Wednesday, January 17, 2024

reminding congress: social security is not part of national debt

That's something they would be expected to know.
Every fifth grader knows that.
 
Perhaps they have simply forgotten.
That's why, when the AARP sent the email alerting me to the latest shenanigans of the elected officials, I jumped at the chance to remind them how Social Security is financed.
 
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This was sent to my elected Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
 
Dear [Senators],

As one of your constituents, I’m asking you to keep Social Security OUT of any discussions on the national debt.

Social Security is NOT a driver of the national debt. It is self-financed. Unlike government programs that receive funding through general revenue, Social Security is a separate, pay-as-you-go system financed directly by payroll tax contributions from American workers and their employers.

We, the voters, pay into Social Security based on a promise from the United States of America that we will get the money we’ve earned after we retire. It would be unfair for Congress to break this promise by cutting Social Security in order to reduce the deficit — especially when Social Security is NOT a driver of this country’s debt.

Social Security puts retirement in reach for so many. Every day, nearly 67 million Americans are able to count on Social Security to help put food on the table, pay for medical bills, and afford other daily expenses.

As your constituent, I ask that you oppose any cuts to Social Security or Medicare in order to reduce the nation’s debt.

Thank you,
Faustina Smith
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Dear reader, you may want to remind your elected officials, too.
Just go to this link and let them know, just in case they have forgotten what fifth graders already know.

2 comments:

Jon Ossoff said...

Office of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff
10:03 AM
Re: Protect our hard-earned Social Security!

Thank you for contacting me and my office. Please know that we have received your message and are grateful to you for reaching out to us.

My team and I are working hard every day to deliver for the people of Georgia, and hearing directly from our constituents is key to that effort. Your concerns, feedback and questions will receive my and my office’s full attention, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time with further concerns or for any help we may be able to provide.

Warm wishes,

Senator Ossoff

Raphael Warnock said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Your views are important to my work in the United States Senate on behalf of the people of Georgia and I appreciate you taking the time to share them with me. I will be sending you a more substantive response to your specific concerns, but in the meantime, I want to let you know that I received your message and value your comments.

If you have written regarding a problem you are having with a federal agency, a caseworker in one of my Georgia offices will be contacting you shortly. To expedite direct contact with a caseworker you may also call my Atlanta office for assistance.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.

Sincerely,
Reverend Raphael Warnock
United States Senator