Letter: Rely on generosity, not government for aid

In a Feb. 15 letter, Diane Hecht states that it is unfair for workers who earn more than the Social Security wage base to pay the same flat 6.2% of their Social Security wage base as workers who earn less than the Social Security wage base. She goes on to state that because they earn more, the percentage of their total wages that is paid to Social Security is less.

True enough. But on a dollar basis, they pay the same. Let's go to the other end of the Social Security process: the benefits.

High wage earners receive much less of their working salary in benefits on a percentage basis. They receive a benefit calculated by the Social Security formula that is the same for everybody and is based on a percentage of their earned income up to the Social Security wage base.

There is nothing unfair about it. The system was designed to provide a basic safety net for retirees. It was never intended to be the primary source of retirement income. Like most government entitlement programs, Social Security has been bastardized over the years to court political favor with voters.

If you want to look at a blatantly unfair government entitlement program, look at Medicare.

The government demands people with higher incomes pay more for Part B and Part D for the exact same benefit as everyone else. It's called the IRMAA (Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount).

Perhaps the fix for retirement income disparity and meeting the material needs of the impoverished in our country rests in being generous and charitable with our disposal income rather than relying on the government to be our brother's keeper.

Peter Gennuso