I am trying to remember the year, Nicholas. It was at least 1993 and more likely before that the Senate and Congress started to talk about the short fall of Social Security. At any rate most of us took the call seriously and began investing in 401Ks, 401Bs, IRAs, Keoghs and Roths.
In other words, for a whole of people we are preparing to be on the down side of income when we retire.
We expect to have to supplement our Social Security when the time comes. We expect long worked for pensions to be intact. We expect to work longer if not full time but part time. We expect to want to work longer because our wellness and longevity has increased and 'feeling young' has turned into more like 'being young.'
Oddly, I had expected by now that my sons and I having age difference of minimally 24 years would be worlds apart in values, interests and the like, but, we aren't. You know that was a phenomena my grandmother shared as well. She said when getting very aged in her nineties her greatest asset to aging and longevity was living among the young.
She had 40 grandchildren alone. I dearly don't want that many.
But, Grandma was grandma as well as Catholic from the old school. Not that she didn't believe in birth control, she did, she was just to busy with all the kids to keep the calendar straight. The old broad was something, she once said to her six oldest granddaughters one evening, "Back when I was your age I didn't have a choice but to hop in the sack with Grandpa and get pregnant. But, in reiterating her youth, wifedom and motherhood having never worked a job a day in her life; stated; if she were we she'd be on 'the pill' forever.
But, that is getting off the subject except to say in the year 2005 and looking into the future there is every estimation The Baby Boomers will be happy, healthy and needing wealth for a long time. Realizing that Social Security was never designed to provide 'leisure' money but more 'survival' money on a regular and monthly basis while those we have accumulated in our lives provide leisure, joy and happiness. As people age, the saying "You can't take it with you gathers a very clear meaning.'
The point is I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone else to do it including the government so long as I know what to expect. I DEMAND and EXPECT my full allotment of Social Security as that is my citizen's right. But, I do not expect that to sustain me alone. Nor would I want that. As an example, I met an 84 year old ice scientist in Juneau. His experience and knowledge was nothing any book or even his own research would relay. Follow my meaning? The longer we survive as vital human beings engaged in life the more valuable our clear thinking minds and the engaged we are.
Okay. So what exactly do I expect of the government? Not more than I am entitled to, plain and simple. I recently received a statement from SSI. I never requested it and it is a good guess this is a propaganda campaign by Bush. But, the amounts on that paper seems more than I expected. I think I'll be fine with things just the way they are.
The point is, it's a long held fact SSI will fall into bankruptcy. Is it a fact or more a misnomer. A falsehood.
In theory the bankruptcy is true. In actual practice that could never be true. I believe it is that 'comfort' of knowing the USA always finds a way that is at the center of what keeps the majority of the country from jumping into still another $2 trillion mistake.
We always take care of each other. It's our nature. If it weren't we wouldn't have SSI in the first place. The people that don't believe in SSI aren't less human than we are, it is that they are more in debt than the majority of us. They want ALL their money now as THEY CAN'T TAKE IT WITH THEM and somehow feel cheated that the only thing that stands between them and an eternity of free government money every month is DYING.
So, the question/problem I have with the entire MESS is what about the kids? What kind of issues will they face as I settle into retirement, what ever that means, and what will they be carrying as debt on my behalf. My Grandmother lived a long time receiving checks every month because my Grandfather provided for her in several ways. When I paid into SSI, I knew Grandma was getting some her money every month as well. It has never been too much to ask. It is what is due me as well. I just can't get away from the issue surrounding the burden on my children.
The country is carrying enormous debt. Incredible debt. Add to that another $2 trillion. Then consider the unreasonable cost of the current Medicare Pharmaceutical Bill without the benefit of shopping around outside the USA and without the benefit of the option of generics. Then add the cost of Medicare itself, Medicaid and whatever disability insurances we are paying including the multitudes (Don't take me wrong here.) of returning lifetime disabled Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans. That is a whole lot of debt.
Then consider the number of people working in the USA will be less while the labor they toil at brings them less income compared to our generation. That debt starts looking insurmountable.
The cost of doing war as a pastime for the USA to secure foreign oil is costing this country minimally $105 billion per year. That is a lot of money. Not only that but it is a lot of immorally spent money. Consider the corruption that already exists with Chalabi as an example in Iraq.
I think the picture I am painting is pretty clear and spans the Americana of generations.
We live primarily in a world at peace. There are 'hot spots' and we are the biggest one, but, for the most part the world is at peace looking for solutions and not 'itching' for war. Solutions to HIV/AIDS, drought, hunger, Global Warming, Climate Change, genocide and E-bola like disease. Profoundly, the USA has only the enemies it creates and the war on TERRORISTS belongs to all countries and not just this country.
As a retiring generation we first have to define our retirement and what we expect that to look like. As a 'generation' realizing that answer is different for individuals, but as a generation I don't see us dumping enormous debt on our children. I have never seen that as a reality and won't settle for that now. As a generation, I see us taking 'the bull' by the horns and setting standards we can all live with by paying off the national debt and finding monies and methods to bolster SSI. I sincerely, with all my heart, believe dismantling it piece by piece is the worst thing we can do. I would much rather go into retirement KNOWING I am getting a Social Security Check WE CAN AFFORD to give rather than TAKING a Social Security Check at any cost from those that I already love and want a good and not dismal further for.
I don't see this issue dividing the generations and pitting each against the other, but, more as a team of generations willing to solve the 'disparity' of the system while leaving it intact. This issue is huge. But, it is not huge unto itself alone. It is huge including a lot of bases adding into the future burden of the generations. I don't want my children in slavery to me, nor me hated as a burden. There is a way, but, it isn't by going deeper in debt my lifespan won't see an end to. I can't bring myself to do that to them. I already know I'll be giving them portions of my retirement if I have left them a shambles to deal with because I won't be able to enjoy it otherwise.
This was god-awful long response but I wanted it to reflect the SCOPE I think most Americans find in it. It is far more complex and interwoven into the life families lead than any Repuglican can begin to address. I don't think it can be wrapped up in a package and presented as THE ANSWER.
It is ...
SOCIAL SECURITY...
and that means far more than...
a secured check by society..
.
every month.
I hope everybody 'gets it.'
