Make Social Security Solvent--Just Don't Kill Grandma!

All we seem to hear lately is that "unless we raise the retirement age, Social Security will be bankrupt..." And those advancing that position make it seem as though this is going to occur next week.

It's not. Not even close.

First of all, let's define what "Social Security" includes. One type pays "DI," which is Disability Insurance. The second type, which affects more people, is retirement benefits-- "OASI" or Old Age Survivors Insurance

Both of these Social Security programs are extremely solvent today, although the DI program will run out of money in 2018.

The Old Age Survivors Insurance program (i.e., grandma's monthly Social Security Check) is guaranteed to be paid, even with all of the Baby Boomers coming into the system, until 2040-- at its current funding levels-- without raising the retirement age, and without raising additional taxes. http://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/index.html

Why the perceived panic? Could it be because people will ask fewer questions if they think there is an immediate crisis? Remember the TARP bailout? It was done virtually overnight with few questions asked because we were told the world was on the brink of a financial collapse.

Hey, it worked for TARP, why not try it for Social Security?

Why are the only solutions discussed in the media the ones that involve either a delay in paying benefits or a reduction in the amount of benefits? Why are those things the only components of solvency that are ever discussed?

In my view, it is because the people who hate social programs want to see them end, and just don't want to admit it for political purposes. So, they talk about how we can't afford them and negatively label them as "entitlements."

These are social programs, folks. They were passed at a time in our nation's history when the elderly were the poorest among our citizens. Perhaps then, there was more respect for our elders, or more respect for our fellow citizens. Ask yourself---Is it a good societal goal, to make the elderly the poorest among us?

I think we need to look at the substance of these social programs. When you get right down to it, isn't Social Security really "money paid to my grandmother after she was a contributing member of society, so that she can live the remainder of her days with some quality of life and dignity?"

Yes, I admit it. I am a "socialist." I have compassion for other people. I believe in the value of Social Security. If we really want to be "the greatest nation on earth, then there are some things that we simply must do, out of human decency, for other people who live with us and contribute to our country throughout their lives.

Social Security is a valued part of our society--or at least it used to be, before we all became so damn greedy.

So, here's my solution to make the Social Security "flush" forever. It's simple, really. Just get rid of the artificially set cap on the Social Security tax.

Right now, there is deducted from an employee's earned income, a tax equal to 6.2% of his or her earnings up to $106,800. Employers have to match that 6.2% tax payment, up to that cap of $106,800.

Above $106,800, there is zero Social Security tax collected on anyone's income.

So, if, for example, New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez makes $32 Million dollars per year, he pays the same amount into Social Security as someone in the Yankees' front office who makes $106,800.

Sen. Mitch McConnell might argue that Alex "already pays enough in taxes" and shouldn't have to pay any more into the Social Security system.

I say that Alex is able to make his salary as a result of all of the fans who pay to see him play, or who buy products advertised on television so that the Yankees' are able to demand a huge TV contract with which to pay Alex's enormous salary.

Isn't Alex just a beneficiary of that "socialistic" ticket purchasing system where we all pull together to raise money for Alex. Shouldn't he "give something back" to the throngs who have put him in this position to earn so much? (And, really, how much money can Alex spend on himself, anyway?) Let's get real. Real compassionate.

After all, shouldn't grandma be able to go to a matinee game when she's 65, without having to skip work or call in sick and tired? And shouldn't grandma have enough disposable income to be able to put some back into commerce to buy a ticket to watch Alex play? Don't you think she's entitled to want that? Isn't that also part of the "American Dream?"

Why the $106,800 cap? It has been raised before. (Ask Congress--they set it.)

There is no cap on Medicare taxes. Congress removed it in 1994.

Don't let raising the retirment age and cutting benefits be the only options that are discussed in this debate. Don't let them rush to make changes.

Don't let Rush or Glen Beck tell you that the answer is to raise the retirement age. Tell them you want them to pay more for the little guy.

Class warfare you say? Nope, I'm just looking out for Grandma.

The sky isn't falling on these programs because, you see, they are self-funded from specific payroll taxes that are paid to a Social Security Trust fund. These funds aren't being used to pay for Wars or tax subsidies to oil companies. We use other tax dollars for those things.

Don't let anyone tell you that we have to change Social Security in a hurry, and don't let them tell you that the only thing that is viable is to make Grandma work until she is older. It simply isn't true or fair.

We are broke as a country--that I do not dispute at all.

But fixing the National Debt problem needs to involve cutting spending on other things and raising revenues--yes, we are going to have to raise taxes. But for me, the answer is not balancing the budget on the back of Grandma.

She's entitled to better treatment than that!

She raised your mother better than that!

Americans Are Content to Stay in Afghanistan Forever

A woman whom I work with has a son who just returned from a one-year tour of duty in Afghanistan, working as a combat medic attached to a Marine unit which has taken lots of casualties during the last year. One week after he returned home, his Wife (who is also a medic) shipped out for her one-year tour in Afghanistan, leaving behind her husband and their 10-year old son. I saw the photograph of that mother and her son during their final embrace before Mom deployed. Mom is dressed in her uniform and their arms are locked, and they are staring into each others eyes filled with uncertainty, concern, and sadness.

With that image fresh in my mind, I decided to spend 3 hours on January 15, 2011, to participate in an anti-war protest in Tampa with approximately 20 people. A group called Veterans For Peace meets monthly to hold signs and to raise awareness of the horrors of War on the corner of the busy intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and Gandy Blvd, not too far from MacDill Air Force Base. This Veterans group and other non-veterans who regularly join them in support of this effort have been meeting monthly for 4 years in this location to urge an end to the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I'm holding a sign that says "Honk To Bring The Troops Home." I'm standing next to an 83-year old Veteran of World War II named Buddy Holle, who tells me that he can't believe that this is the fifth year that he has been coming to this corner monthly to hold signs urging an end to America's participation in two Wars. "I thought we'd have brought them home before now."

Buddy had a son who died in Vietnam. His Veterans For Peace T-shirt has words printed across the back stating how this group of Veterans hates war because they have been there and have seen the brutality and inhumanity of war up close and personally. Buddy wears the anguish and sorrow on his face, while at the same time approaching his protesting with a sense of both duty and honor. He comments that today's group is one of the larger groups that has been out in a few months and he's glad to see some new faces. He doesn't recall that I met him a few months earlier, but then again, I haven't been back month after month like Buddy has.

Buddy tells me about another group that he's involved with that meets every Sunday at the foot of the bridge of the Manatee River in Palmetto. "It's a much larger group, and we meet every week. You should join us. It's a really good group of people." Once a month isn't enough; he needs to do this weekly, despite his age. Buddy's still on a mission.

Because of the sign that I'm holding, I'm getting some enthusiastic honking from cars passing by, punctuated by an occasional blast from a semi truck driver. I'm also getting some smiles, waives, and thumbs-ups, and peace signs from many people in the cars passing by on this particular Saturday afternoon.

I'm also getting the middle-finger salute from some people who find our signs asking to bring the "Troops Home Now" offensive or misguided. One lady muttered words to the effect that we're lucky that "they" haven't come to the US to kill us over here--making it known that she thinks we are weak and foolish.

Others in our group are holding signs pointing out the huge financial costs of endless wars-- "$4,000 Per Second", "War Is Over, We're Broke!", "How's That War Economy Working For You?", "Ike Was Right", "Plenty of Money For War, But None To Feed the Poor", etc. Given the state of our economy, many people passing by in cars react favorably to these particular signs.

One lady brought her two children out to the protest. Daniel, age 10, is chanting "Bring Them Home." His 13 year old sister has friends at school whose fathers are overseas, and knows how hard it is on her friends. I look at them and think that they were newborns and toddlers when the War started in Afghanistan, and wonder if the War will end before they are old enough to enlist.

The organizer of these monthly events, Jay Alexander, walks by and slaps a sticker on my chest with the latest death count as of today's date (per www.icasualties.org.)

As of January 15, 2011, the number of U.S. dead soldiers in Operation Iraqi Freedom is 4,437, and in Afghanistan's Operation Enduring Freedom, the number of U.S. dead soldiers is now 1,457. There have been One Million Civilians killed in these 2 Wars.

In addition to painting dozens of protest signs, including the one that I am holding, Jay Alexander has cut out and painted more that 50 tombstone signs with the names of all 50 States and U.S. Territories on them that he has arranged in a single-file line in a grass median on Dale Mabry Hwy, with large American flags posted at each end of the long row of these simulated tombstones. They are a moving symbol to drive past, and a reminder of those across the country who have died in these Wars.

Surprisingly, I just got a very animated "thumbs down" and some angry unintelligible words from a young boy stopped at the intersection. He appears to be around 12 years old. I am surprised by that visceral reaction from such a young child. Sadly, I comment to the woman standing next to me that he will probably have his chance to go to Afghanistan too, because we will likely still be fully engaged there for long enough for him to come of age so that he can go and fight.

But, it is not the positive signals, nor the negative gestures that I observed that were disconcerting to me. What disturbed me the most about what I observed today is the rampant, widespread APATHY which I observed in the three hours that I spent on that street corner.

There are far too many people who had absolutely no reaction, whatsoever to our presence or to the messages on our signs. I saw hundreds of blank stares and hundreds of people totally absorbed in cell phone conversations, completely unaffected by anything outside of their personal bubble. Welcome to the Apathetic States of America.

By far, I prefer the angry thumbs down from the defiant 12-year old, or the rant from the woman who thought we were weak and foolish, or even the guy who flips a "bird" out the window. Please give some reaction. Please have an opinion. Please don't give me the endless stream of catatonic stares from hundreds of disaffected Americans who passed by seemingly lost and distracted in their own little selfish worlds.

I've often wondered what it will take to get Americans' attention about these Wars. I'm still wondering....

Only, now, I realize that there is probably nothing that will slap us out of this national trance. Nothing that will make us say, Enough Is Enough!

This week, the nation turned its attention on a large scale to the deaths of 6 people in Tuscon and the shooting of a Congresswoman. I was hoping that this attention to senseless death and injury might lead to a renewed discussion about our War policy. Why are we sending our best brave young men and women into harms way without any coherent plan or mission? But, War was not discussed.

Because you see, War has become the norm. Wars no longer last 1, 2 or 4 years. They are endless. Wars are hardly mentioned on television or in newspapers. There is no draft, so only a small segment of our population have to serve. Few of us are directly affected. Stop Loss programs are instituted to require active duty personnel and members of the Reserves to serve multiple tours of combat duty. War will continue, because War is Big Business. Mission accomplished?

No one driving on one of South Tampa's busiest streets wants to think about the War or put down their cell phone to notice, let alone speak out against it.

So, don't expect any change any time soon on the faces of mothers looking into the eyes of their sons whom they won't see again or hug again, for at least another year.

And don't expect any lessons to be learned by the Public from truth-tellers like Veterans For Peace who try to educate civilians about the horrors of War. The vast majority of Americans just can't be bothered to pay attention to this.

Well, at least, not quite yet.

What will you do to change the apathy?