A friend asked:
Are SS taxes theft by government?
I answered:
Yes.
Then the friend asked:
Is theft wrong?
My reply:
Yes.
Finally, the friend offered:
Does it matter that the thief promised you anything in
return for what (s)he stole?
Here is my full reply:
No.
I agree that my plan is immoral. The moral plan would be
immediately to stop all SS taxes and all SS payments. I
suppose, when the dust settled, those in need would be
helped by the mercy of those who have. I fear, the
settling of the dust might put the whole country through
what New Orleans is now experiencing. Am I wrong? Would
people on SS riot? I fear they would. Are you ready to
shoot someone's grandmother for stealing a loaf of bread
to survive? My gradual plan back to morality walks
across 200 years of immoral government. I admit it. I
put love above morality. Maybe I should go to Hell. But,
like Huckleberry Finn, I choose Hell over the suffering
of my friend. No, my plan is not pure libertarianism and
the Libertarian Party could never allow it. The Personal
Choice Party, however, can tolerate candidates like me
who do.
Does anyone have an alternative plan to get us off SS
without violence? I really have given this much thought
and would appreciate any improvements on my proposal.
My original proposal:
After a great deal of thought, I came up with a solution
to the Social Security mess. It will take a lot of
cooperation and determination. In fact, we will need to
be almost unanimous. It takes five steps of 40 years
each. First, we make an annual adjustment. Whatever the
difference last year between total payments in and total
payments out, they are both adjusted 10% this year
towards the difference. Thus, if payments in were 20%
more than payments out, then payments in will be reduced
by 2% and payments out increased by 2%. This will tend
towards balance without causing hardship. Then, we
announce that in 40 years Social Security premiums and
payments will be reduced 20%. That will give the workers
40 years to put an additional 20% of SS into private
savings. Since total SS is about 15% of income (7.5%
worker, 7.5% employer), that will only amount to a 3%
savings investment to cover the difference 40 years
later. Most savings systems can easily make enough in 40
years to cover the 20% reduction in SS upon retirement.
40 years later, premiums and payments are again reduced
another 25%. 40 years later, they are reduced 33%. 40
years later, 50%. Then, 40 years later, 100%. Social
Security is over and nobody had to pay more than about
18% of their income into SS or a secure, you can't touch
it, savings account. First, it's 15% SS and 3% personal.
Then, 12% SS and 6% personal, etc. Finally, everyone is
off the system and nobody got hurt. I know, it's a 200
year plan. It's not immediate libertarianism. But, it is
a marriage between pacifism (cause no harm) and
libertarianism (initiate no force).
Those few who
don't or can't provide for their retirements will be
subject to private charity. Charity never was part of
the proper role of government (See the second paragraph
of the Declaration of Independence). Some of our other
socialist programs may require similar plans to wean us
without causing strife and suffering among innocent
victims. Call it national socialism rehab. We are hooked
on socialism more than the worst crack addict. This kind
of program could work. Do we have the will? As a
candidate in the Personal Choice Party, I see no other
fair way out. If we do not have the will, we will follow
every other nation that taxed itself to death. The dust
of history is full of them. Now we have a way to change
history forever. It has taken us 200 years to get this
far from our Founders. Maybe it will take 200 years to
make the return trip?
PS. I did the calculation. If you put 3% of your income
each year into a savings plan that paid 6% annual
interest; after 40 years, the annual interest on your
investment would be more than 20% of your annual income,
easily replacing the 20% drop in SS payments. At 5%,
it's slightly less than 20%. Still more than the 20%
loss in SS. Do the math. It works.
Ken
