Social Security fixes quite simple

Why is it that everyone continues to state that Social Security is a government program? The federal government has never put one cent into Social Security. It is (or should be) stand-alone entity, supported by tax contributions of American citizens. The only connection the government has to Social Security is that it has poorly administered the running of the program for decades.

As a taxpayer, your contributions (6.2 percent of income), matched by your employer, equals what social security is made up of. It is about time for the federal government and all politicians to refrain from referring to Social Security as some wonderful benefit they provide to the American people.

Your benefit is bought and paid for by you. You determined the amount of your benefit by virtue of how much you contribute and how long you do so. We as citizens should have demanded a fix to the depletion of the system long ago. They are quite simple and could be adopted immediately. Except for the fact that they will not be as the rich and politicians would have to contribute. Government employees should contribute to get a benefit just like you and I.

AARP recently detailed many excellent steps which could be adopted to secure the system's future. What they didn't add was that a graduated contribution should be included. That is to say, the ceiling should be established for 6.2 percent up to $100,000 of income, 3.1 percent should be adopted on the next $150,000 and 1.5 for any amount exceeding $250,000. This simple step would provide funding to solve the Social Security shortfall forever. Lastly, the federal government should begin paying market rates for the loans it takes out to support itself.

Tom Rajcan

Wheaton