Just for the record… I am one of those that have tired of taxes and big government. On social issues, I’m a Democrat, but fiscally, I tend to side with the Republicans. Oxymoron? Or does this make me a gay Libertarian… still not sure.

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If, like my own parents who died at ages 63 and 64 and NEVER collected a Dime from Social Security and paid the absolute Maximum into the system all their working lives, you kick the bucket early the “System” keeps all the money and you have no idea how much was paid in.

Though in my parents case a little judicious calculating gives me an estimate of roughly $250,000 between their portion and the employers portion paid in over their lives….WITHOUT ANY INTEREST FIGURED IN!!!!!!

At leat half of the tax one pays should be able to be directed to an Inheritable PRA with the balance into a general fund to pay for those who for whatever reason cannot contribute to the system.

~ Roland

P.S. Chew on this~~~~ $30 a week (your $15 and your employers $15 match on a $200 Gross Pay) at 6% interest from the time your 25 until your 65 and assume you NEVER get a Raise will give you an account with $250,000 in it that at 6% earns $15,000 a year interest…which is equal to $300 a Week.

Don’t believe me get a copy of Financial Compounding Tables at the bookstore and do the math!!!!!

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Social Security should not be anyone’s sole plan for retirement, but for many elderly and disabled people, it is the thing that saves them from homelessness and starvation, not a means of obtaining a “cadillac hood ornament.”

It’s easy for many Queercents readers, employed people in our 20s-40s mostly, to complain about our taxes and to come up with plans that will leave us better off. But my grandfather can’t go out and make a better retirement plan, or work for additional income. He’s 92 and has severe alzheimers. He and the millions of other people who depend on social security should be able to continue depending on it.

Also, I find the idea that because Social Security benefits are currently structured to be totally unfair to queer families, therefore we should be in favor of getting rid of it, just incomprehensible.

Marriage benefits are currently structured to be totally unfair to queer families (in most places). Should we get rid of marriage? No, we should try to apply marriage laws in a non-discriminatory manner. The military is currently structured to be unfair to gays and lesbians who want to serve, forcing them to hide their personal relationships. Should we get rid of the military? Again, I’d go with no, and even if you think the answer is yes, that’s probably not the main reason. We should try to conduct military operations in a non-discriminatory manner.

Likewise, we should change the discrimination in social security benefits. But we shouldn’t scrap the safety net. People need it. And one day, we might be those people.

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