Is the Social Security Program a "Disgrace" or a "Life Saver"?

Question

John McCain has called Social Security a "disgrace"

http://www.alternet.org/election08/91245/

The program McCain feels is so disgraceful is often the only income the Elderly have. They have worked throughout their lives, paying their Social Security, and now they depend upon the program they paid into to provide them with income. It is frequently a supplement to other retirement income, which is what it is supposed to be. But, if you have not been able to save money for retirement, as has often happened, the SS program was there like a solid oak in a field of weeds.

John McCain, married to a multi-millionaire heiress, and earning a huge income himself, does not realize what a lifesaver Social Security has been for many people. Some people have said that these funds should be left for individual investment, but the status of the stock market today should give them a clue as to how this might not work. My question is, how do you feel about SS and do you consider it a disgrace?

Answer 1

I paid in, I expect to get something back. But I sure have planned and invested to make sure that it is not my only,or main, means of income.

Answer 2

Both!  While social security has been a vital source of retirement income for millions of Americans as it was meant to be, McCain is right!  The system of allowing our legislature to spend our social security money has allowed the system to go broke, necessitating that millions of Americans retire at an older age than they should have to.  Also, the investment return on our money is so meager that our monthly social security income doesn't even come close to meeting our financial needs.  If the system were privatized, then the money earning interest in investments would provide considerably greater retirement income, even if it is in the bottom ten percent of the stock market average!  Too many big government liberals were afraid to let that happen, so now we have a social security system that is going broke!  Congratulations genuises!!!

Answer 3

Many seniors are depending on the system they paid into all their lives; to attempt to rid the country of that system would be an error to say the least.

They also have a substandard medicare/medicaid program as well.

Answer 4

McCain was not saying that those who paid into it were a disgrace.  The way it has been handled IS a disgrace.  

The disgrace is that it has been raided time and time again, and it has gone from 20 people paying for the retirement of 1 retiree all the way to 3 people paying for the retirement of 1, and it is headed toward 2.  It is a disgrace as it should have been growing in the other direction if it had not been mismanaged and raided so many times.

Answer 5

Do you think Obama, Clinton or McCain will replace the billions of dollars that the Federal Government has burrowed out of our Social Security for the past 50 years, Have you ever asked yourself, why don’t they steal billions out of the Federal Pension and give it to the Illegals?

  In 1983 the Reagan administration raised your Social Security retirement age to 67 and we sat back and did nothing. A few years ago Greenspan wanted to raise your Social Security retirement age to 70, and again, we sat back and did nothing. Don’t you realize, if the Federal Government would put back all that money, like they promised (IOU) we all could all retire at age 55 with 60% to 80% of our salary, just like the people in France, Germany, England and a lot of other countries in Europe.  We are the richest country in the world, we should have the best health care, the best retirement plan for everyone not just (Government Employees), we could have the the best schools, the best penal system, the best roads, bridges, and the best care for the homeless and our Vets. I guess building bridges to nowhere and over 1 trillion dollars spent in Iraq is much more important than our problems we have here.

McCane gets $56 thousand a year for full disability plus $24 thousand a year Social Security plus a senate salary and don't forget,a big senate retirement soon to come.

Answer 6

for me it's a life saver. I am young and disabled and if it wasn't for that, I would be in trouble but it's also a disgrace. There are elderly people who have paid into it for 40, 50,50 years and barely make enough to pay bills.. Most elderly still have to decide what's more important buying food or medication or paying rent or buying food.. Yes, they have medicare but the premiums (without help) are $100 a month which is pathetic when most elderly make no more than $650 or $700 a month anyway.. Now, they have to sit on the sidelines and watch illegals get the money (which they have NOT worked for or paid into) that they worked their butt off for for 50 years for...so I guess it's how you look at it...

Answer 7

SS is a disgrace. Its wasn't meant to be a welfare program, but to give back what you have put in. What its become, as others have posted, is the balancing of the budget, and every welfare program the socialists can conj our up. Americans need 40 quarters to receive SS. Illegals only need 20! Thank you Ted Kennedy.

Answer 8

BOTH, its a disgrace when you see people who CLEARLY have NOTHING wrong with them drawing a check for themselves, their husband, and their 6 children, you see, the husband gets declared diabled and so does the wife, and they both claim 3 children a peice, and they live like kings and queens.  On the other hand, there are people who are truly disabled, that need that income.  It is a disgrace when somebody pays into the system their entire life, and then they are not able to draw it at age 65, which, I really think it should be 55 myself, but as it stands, one must be 75 before they can draw, now, that is RIDICULOUS!!!!!

However, I'm an Obama supporter!!!!!!  OBAMA 08!!!!!!

Answer 9

Maybe he's was talking about the way it's being run, or the funds are being spent or something else, not just the program itself.

Answer 10

No, it's a life saver. Too many disabled people and retired people have no other income than their social security income.