Social Security

militaryhorn

militaryhorn

Prediction Contest Manager
I was having a discussion with my wife the other day and I was thinking, "is SS constitutional?" I think this falls in the same line as the new health care reform, making something mandatory for me to pay, even if I don't want it.

If I had a choice, I would not pay into SS since I would want to invest that money into something I wanted. I think we should as American workers have the choice to pay into this system instead of being forced to.

I would like some opinions of the merit of this system when you put it up against the constitution. I don't necessarily want opinions on whether we should have it or not.

Is Social Security unconstitutional?
 
As initially implemented, Social Security took care of retirees who had paid very little into it and served a great service in preventing poverty and preserving dignity. As employers increasingly pull back from funding retiree benefits and few people are adequately knoweldgeable to invest for their own retirement, it fulfills the same function today. I think it's Constitutional and I think it's a damned good idea. It also pays disability and survivor benefit that are key social safety net for those who are not rich or adept at financial planning.
 
it should be optional. if you elect to not participate you are on your own. also it is taxed when you draw it (double taxed).
 
Militaryhorn I don't think it's good for a country to have millions impovrished. If you are pathological or completely indifferent to widespread suffering, it's no problem for you. Enjoy your military retirement. It's a damned good lifetime ride you get for signing up to do what you do. For me Social Security, which is much less lucrative and all-inclusive, is the same kinda deal and I've been paying into for 30 years. It's not my whole retirement (though for many it is) but it's the base on which I start my financial planning.
 
Uniformed
It is hard to lump SS and Medicare in with entitlements that don't require working people to pay into with every paycheck.

SS, working people pay every paycheck and don't they also pay taxes on it when they collect it?
The argument can be made that people receive more than they paid in but there are also people do don't get everything they paid in

Medicare, pay into it every paycheck and then pay a monthly premium for it . The monthly charge is more than most union workers contribute for their health insurance and this monthly premium is on top of having paid into it with every paycheck for one's working life.

It is hard to call those entitlements the same way you call WIC, TANF, some CHIPS, Medicaid , SSI, Food Stamps and even Gov't housing You can collect those without having ever, paid a cent into the system.

This is not a commentary on the worthiness of each of the above programs, just that you can get money and aid from them without ever having paid into them.

For the vast majority of people that is not true with SS and Medicare.

However your overall point is correct
 
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