have been using social security as a political football, and the original intent of keeping Social Security autonomous, and independent of other government economic issues has been severely compromised.
In 1968, under the Johnson administration, the federal government consolidated the Social Security Trust fund under a “Unified Budget.” They used the surplus of funds created through social security in an attempt to make the United States deficit appear to be less than it was. The “Budget Enforcement Act” of 1990 essentially reversed the implications of the “Unified Budget” act, and separated Social Security funds, along with US Postal service funds, from the rest of the federal deficit. This act was intended to once again make Social Security funds untouchable and unaffected by economic conditions. However, the “Budget Enforcement Act” expired in 2002, and Social Security has reverted back in to being included in the US deficit, and part of the “Unified Budget. (www.ssa.gov)”
The AARP insisted during latest economic debt-ceiling crisis that Social Security funds will be paid out, and there is no need for retired people to worry . (aarp.og) The debt-ceiling crisis now seems to be under control, and retirees are still receiving benefits, but something President Obama said in an interview during the crisis raises more than a few questions about the integrity of Social Security funds. In a televised interview with Scott Pelly of CBS evening news, when asked if Social Security payments would be delivered on time, President Obama said “This is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out…I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven’t resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.” (CBS Evening News) Really? Not enough money in the “coffers” to do it? The reason there is not enough money in the coffers is that politicians have been using social security as a political football, and the original intent of keeping Social Security autonomous, and independent of other government economic issues has been severely compromised.
The reality today is that most people do not put any money aside, or make their own retirement plans. Many poor and middle class people and families have a hard enough time making ends meet, and the idea of saving their own cash for retirement is simply not an option for them. People are living longer these days than ever before. Our attitudes and expectations about social security and retirement are shaped by family, government, and financial institutions. The Public Service Announcement program that I watched about social security was made during a time when public confidence in the government was soaring. These Entitlement programs were implemented to ensure that all retired people would at least have a little money available to get by on, if all else fails. The government made it very clear that the money deposited into an individuals social security insurance fund would be safe, and grandpa and grandma would not have to worry about ending their lives alone on the streets or in a sanitarium.
Today about 155 million people work and pay Social Security taxes and about 54 million people receive monthly Social Security benefits. About 36 million of these people are retirees and their families. Since the 1970’s, politicians have been debating about whether or not Social Security retirement benefits should be eliminated entirely or replaced with a different system. Many people feel that the individual should be responsible for saving up personal retirement funds and all of the taxes taken for social security by the government would be better off invested in privatised retirement funds, or collecting interest in a some type of savings account. Money paid by working people into social security insurance was meant to be used by retired people that need it now, and stay that way for future generations.
Many people are concerned that if Social Security is not reformed soon, the next generation of retirees will see massive cutbacks in their benefits and will not be able to afford basic their needs. Many retired people already struggle to get by with the cost of living constantly increasing because of inflation, economic problems. Even people who have saved their own money over the years for retirement are finding it hard to survive because of the rising cost of living, medical expenses, and unexpected financial losses occurring in America’s recent economic down-turn.
Tax-paying citizens of the United States deserve to have their social security retirement benefits protected from being used for any other purposes besides what their hard earned money was originally intended to be put aside for. Additionally, there should be a stronger focus on teaching financial education starting at the elementary level in public schools. More people should be aware of, speak out against, and hold the government accountable for any mishandling of tax-payer dollars. If the majority of citizens in the United States started putting more of effort into playing an active role in government than someday it may be possible for social security to not only cover the just basic needs of retirees, but also ensure that every American will have more than what they need to live well, and with dignity in their golden years.
References
1. YouTube Video- “The Social Security Story: Social Security Office, Card, and Benefits History (1962)”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc6R4xzPcgA&list=PL4F219F3B0A11694C&index=6
2. YouTube Video- “Obama No Guarantee On Aug. Soc. Security, Government Checks”
2. YouTube Video- “Obama No Guarantee On Aug. Soc. Security, Government Checks”
CBS Evening News with Scott Peely, air date: July 12, 2011
3. Website- Social Security Administration- “Agency History Research Notes & Special Studies by the Historian's Office”
http://www.ssa.gov/history/budgettreatment.html
http://www.ssa.gov/history/budgettreatment.html
4. Website- Social Security Online “Understanding The Benefits”
http://ssa.gov/pubs/10024.html
5. Website- AARP- “Protect Social Security” by A. Barry Rand, AARP CEO July 1, 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment