Social Security According to Dad

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Added: Thu. Mar 26, 2009 2:56pm
Posted in: Politics

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You know, I keep saying I won't blog politics all the time, but some things are just so compelling...

Last night I was talking to my dad on the phone and the subject of Social Security came up. Dad and I have long been on the polar opposite side of...well...everything, so it was no surprise that we were bound to argue. But I was a little surprised to hear his actual understanding of the situation because Dad is, overall, a pretty smart guy.

Dad told me that if social security worked like it was designed to, it could not possibly ever run out of money.

I answered that's not necessarily so because there are many variables, and blanket assumptions are dangerous in a changing economic environment. Back in the 30's when SS was set up, things were very different. Today, more people are living longer than ever before, and with the baby boomers hitting retirement age, the number of people in retirement could far outbalance the number of working people supporting the social security program, however at the same time, mothers have entered the workforce, middle class people are making more money and people are working longer into what was once considered retirement years...

So he says, and I quote "Honey, you just don't understand how it's supposed to work. The number of people in the workforce doesn't have anything to do with it. You're supposed to pay into the program for 40 years or whatever, and then when you retire, you are supposed to be able to draw that money for 20 years or so until you die."

and I said "Dad, that is not how it works." That is SO not how it works. In fact, that isn't even remotely close to the concept of how it works. That's like a 5 year old concept of how it works. But I didn't say anything like that, because I figure, you know, I can't change his mind. Besides, it was his 71st birthday and I didn't want to ruin it with facts.

As a result, I did not say "Dad, people who retired just a couple of years after social security started collected SS until they died. You can look it up. I have. One well-documented case that I read about somewhere was about one of the very first people to sign up for SS. She paid in for 3 years and retired at age 65. Then she lived until she was 100, so she paid in something like $25.00 total and collected, over 35 years, $22,000. Seriously, did her $25 earn THAT kind of interest? (because I want in on that action)" And I didn't go on to mention that there were spousal benefits - how do you explain those in your one-to-one scenario? When social security was conceived, few women worked outside the home, but they collected SS at age 65, same as their husbands. How do you account for that with a sesame street savings account view of the system?

So then he went on to explain how SSI is what ruined social security. All these lazy drunks who should be working collecting SSI benefits. His town is evidently full of em. can't swing a dead cat without hitting some bum who drinks all day and collects SSI.

All righty then.

So I said "Dad, part of the perceived SS instability has to do with Congress diverting funds from social security..."

and he said "That did not happen."

and I said, "no, it did..."

And he said "That did NOT happen."

so I changed the subject. Would it really matter to tell him that Congress voted to spend the money that was paid into the social security fund in excess of what was anticipated on something other than hedging for the future? no it would not. because it did not happen, you see.

Anyway, it was Dad's assumption that I have no idea what I'm talking about that got me - again. He thinks I'm too simple to understand the concept of "Ya put ya money in here and it comes out over here when you're 65." Like a personal savings account, see? Except they started paying drunks and addicts with the money and ruined everything. Oh, and people who REALLY need it can't even get it.

BTW, I didn't mention that sometime in the mid-90's alcoholism and drug addiction were excluded as eligibility for SSI. No point, really.

But you know what really makes me nervous is that I think Dad's grasp of the system - and what's wrong with it - is typical. I hear some version of this a lot. You want to know what's really wrong with the country? Nobody understands nothin. And those calling themselves experts have an agenda, so they show only what they want the public to see - whatever best furthers that agenda. Cain't trust nobody on tv neither.

The parable of The Blind Men and the Elephant

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Marc Middleton
GB Staff
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Posted 10:01pm March 30th, 2009
Remember the show Father Knows Best? It went to their heads.
babyboomerbev
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Posted 10:04pm March 26th, 2009

Sheri,

Everybody seems to have a "World according to...." based on what they've heard or read. The sad thing is we've allowed ourselves to just accept what we hear on the news as the gospel truth without doing our own research.

If news media like FOX News would stop trying so hard to slant a perspective and just tell it like it is---you'd findquite a few folks who would wake up and come out of the dark.
Terry
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Posted 4:06pm March 26th, 2009
Sherry,
This is great writing. You obviously have done your homework and Dad is a little behind the times in his thinking. I receive a minuscule amount of SS but have ALWAYS known it was never to be my single source of income when retired. Good stuff!

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