““ITS MY MONEY AND I WANT IT NOW!””
There is something about this issue that makes people think they can, themselves, rule by edict.
You pointed out the most common one. Other honorable mentions are:
“First cut welfare for illegal immigrants (or insert favorite program here) before you cut MY benefit”
“Cut Congressional raises”
“Cut Federal salaries”
All of which are noble thoughts, but have negligible effect on the overall solvency of the nation and ability to pay any remaining entitlements.
I think you underestimate the cost of illegal aliens, new immigrants on the dole, and the subsidies to low wage new immigrants.
Illegals cost hundreds of billions per year.
Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers about $113 billion a year NET at the federal, state and local level. Study used outdated number of 13 million illegals. In reality it is 30 - 40 million.
New low wage immigrants cost NET $20,000 per household @ 4,550,000 household in 2004 per Heritage.
