Whither - Social Security?

"Many have wondered - how do we fix it? Just when all avenues to fix this gaping hole in Social Security looked way too convoluted, an answer drops right in our laps. Thanks in large part to Taxing Timmy Walz, we found out about fraud."

Ever since I was much younger and in the work a day world, some panic merchant in Washington would be ringing the alarm about Social Security. That is, one group of panic merchants would be running around the Capitol with their hair on fire, and another group would be trying to mollify the masses by lying to them about the solvency of Social Security. Meanwhile, I as well as millions of other workers, went to work, day by day, and had a percentage of our wages withheld and stuffed into this mysterious hole called FICA. 

Some have called Social Security a Ponzi Scheme. Others have called it a lifeline for seniors who have little else to retire on. Now a new group of either truth tellers or panic merchants are sounding the alarm bell (again). If we don't fix Social Security quickly, seniors will have their benefits cut by 20 or 30 percent in 2032. For some seniors, that will be a major inconvenience. For other seniors - it will be a killer.

Mostly due to my age, I have met many seniors over the past few years. Sometimes the issue of retirement money comes up. I have talked to many who are doing just fine, thank you. But I have also talked to others, that based on what they did for a living, Social Security is most of what they get every month. To eliminate it, or even reduce it, would be dangerous and maybe even deadly. 

Here is the long and the short of it (as far as I am concerned). I am tired of every few years hearing about the demise of Social Security. If it is truly broken and running out of money so fast that beneficiaries will soon take a decrement in monthly checks - FIX IT! If it is not running out of money (remember the SS "Strong Box?") then shut up already! Nobody, not even seniors who no longer work, need additional stress by worrying about future benefits.

Many have wondered - how do we fix it? Just when all avenues to fix this "gaping hole" in Social Security looked way too convoluted, an answer drops right in our laps. Thanks in large part to Taxing Timmy Walz, we found out about fraud. With all the fraud we have in Minnesota and beyond, we can reclaim (or claw back) so much money, we can fix that gaping hole. Heck - we might even have enough to give seniors a decent raise in benefits.