Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Issue 534 Retirement age increase February 24, 2015

So, it is being tossed around yet again.  The idea to increase the retirement age once again.  Let us discuss what is being considered.

At what age do they want you to retire:  Well, at current, the retirement age for social security for my generation is 67.  This is due to the change made by President Ronald Reagan for my generation and those that will come after.  This my dear readers was great as it made sure that at least my parents will get to see some of the money they put into the Social Security system.  But this is not enough for my generation.  In fact, those who retire early and collect at the earlier retirement age of 62 are harming the chances of Social Security still being there.  Also, although it is good I can't retire and receive Social Security till I am 67, it still does not increase the chances of keeping the social welfare program around beyond 2035 (an estimate based on the board of trustees who govern Social Security).  So the proposal that is going around is to increase the minimum retirement age to 64 with the same penalty, and the main retirement age to 70.   I don't think I need to tell you that this will ensure Social Security will be around a little longer as it has worked before.  Additionally, this will not affect people already retired or those within 20 to 30 years of retiring.  It will only affect those who have at least 3 or more decades before they can retire.  This ensures that these individuals both born and unborn can plan, and work in a way that will make it so they can live the way they want up until the new retirement age hits.  This ensures some level of fairness.  


Conclusion:  Social Security is a beloved welfare program that has been around since the late 1930s as a method to help people retire earlier so as to make way for younger workers to enter the workforce.  If you don't believe me, you simply have to read President FDR's speeches on the subject.  As it is such a loved program, people want to keep it around, and thus methods abound are being proposed, but ultimately not implemented due to fear of reprisal from the American Populace.  So I am here to tell you all that at least I am willing to wait that extra couple of years to retire, so that Social Security can last long enough to help the baby boomers live out their twilight years.  In fact, I would say get rid of the early retirement age completely so that more money can be saved, and then deny benefits to those making a specific level of income per year after they retire.  Those two things would benefit everyone greatly and we may even be able to afford to give those people with the least a little more money so that they can survive without having to resort to other welfare programs and the stress of applying and staying on them.  I want to protect our seniors, so I am willing to make the sacrifice.  Are you?

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