Social Security vs Health Care

I only got to watch a small portion of  Democrats Health Care Theater. The portion I did get a chance to watch was the actor Joe Biden rambling on about how good Social Security was and how much it was opposed in 1935. That got me thinking (for Democrats that is the little voices in your head), what it must have been like in 1935 when the Social Security debate was going on in Congress. 

First off I think it is important to "set the stage". There was a economic depression going on in the country, coupled with a crippling effects of the "Dust Bowl". Poverty rates among senior citizens were more than 50%. There was talk overseas about a new political idea which helps people having economic hardships (socialism). I believe the American public was begging for some help to get them out of their current economic woes, then along came F.D.R.

The Congress was overwhelmingly Democratic. The Senate distribution was 69 seats Democrats, 1 Farmer-Labor Party, 1 Progressive, and 25 Republicans, for a total of 96 seats (pre-Hawaii and Alaska). The House had  322 Democrats, 3 Farmer-Labor Party, 7 Progressives and 103 Republicans.  One of the biggest concerns at the time was that the Social Security Act would cause a loss of jobs. The Democrats answer was that it wouldn't cause a job loss, because more people would retire creating jobs. (Sound familiar?)

There were two bills passed, one by the House and one by the Senate. Then the diffences of the bills were resolved (I can't find much on how they were resolved...must have been a back room deal).

Strangely the first check was not issued until 1942, but don't worry they were collecting  social security benefits from 1937.  They used to have lump sum payments of social security checks. The first check was for 17 cents. The guy had "contributed" one nickel form his payroll check. He was in the social security program for one day.

Why do I bring up all this history? Because I want people to see the similarities of the enactment of Social Security and the current health care bill.  Americans were having difficult times and they were looking for something...anything to help. I contend that F.D.R. was the first President to use the theory of "Never let a crisis go to waste", although not called that at the time.

What was the end result of Social Security? As a nation we have $107,594,000,000,000 ($107 trillion) worth of unfunded liabilities (Social security, Prescription drug plan, Medicare). That is a liability of $348,470 PER CITIZEN! Yeah that program worked real well. Why the hell don't we do something about that, instead of adding more debt, so some bureaucrat in Washington can make my medical decisions? it is simply crazy!

I have been asked "If you think Social Security was such a bad idea why don't I just refuse to accept Social Security benefits when I retire?" The answer is simple... I want my money back. I was forced to "contribute" thousands of dollars to the system and I only know one way to get that money back, accept the benefits. 

There is no way we can afford to have a government controlled health care plan. Please contact your Representative and/or Senator and stop the insanity. We can't let them steal this money from our children!

Colorado Food Stamp Program

I was reading an article on Denver's 9news website about how people spend their food stamp money and it got me a bit irked so I thought I would write a blog.

This last Sunday, I was relaxing in a chair after my wife and I had just completed painting our kitchen and I said to my son, "this is the best feeling in the world to be resting after completing a project, you feel tired from the physical work but you feel a sense of accomplishment." That is the feeling you do not get when you are on food stamps. If you get handed free money it "trains" you to not do anything for yourself and there is no accomplishment.

Confessional time: During one of our poorest times since we moved to Grand Junction my wife and I were using food stamps. I personally hated it, because I hate to ask for help from anyone. At the time it was our only way to pay for food. It was a very limited amount of time (less than 6 months) until we could get better jobs to get off the program. So I understand there is a need. I also know there are good people who use the program how it was intended, to get you back on your feet when times are tough.

The people I will be talking about are the people who use it as income with no intention of getting off the program (or any other state offered program). These people are out there milking "the system" for all it is worth. They seem to get disability from some mystery illness or are "waiting for unemployment benefits to run out" before accepting another job. These are the people that buy things like lobster and crabs on food stamps. They believe that they are "owed" these things by the government.

They place food stamp money on debit cards so it isn't so humiliating to the person receiving food stamps. Why doesn't food stamp law put simple restrictions on the food that is purchased like no soda, food must be less than $3.00 a pound. The store owners could "mark" it in there computers so purchases could not be made of those products. When I was using food stamps we ate a lot of Mac & Cheese, while a fine meal, when you eat is several times a week, you get more inspired to get yourself off food stamps.

Another option would be to get rid of the debit cards. Bring back those booklets of brightly colored stamps. Maybe just simple humiliation would help people to not want to be on food stamps and try achieving better with their lives.

Yes, I understand that people have a need for food stamps but what we need to do is make sure that it does not make people dependant on them.

9 News story on food stamps