Socialism’s creep into entitlements is the problem
A recent letter writer suggested if we object to “socialism” we tear up our Social Security and Medicare cards since these are socialistic-based programs. Let’s review the facts.
Social Security and Medicare are provided by the federal government and supported by individual worker contributions. The current FICA system incorporates the principle of “the more you earn the more you pay” for these benefits. At age 65, our current Medicare program “prorates” an additional premium for medical services based on your prior year’s adjusted gross income. Therefore, “the more you earn, even in retirement, the more you pay” for medical benefits. This is not a “free” program for individuals who worked a lifetime, planned and saved for retirement and continuously paid for their benefits during their work careers.
For the last 75 years, liberal congressional politicians changed the original intent and guidelines for Social Security and Medicare to compensate for adding individuals to both programs who paid nothing into the system. As a recent example, since 2008 we added more than 10 million individuals to Social Security Disability. A significant number have never paid a dollar. These “socialistic giveaways” were not part of the original programs.
Our current national dilemma is how to pay for all these socialist changes to Social Security, Medicare, and another socialist program, Medicaid.
All nations are struggling to pay for health care. There is no free health care. Someone must pay for the individuals who pay nothing.
Stop the emotional arguments. It’s well past our time to act like adults.
Robert Cibulsky
Bluffton
America needs Trump’s wall
The Democrats are hypocrites. They were for the wall before they were against it.
Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama built hundreds of miles of border walls and Democrats voted for it. They’re more concerned with the rights of illegals than the safety of the American people.
President Donald Trump is trying to prevent illegals, drugs, gangs, smugglers, criminals and children-traffickers from entering our country. The angel families (families where one member was killed by an illegal alien) are increasing.
Democrats claim walls are immoral and racists, yet politicians have walls around their homes. Will Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer or any Democrat open their homes to immigrants providing food, shelter, welfare, health care, education and housing for as long as they wanted to stay? They wouldn’t but they expect the American taxpayer to absorb the cost of open borders for all.
When Barack Obama was president and the Democrats controlled both houses, they gave him $1 trillion (Trump wanted $5.7 billion) to improve our infrastructure. The shovel-ready jobs Obama touted didn’t materialize, as he spent money bailing out unions, banks and Wall Street. He also gambled and lost billions on bankrupt green companies and Democrats refused Trump $5.7 billion to ensure the safety of our citizens.
Their goal is gaining power, not the safety of Americans or immigrants. They’re only interested in bringing down Trump.
Vince Sgroi
Sun City
Trump record of ‘accomplishments’ unbelievable
The accomplishments of the Trump administration are unbelievable.
The largest trade deficit, the largest budget deficit, and the least amount of collectable taxes to compensate for these shortfalls. The internment of children without a plan for family reunification, and the vilifying of people looking for a better life.
His entourage of campaign personnel indicted and convicted. His collaring up to dictators who have murdered, directly or indirectly, innocent people, reporters and those in disagreement with them.
The nuclear agreements that kept an eye on Russian and Iranian nukes being sidelined. The tax breaks for the extremely wealthy, and not for the middle- or lower-income citizens. His failed claims of a better economy, which was actually orchestrated by the Obama administration because of the recession inherited from the G.W. Bush administration.
The Republican Party’s diminished ideals it once practiced.
And now we see this president getting ready to throw anyone and everyone under the bus who disagrees with him. Watch out Ivanka and Donald junior. Thanks to Fox News, the Ministry of Propaganda for Trump.
I guess his six draft deferments for foot issues didn’t interfere with his basketball games while in college. Now he hugs the flag. Sound familiar?
Lucien Piccioli
Bluffton
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