Social Security does face a crisis

Editor,

There have been a number of letters recently claiming that Social Security faces no problems other than Bush's suggested reform. While SS is in no immediate crisis, outlays will probably exceed revenue by 2018.

How many years it will take the fund to go broke depends entirely on the government's ability to redeem the IOUs currently in the surplus fund.

David Walker of the GAO recently stated that SS, together with Medicare and Medicaid, will require at least $43 trillion more than budget projections allow for.

While my retirement may be covered, the looming fiscal crisis of which SS is but a part, virtually assures that my children will be left with nothing but a ruined economy unable to provide any of these benefits.

At age 54, I look forward to receiving the benefits I have been paying into since I was 14. However, I cannot be anything but ashamed of the fact that my generation has spent so lavishly on itself that it has mortgaged the future of its own children. Last year the federal debt surpassed $7 trillion and for the first time, the 50 states spent more money on Medicaid than on elementary and secondary education combined.

The bill for the programs our congress now calls the "uncontrollables" is already blowing its way through budgets across the country. So don't tell me everything is fine.

I am tired of my generation screaming "don't touch my Social Security" or to paraphrase it, 'Don't mess with the benefits we voted to award ourselves even if it assures you nothing for your future and no return on the money you invest.'

Even those who insist all is well are discussing raising the SS taxes, raising the retirement age to 70 and reducing benefits. I will be pleading with my congressmen to please, please begin to change this system whose inequities only increase with each passing day. If we're going to reduce benefits either way, then let's do it in a way that offers our children a fighting chance.

Al Onsager

Ronan