“Could you give some specifics as to these ‘entitlements’?”
First off, voting for them — or for the politician who promised them — is one thing; having Congress pass them is another.
But, too answer your question, here are just a few:
Medicare
Medicaid
Social Security
Tax breaks (check out some tax forms: Do you see the boxes that ask if you are 65 or older? That is so a tax break or credit can be given)
Senior discounts on pretty much everything (granted, some of those are not laws, but pro-senior lawmakers encourage them).
Yes, most seniors have paid into the Social Security programs. But what they receive in Social Security benefits is so out of proportion to what they’ve paid into it that their rate of return is astronomical. No one else gets such a windfall from an “investment”.
I’m 57. I am eligible to join AARP, but I refuse to do so because AARP is one of the biggest shake-down organizations around. I feel bad for those who are in their 20s and 30s now, because they are being fleeced to pay for the entitlement programs going to today’s seniors. There are seniors today who have paid next to nothing into Social Security but who are getting maximium benefits, and are constantly demanding that those benefits be increased.
I have paid into Social Security programs a sum well into the six figures. I will never get that back. However, an octagenarian who had paid into Social Security programs a fraction of what I have is raking in the cash, proportionately.
For Social Security to be fair, it should only pay out in a reasonable proportion to what one paid into it, and everyone gets the same proportionate return.
Most seniors today, no matter what their political philosophies were when they were younger and productive, are now eager socialists. That’s why seniors disproportionately vote for Democrats.
Many years ago I accepted the likelihood that what I paid into Social Security is gone, and I’ll never see it. That’s why I did what I could to prepare for my retirement on my own. Thus, Social Security isn’t even factored into my retirement equation.
To answer your question about the many veterans over age 65 that I know: Yes, they are overwhelmingly Democrats now. But, most of them voted for Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford and Reagan when they were working and productive (we’ve had many a discussion about this over a cold beer). However, when they retired they jumped to the Democrats.
You say you are 65 and are self-employed, but that your SS is paltry. Your SS is “paltry” because you’re still working and bringing in an income.
I have one 90-year-old parent left. She complains constantly at having to pay her health insurance premiums. Her SS isn’t a lot as she was a niche baby. When my father passed, she was astonished that her portion of his government pension dropped. And yes, it is tiresome to hear that having survived The Depression or been drafted into the military for WWII entitles anyone to take more than they gave, but I guess I see it as the luck of the draw. Our children will read about “the last WWII veteran” just as we read about the “last WWI veteran.”
So, while I understand now what the oldsters are bragging on, since they didn’t pay a lot in the early years of the program, they are, IMO, simply bragging on very little. I hope when I am really old I can find other things to take comfort from rather than how I am getting something from the government.
Yes, there is a deduction for being over 65 and most states have a property tax deduction for seniors, as well.
I think the various discounts are simply marketing, not a voting issue and I also ignore AARP. They simply are a lobbying organization that uses the discounts for marketing. They are tiny discounts, too and most are also available with AAA or other insurance programs.
I also think it would be political suicide for any politician
to cut SS. We vote. When they finally succeed in bringing in universal health insurance, I am resigned to being told that most procedures will not be available for anyone over 80, who smokes, is overweight, etc. Or the waits will be increased until we die off from late treatment. Will our children lobby for us to live out our natural lives with advanced health care? Some will, of course. Many will help their parents. Many will be unable to. OTOH, at this time, I see folks in their 80s on Medicaid getting state of the art health care that ranges into the millions of dollars, so I don’t know what will actually happen.
I do understand how this could get under your skin. I just tell myself that life isn’t fair. You cannot fight something most people see as a major benefit.
I am very pessimistic about our country right now. However, we have survived some awful political times and I just pray we will survive this era and keep our freedoms. They mean a lot more to me than entitlements.
Thanks for the answers. I get a bit touchy sometimes about all the “greedy geezer” posts. I see dividing us along age lines as the same tactic as dividing us along gender/income/race issues.