Dear Mr. President: Send me my money

Pittdburghlive ^ | 2/6/05 | Bill Steigerwald

[qam1]

It's no accident I've hated Social Security for 40 years.

That's exactly how long the federal government has been skimming money from my paycheck and putting it into its Social Security "lockbox" for my retirement.

In 1964, the summer I made $547 as a stock boy in Eat 'n Park's warehouse, I heard Barry Goldwater boldly declare that Social Security should be voluntary.

I dug that message at age 17 and I still do, though at 57 I know I'll never live to see it happen.

In fact, I'd bet my 401(k) no one will ever live to see Social Security become truly voluntary, despite President Bush's brave call to privatize a portion of the government program Goldwater and many others exposed long ago as a socialist pyramid scheme.

The president's rhetoric was great in his State of the Union speech. He promised not to raise payroll taxes, though there's some question whether or not Social Security benefits will be reduced. And he called for young people to be allowed to put part of their payroll taxes into private retirement accounts that they, and not the government, will always own.

Excuse me, Mr. President. But if it really is "our money," why is Social Security still mandatory?

And why will there still be so many rules about what our young folk can do with the money they stash in their personal accounts?

[GVnana]

It's not going to happen. There's a certain percentage of the public who will never, voluntarily, save a dime. They create a huge financial burden on the rest of us when they age. We're not going to let them rot.

To prevent this eventuality, in my mind it would be most fair to simply require a minimum annual pension savings. You can invest on your own, or stick with the SS-style program.

At least the rest of us who plan for our futures won't be penalized by those who don't. Right now, it's the other way around.

[TASMANIANRED]

Do you think it would have been any easier to get Social Security?

I have a close friend that had a severe head injury. She was so screwed up that after 3 months in a hospital and rehab that she had to wear a football helmet in her own home to protect her from further injury due to seizures.

She lost all driving privlidges, she wasn't allowed to cook.

Getting classified as disabled so she could get her Social Security benefits at 54 was not easy.

[postaldave]

your talking about the old civil service. that is gone now.

[jocon307]

"Do you think it would have been any easier to get Social Security?"

Well, it wasn't that they wouldn't approve him, it's that there is no disability fund for those folks.

I know you are right about getting approved for Soc. Sec. disability. One of my bosses just went out on Disability, under our group policy. In the form letter he got when his payments started they recommend you apply for Soc. Sec. also, and they say: please be aware that almost all claims for this are turned down on the initial application. Then they say they've got folks who can help you with getting the benefit. It doesn't apply to him, he is too old and already getting regular soc. sec., but it did make me wonder how bad off you'd have to be to have your claim accepted. Just more friendly and cooperative service from our gov't!

[ReeWalker]

I was born in 1960...I do remember Kennedy being shot...But never seen Howdy Doody...I'm more the Capt. Kangaroo generation

[sneakers]

LOL!! I HOPE it doesn't mean I'm asking for a handout! I've made it this far without it!

[sneakers]

I think the idea is the difference in mindset and outlook rather than time. I was in high school in the early 70's. I never considered myself to be like the 60's gang at all.

[jocon307]

"I do remember Kennedy being shot"

Wow, you've got a great memory. My brothers born in late 1958 and very late 1960 (12/16) never remembered it.

I remember it, I saw Ruby shoot Oswald on live TV, I remember seeing LBJ getting on the plane where he took the oath; I don't remember the funeral so well. I was so ashamed that I was still jealous of Caroline for being a year older than me, I was still jealous even though her father had been killed. I knew it was very wrong to feel that way. The inner life of a 5 year old.

And Captain Kangaroo rules!

I loved him, years later he was still on and I watched a few shows. I think the really great thing about him was that he never talked down to his audience.

[GVnana]

Isn't Self-employment tax only ss and medicare taxes?

Yes. But if you're self-employed you must pay the second half of the contribution that is usually paid by a person's employer.

[ReeWalker]

I do remember the funeral...At the time I thought it was a parade..and couldn't really understand why all the adults we're crying..Yes LOVED the Capt...and Mr GreenJeans...Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabit...

[LibertarianInExile]

"[A]ll of those since the "Greatest Generation" are full of people with their collective hands out instead of offering their hands to build our nation as our Grandfathers and Grandmothers did. Our world was salvaged by the GG and we are forever in their debt. To show our gratitude by putting our hands out in hopes of the "gubment cheese" is a slap in their faces."

Oh, give me a BREAK.

The Greatest Generation foisted SS and all this other government crap on America. Their 'sacrifice' was doing what any other generation ATTACKED BY ANOTHER COUNTRY would have done. This Tom Brokaw schtick is easy to sell to the boomer market and the self-congratulatory oldster market, but I'm not buying it. Most of those folks wanted to sacrifice no more than you or I do right now--they just had their backs against the wall, with Japs on the left and the Krauts on the right. And they came home and stuck their hands in the till with the GI Bill and Social Security right off the bat.

[k2blader]

Every true conservative believes SS should be voluntary.

[k2blader]

I've been living on SS and and IRA for about 18 years now and boy do I live comfortable.

Don't you feel guilty?

[lawgirl]

been chasing the joneses?

[suijuris]

First of your complaints, Social Security was mandatory to protect ignorant Americans from having nothing when they retire.

Social Security IS NOT mandatory! Unfortunately, every thinks that it is. My daughters did not have social security numbers fro many years, until only three years ago. That was only after the IRS decided it would change the rules (not law) and threaten to levy my wife's wages for claiming them as dependents. Up until that time IRS rules allowed to one claim them as dependents; but you had to engage in a yearly letter writing campaign(same boiler plate letters) as to why you were rejecting the number on religious grounds. This fact was backed up by a substantial amount of case law.

All we had to do was allow them to levy my wife's income for the couple thousand dollars and then file in Federal Court for damages(not tax court but Federal court!) But my wife was a chicken-shit as she was concerned how it would look to her friens at work. I ended up getting them the numbers to alleviate the grief.

I soon found it became a hassle to get them numbers as they were now 10 and 12 and the Federal Govt. could not seem to recognize they existed; despite substantial documentation (True Freedom). As a final insult, it turns out the three digits of their new SS numbers are 665 and 666 (go figure).

Anyway, you still have to ASK for the number (even though some hospitals will do it for you after they ask you). And, by the way, there were provisions (may still be) on how to get a passport without an SS number.

Finding employment can be a hassle, as most employers are scared to death of the IRS, however if they will allow you to prove to them you do not need a number; it can be done. I have know many persons who never had a number and lived quite normal lives. One of them was a good friend of mine who died a couple years ago. He had not paid any social security and federal income tax since the early 60s. At one time he was a business owner, and also worked for a local school district in administration. He also served as a Sgt. in the marines in Korean conflict.

It definitely is not mandatory, however 99.9% of the population believes it is; so it might as well be.

[k2blader]

Okay. If SS isn't mandatory,

How is it possble to *not* pay any SS taxes? Besides never bringing in an income (not having a job), which is not a realistic option.

[PGalt]

I am vehemently opposed to forced socialist security and would gladly give all of my money contributed the last 36+ years to be able to opt out now, yet I applaud President Bush and his administration for taking on this issue.

Outstanding President. Outstanding Vice-President. Outstanding Administration.

[k2blader]

You may be interested in this article from the Claremont Institute:

Social Security a Thornier Issue for Conservatives Than One Might Think

[suijuris]

Oh BTW, up until a few years ago one could get a bank account without a SS# by filing what was called a W-8 form; which identified one as a non-resident alien of the United States DC.

Yes Virginia, there are three United States i.e. Black's Law Dictionary defines the term as follows: United States. This term has several meanings. It may be merely the name of a sovereign occupying the position analogous to that of other sovereigns in a family of nations, it may designate territory over which sovereignty of United States extends, or it may be collective name of the states which are united by and under the Constitution. - Hooven & Allison Co. vs Evatt, U.S.Ohio, 324 U.S. 652, 65 S.Ct. 870, 880 89 L.Ed. 1252.

[suijuris]

Think of it in terms of "defacto" and "deJura". No one is obligated by law to take the number, and you still must request it, which I beleive in some way has religeous implications. No one; including the Fed Gov. however, is going to do much to help you out if you do not take the number and can not get a job. I have heard of some using the EEOC to asist in employment, but have never verified it.

For a practical matters most everyone must have a number to survive; but there are still quite a few people who do not have a number, including many from ultra conservative religeous sects. On the other hand, I have had several friends who did not have numbers and they did quite well. Lets just say they always had a loct of cash in their pocket, and my close friend who died even had several credit cards obtained with no SS#. He had no problems buying anything, getting insurance etc.