The social security system is efficient. It’s not a Ponzi scheme, as White House adviser Elon Musk, characterizes it.
Millions of Americans rely on the survival of Social Security in their current form, and Americans should tell members of Congress that they should do everything they can to prevent the system from failing.
It is proposed that individuals will no longer be able to appoint Social Security over the phone and must visit the local Social Security Agency. But Musk and his staff are closing their local offices, and they are about to fire thousands of current employees.
Social Security is currently in a shortage of staff. If staff is cut, local offices will be closed and individuals will not be able to contact Social Security over the phone, but what will happen next? The next step is to, as we know, the social security system will collapse and stop payments to Social Security beneficiaries being sent on time.
Don’t believe the lie that Social Security is inefficient or corrupt. There are few records of errors in which individuals who are not entitled to Social Security benefits receive benefits.
It is allegedly been given unrighteous benefits. That’s wrong. People living in the United States without legal status are not eligible for Social Security benefits. Additionally, many of them working in the US must pay FICA taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare.
Undocumented immigrants paid more than $25 billion in payroll tax in 2022, according to the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. In other words, far from scaming Social Security and Medicare, undocumented immigrants subsidize these programs.
Meanwhile, immigrants who are legally here and working for trustworthy employers are paying FICA taxes to Social Security. They are generally entitled to benefits only after working under Social Security for ten years.
Social security cannot fail. And that happens when Musk and his staff allow millions of Americans to continue to destroy the efficient systems they rely on, and expect millions of them to depend on in the future.
There is widespread support across all demographics and political parties to strengthen the programme. This is an effective system that should be improved to ensure financially safe over the next few decades.
I would recommend that all Americans who want to see the strengthening of social security be required to write to representatives of the US home and senators to stop the proposed actions that would prevent individuals from appointing local social security offices. They also need to stop closures of local social security offices and stop layoffs of social security staff regardless of merit.
Having further reduced Social Security staff, offices and services makes it impossible for individuals who have earned sufficient work credit to apply for benefits. Additionally, the waiting time before approval for disability benefits increases dramatically.
It is true that Congress will need to find ways to increase funding in order to continue to maintain benefits at existing levels in the long run. However, there are several ways that can be achieved. For example, Congress could raise the FICA tax income standard. It could also change the age at which an individual is entitled to full benefits.
In addition to writing letters to representatives and senators in Congress, you need to tell all your relatives, friends and acquaintances across the United States that you should do the same. You can find contact information for all House and Senators at https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member.
It is not often used to discuss political issues and encourage Congress representatives to contact them. Certainly, every week I try to educate my readers on how they can save and invest in achieving a safe economic future.
The majority of Americans are faithful to the Social Security system, and they expect profits as a significant portion of their retirement financial plan. But if the program is driven to the ground, opportunities for financial security and dignity in old age will be taken away from millions of Americans. America cannot afford to fail social security.
Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at rapelliot@gmail.com.
