Letter: Scare tactics on Social Security

Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005 | 9:17 a.m.

The president's plan for fixing Social Security reminds me of an old song: "Go get the ax, there's a fly on baby's head." President Bush is selling his plan for bankrupting Social Security the same way he sold his invasion of Iraq, i.e., by misrepresenting his goal, misstating facts and using fear to create the impression of crisis where none exists.

Bush tells young workers: "You can pay into Social Security all of your working life, but when it is time for you to retire there will be nothing for you. Social Security will be flat broke, busted." If nothing is changed, whenever you retire people will still be working for wages and Social Security will be skimming 12 percent of the nation's payroll right off the top. This is a very large sum of money. Social Security will not be "flat broke, busted."

It has been predicted that about 40 years from now Social Security will be paying out a little more in benefits than it is receiving in taxes. This deficit in the Social Security account can be eliminated by a small increase in taxes, a small decrease in benefits or a slight increase in the age for beginning retirement -- or any combination of these actions. Correcting this predicted deficit should be left to the Congress elected by the people who will be affected by these measures.

VERNON BOSTICK