To the editor:

Two letters last week concerning social security are lacking in facts. The first letter ìNeed to keep social security as isî did not take into account that according to the Social Security Administration ìIn 2018, the government will begin to pay out more in Social Security benefits than it takes in revenue - and shortfalls then will grow larger with each passing year.î If we do nothing we will have nothing. The other letter writer accuses the President of spending the funds the war and tax cuts. How does money not being taken from us in the form of taxes end up spending more money?

What most people do not understand is that the social security is not a fund and has not been since Johnson got a law passed that allowed the social funds to be put in the general fund and a government paper IOU made out in its place.

According to the White House, what the President is proposing is:
1) to not change benefits for todayís retirees or near-retirees.

2) see Social Security permanently strengthened for our children and grandchildren, without raising payroll taxes.

3) voluntary personal accounts as part of a comprehensive solution to give younger workers the option to save some of these payroll taxes

4) those who do not choose to have a personal account would continue to draw benefits as Americans have long done from the Social Security program.

These are the facts.

Dale Buisman
North Branch

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