Social Security’s 70th Anniversary

08/13/2005

Greetings! On August 14th 70 years ago, Franklin Roosevelt brought into existence one of the most successful social programs ever created, Social Security. This one program is responsible for keeping more senior citizen and children out of the despair of poverty than any other created by government.

Now, however, Social Security is under attack by a small group who want to undermine and eventually eliminate this momument to progressive government. Why? Probably because a successful social program run by the government undermines the mythology on which their rightwing ideology is based. President Bush hates Social Security. To explain why I quote an old piece of wisdom:

“There is nothing as ugly as intelligence staring at you from the opposing side.”

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org) has produced a short factsheet on Social Security. I will upload it to this site. I will alsoupload the Center’s analysis of the Social Security reforms planspresented to Congress so far. A brief glance at the consequences of President Bush’s proposals will cause you to cast doubt on the theory of “Intelligent Design.”

Over the Social Security Trustee’s ‘infinite horizon’ projections, which means hundreds and hundreds of years into the future, Social Security might (a really big ‘might’) face a $11.1 trillion dollar shortfall.President Bush’s plan would create $17.7 trillion dollars of addition debt by 2050, and that is for setting up private accounts; it does not deal with Social Security’s solvency problems. How is that for intelligeny design?

I urge you to take time this weekend to write a letter, birthday card, postcard, or e-mail to the local media supporting our most successful contribution to the well-being of all Americans, Social Security. Tell President Bush to keep his hands off Social Security.

Regards,
Loyal Nelson