Letter to the Editor:

We have heard a great deal about “saving Social Security.” There are only a couple of things wrong with this statement. First, Social Security is solvent, and its solvency will easily last enough years to allow a solution to be found. Next are the proposed solutions. There are politicians like Joni Ernst, who would “save” Social Security by privatizing it. We then could keep our money and invest it in Wall Street.

There is one question that we should consider. When Wall Street’s insatiable greed caused the recession where people lost their homes, their savings, and their jobs, did the folks receiving Social Security checks also suffer by not receiving their checks? No. The Social Security checks kept coming, and Social Security remained strong.

One certainly can invest in Wall Street, but a wise person would also like the “security” promised by Social Security. If one wants to add even more years to its solvency, there is a simple solution that was employed several years ago and was very effective. After a person makes $117,000 in a year, that person pays no more into Social Security. A simple solution is to raise that cap, so more people are contributing.

If a candidate like Joni Ernst thinks privatizing should “stay on the table,” we must remember the phrase “too big to fail.” That is why our tax money bailed out Wall Street. Unfortunately, there seems to be another phrase that is applicable. “Too big to jail.” Unless those responsible for the debacle of loss suffered by so many are punished severely, then there is a sure bet their greed will rise to the surface again. (If you or I committed their crimes, we would be cooling our heels in prison.) Their “punishments” were fines, and the amount of those fines sounded impressive. However, Wall Street made, in a few days, plenty of money to cover those fines. The fines were a slap on the wrist. With our Social Security funds, who knows what illegal scams Wall Street can and will devise?

There is no need to privatize Social Security, and it would be wise to question Joni Ernst’s reasons for her desire to”keep it on the table.” Privatizing should not be on the table or even in the kitchen. It should be out of the house with doors locked.

Beth Lamb

Chelsea

Jeannie Sieck

Toledo