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Hernando Today

Save Our Social Security

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By FRANCES EARL, Call to Patriots

Hernando Today

Published: January 28, 2009

Our nation's personal savings rate is now at its lowest point since the Great Depression. Let's then take a look at what the scenario might be if the breadwinner in a young family walked out the door one day and died before the day ended.
Having paid into Social Security, his family would be eligible for help from the system that so many Republicans keep telling us should be eliminated in favor of personal savings accounts (IRAs and 401Ks).
No, it would not be enough to enable that family to buy a mansion, but if all they had was a personal savings account, when the money in it was gone, it would be gone — then what?
Assuming this young family had more than most in that account, how much of a hit did it take when the recent crash came? Anybody who tells you his IRA/401K took no hit is a fool or a liar and perhaps the loss this person really took is why he/she is now out there trying to sell you on abolishing Social Security and buying private investments through him/her? Don't let anyone lead you down the garden path to insecurity and, in case you haven't noticed, you have already been "trickled down" upon, so at least try to hold on to the towel!
Let's analyze what happens if we elect politicians who promise to eliminate "big" government and all taxes. We get a bankrupt government, badly run, that does so little for the people it almost negates the reason for having a government at all!
Sadly true of the George W. Bush administration already being labeled the worst in U.S. history, mismanaging disasters (Katrina) and turning a historic budget surplus into the biggest national debt ever seen, while destroying our moral credibility throughout the world.
Little brother, Jeb, a little smarter than George, used "creative accounting" to cover up the effects of his anti-government, anti-tax ideology till he was out of office, but we are paying for it now — big time. The Republican controlled Florida Legislature is expected to cut $1.5 billion from the state's budget this fiscal year. More than $20 billion in tax cuts for the wealthiest Floridians and the biggest corporations remain in place.
Not one of our compassionate conservatives has even mentioned rescinding these cuts, maybe because the recipients of this largesse are the backbone of their campaign funding? Nope, let's totally plunder trust funds, let's cut education in a state already near or at the bottom of quality list, let's just about destroy Medicaid (if that means no medical help for the poorest among us, well how important were those people anyway?). Just keep taking more and more from "the people," the middle class (hopefully some of them will still have the title of "working class" before the year is over!).
Jeb privatized more than 10,000 state jobs and services from toll roads to health care, all of which have been more expensive, not less. Private firms make a profit, or haven't you heard. A state worker is a nonprofit worker — get it? Who benefits from privatization?
Anyone think it is the private firm, and do you think that corporation might be grateful enough to donate to campaign coffers for those who handed previously not-for-profit work over to them? Jeb eliminated over $14 billion in corporate taxes in Florida, enabling companies like Wal-Mart to pay very little in taxes, if any taxes at all. All wealth taxes on individuals were also eliminated by Jeb. Anybody noticing how many celebrities (Travolta, etc.) have been moving to Florida, where the rich and famous avoid taxes which cost the state about $6 billion?
Own a yacht? Lucky you! Dock fees for big yachts, chartered deep sea fishing, even skybox seats at the stadium have no service tax due to 300 or more tax exemptions (Thanks, Jeb!) in place. Have you heard even one of the guys you voted for to run our fair state mention eliminating these tax breaks for the wealthiest among us to help our almost bankrupt state? No, you have not because what they continue to do is to take money from our children's education, money from medical help for our poorest. No major company comes to a state, folks, when that state's educational rating is at or near the bottom of the barrel.
Rescind the tax breaks for the rich, restore the service taxes for the rich guy's skyboxes (when Joe the Plumber can't even afford a ticket in the bleachers!) before you continue to make the middle/working class carry the rich on their backs. Have you not noticed, fellas — the working class has become the unemployed class and the dollars being taken from them to support the lifestyles of the rich is dwindling!

Frances Earl, former Vice Chairwoman of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee, may be contacted at fearl@tampabay.rr.com.

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