The greatest president in our nation’s history signed social security into law on August 14, 1935. It was a perfect plan which would give the working class some form of retirement. The beauty of it was that it was funded by employees and employers and would never use tax dollars to secure its future. During the next six decades Congress robbed the program to fund ‘pork belly projects’ to help them secure elections. Today it is in jeopardy, and instead of taking action to renew the greatest law passed in the history of our nation, politicians want to alter it so they can continue their criminal actions.

My wife and I have one income; our social security checks. We will never receive an equal amount paid for by us and our employers, but without it we would be homeless. None of the jobs each of us worked for over 45 years offered retirement, and our income forbade us to save for our future. However, we did have deductions from our paychecks for social security.

Today politicians want to pass their criminal activity on to America’s working class. They seek changes which would adversely affect those who need it most. Although the blame is directly on the shoulders of the wealthy and secure members of Congress, they expect the people to pay for their actions.

Our legislators in Washington have a base pay of $174,000 per year. For most of them that’s just ‘pocket change.’ After two terms in office, our Congressmen and Senators become millionaires. How is this possible? Corruption. Special interests, represented by lobbyists, insure the wealth and security of those who once represented the American people in Washington. Their retirement is secure, and although we employ them, they do not rely on social security for their retirement. I don’t understand why the employees of the American people are better paid and have far greater benefits than their benefactors.

Now that our elected officials are millionaires it is understandable that they would support their peers rather than those who elect them.

I speak for all Americans: “Keep your dirty hands off of my social security.” (Please re-blog.)

Op-Ed by James Turnage

Photo Courtesy of AFGE

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