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Social Security and Entitlements
- Cut bloated and overlapping government programs.
- Find a permanent solution to save Social Security, while allowing the young to keep more of their earnings.
- Put a stop to the increasing costs of entitlement programs.
Our country is wealthy enough that no one should go hungry or not have a place to sleep. The problem is that we have many conflicting and overlapping programs that are too expensive. Even though these programs cost a lot of money, in many cases they do not meet the requirements of the needy. Bloated programs often do more for the administrators than for the people they are designed to help. I will handle new and existing programs with compassion for those in need, while maintaining efficiency and integrity in government.
Social Security is an invaluable safety net, and it needs to be extended indefinitely. However, Social Security is not a full retirement program, and individuals must plan for retirement while they are employed. When Social Security was introduced, 17 people contributed for each person who received benefits. The ratio is now 3 to 1 and dropping. Complicating matters considerably is the fact that the federal government borrows from the fund constantly, so the "fund" does not really exist. If we want the program to be there for future generations of retirees, then we must restructure it. Congress, however, must strive to find a long-term solution that will minimize these negative impacts. In saving Social Security, we must allow the young to keep more of the fruits of their labor while allowing the elderly to retire with dignity and financial security. If these principles are adhered to, the Social Security solutions will benefit the economy and not burden it.
Social security, medicare, and medicaid will cause federal spending to increase 50% by the year 2035. "Mandatory" spending is putting us deeper and deeper in debt while allowing government to steadily grow. To prevent this out-of-control growth and to ensure that intelligent decisions are made, entitlement spending must instead be reviewed regularly.
Further Reading:
Congress Should Reject New Taxes and Curb Exploding Entitlements
Taking Back Our Fiscal Future
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