The Impending Disaster

     

    I’ve been on a bit of an anti-Trump jog the past few weeks.  

    While my feelings about the Orange Conman haven’t changed,           

"But, you'll get $5,000."

I decided to give it a rest this week.

    It was getting depressing, especially since I’m a Conservative.

    Don't worry, the Republicans don't have the market cornered on batshit crazy.  

    

"The Electoral College is a scam which awards advanced degrees to white people."

    This week, I decided to talk about the coming train wreck, 

"You'll never pin that train wreck on me.  We haven't laid a mile of new track."

Social Security.  Too many people opine on social media, both for and against, what was originally conceived of as a helping hand during the Great Depression. 

    Rather than limit myself to quick snippets on Threads or Twitter,

"X!"

I thought I’d give my opinion here on Blogger.  Where it’s sure to be seen by a couple.  And ignored by millions.

    Anyway...

    Social Security was established on August 14, 1935 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  A way of responding to significant economic hardships wrought by the Great Depression, the initial benefits were retirement payments to workers, unemployment insurance, and aid to dependent children, the blind, and maternal/child welfare.

    Retirement benefits started at 65 years old.  Workers paid into Social Security.  Remember this.  It will be important later.

"Well, that should cover it.  But, hey, if it doesn't?  We'll all be dead anyway."

    Payroll taxes to support this effort started in January, 1937 with the first monthly check issued in January, 1940, to Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont, for $22.54.

"Cheap bastards."

     The monthly benefits increased to include even more recipients.  I got tired of researching who exactly, so I’ll leave that up to you.  I can't do all the work.

     Okay, this is where I do a little cipherin’ with figgers.

"Do y'all have a sixth grade education, though?"

      I realize that the implosion is inevitable (some say sometime during the 2030s?).  Inevitable, that is, unless something is done.       

    Sadly, I don’t think the incompetent boobs in in Congress (on both sides of the aisle) have the spine to do anything about it, though.  That can will continue to be kicked down the road.

    I hope I’m wrong.

Can't put my finger on why I'm pessimistic, though.

    Life expectancy for American men in 1940:  61.4

    Life expectancy for American men in 2025:  75.8 to 76.4 (I don’t why a specific number is given, either.  Go with it).

    Okay, here are the important numbers:

    Labor Force in 1940:  53 million (it shot up to 75 million in 1945)

"Gee, thanks, World War II!"

    Labor Force in 2025:    163.5 million

    Okay, more important numbers:

    Social Security Recipients in 1940:  222,000

    Social Security Recipients in 2025:  71.5 million

    Finally, the vital numbers:

    Percentage of the labor force supporting Social Security in 1940:  .41%

    Percentage of the labor force supporting Social Security in 2025:  43.7%

    And that right there cannot be sustained without effective reform.  Especially since retirees can start collecting at 62.

    Full Disclosure:  I started collecting at 62.  My reasoning was that Social Security may no longer be around by the time I turned 67.  More importantly, there was no guarantee I’d still be around.

    I’m now 68.  So, I lost that bet.  This is a good thing.  I’d also like to never need Life Insurance, either.

But I will.

    What can be done?  Reduce the benefits paid out.  Yeah, you’d have a better chance of seeing Jesus at a nudie bar.

"So, whaddya think?"
"Forget it."

Or, raise the age at which benefits can be accessed.  Possibly.  Or, how ‘bout this, eliminate those who don’t rate Social Security?  Yeah, sign me up for that.

    At any rate, grandfathering any changes needs to be implemented.  While that sounds self-serving (perhaps it is), it at least holds out the possibility of real change.

    I’m sorry, someone still needs to pull the wagon.  Because, the way we’re going, eventually, that wagon will be full and people will wonder who’s gonna start pulling.

Exactly

    Finally (thank God, right?), to those who say that Social Security is Socialism...yeah, horseshit on that.  I’ve been paying into it since 1975.  And, to those who complain that Boomers are sucking off the teat of workers unfairly...?   I repeat, I’ve been paying into Social Security since 1975.

    In fact, I’m still paying taxes on my Social Security.

    That doesn’t make sense, but...     

then again...