Getting rid of Social Security

I found this article posted on the Heritage Foundation website. One of the four "reforms" proposed by the HF for Bush's second term is to "cut government expenditures."

Sounds great until you read between the lines-- the article reminds us that U.S. debt obligations are so huge that we'll have to make some big spending cuts. We can't cut the military budget, because GW* promised to keep us safe in our little houses. Also, we can't raise taxes, because that would interfere with recommendation 1-- Cut Taxes (how did I already know that this would be their number 1 recommendation without even reading the article?).

So, we are left with "reform" of Social Security, Medi­care, and Medicaid. (And getting rid of school music programs, for some reason).

But one question-- How do we "cut government expenditures" by "reforming" Social Security, Medi­care, and Medicaid? How do we relieve the federal government of its obligation to pay back all the money the current generation has paid into the Social Security pot, currently represented by treasury IOUs? The answer (between the lines) is that we just get rid of Social Security, Medi­care, and Medicaid. How are we to "cut government expenditures" without making a corresponding cut to the underlying financial obligation?

This corrupt administration is sucking us dry, people. They are even telling us that that is what they're doing. Beware.

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Four Reforms to Regain U.S. Leadership in Economic Freedom

by Ana Isabel Eiras
Backgrounder #1815
http://www.heritage.org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/bg1815.cfm

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Reform #2: Cut government expenditures.

Rising government expenditures are imposing a burden on American families and future genera­tions that will be hard to remove. According to David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, the official debt of the United States gov­ernment today is $7 trillion.<9> If the “promises” that the U.S. government has made to retirees and users of government health care services are added, “the real debt is $42 trillion,” which amounts to “18 times the current federal budget, or three-and-one-half the size of the cur­rent Gross Domestic Product.”<10> In per capita terms, this obligation represents “over $140,000 for every person in America.”<11>

Just to pay this debt, the U.S. economy would have to grow an average of 3 percent annually for the next 45 years, or 6 percent annually for the next 23 years, and incur no further obligations. These growth targets illustrate the extent to which current government actions have already affected the future of children born this year, who most likely will have to endure higher tax rates, higher interest rates, a much more difficult business environment, and a lower standard of living. For the government to leave them with such an inherited burden is just as irresponsible as it would be for their own parents to leave them with a long list of bills to pay.

In one of the 2004 presidential debates, Presi­dent George W. Bush said that he would spend whatever it takes to make sure that America is safe. The American people expect nothing less of their President. However, Americans also expect both Congress and the Bush Administration to use taxpayers’ money wisely so that financing the war on terrorism does not unnecessarily burden future generations.

To reduce the unfunded debt burden on Ameri­can families, the Administration should immediately advance proposals to reform Social Security, Medi­care, and Medicaid. Also important, the Administra­tion should stop supporting corporate welfare programs like the farm subsidies for the elite and wasteful pork-barrel projects like therapeutic horse­back riding and mariachi music curricula. By cutting wasteful programs, the Administration would avoid burdening future generations.

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