Letter to the Editor:

If you are currently on Social Security or looking to use it any time in the future, it’s time to be mighty careful. Politicians will tell you that they will “protect Social Security” or “save Social Security” or “preserve Social Security.” The crucial information that is missing is – how? Some would raise the retirement age. Some would reduce benefits. Some would privatize. Some would be wishy washy like Joni Ernst who said, “We don’t know the best way to proceed.”

The reason you need to be mighty careful is that we DO know how to protect, save, preserve Social Security, and we even know the best way to do it. The present cap for contributing into SS is around $117,000. Economists have said the simplest method is to raise the cap so that people making up to $250,000 would also contribute. (Keep in mind that they also collect SS, so helping to pay for it is reasonable). Economists’ estimation is that it would keep SS solvent for at least 50 more years and could possibly increase benefits.

Why would politicians play word games rather that adopt this simple solution? Many are financed by billionaires who want to eliminate SS. Joni Ernst’s benefactors are the Koch Brothers who feel SS should be eliminated along with Medicare, so she has leaned toward at least partial privatization. (Keep in mind the possible disastrous results in playing the stock market – the recent crash with the recession and the current plight of those invested in oil. There is a reason for the word “security” in the title, Social Security.) However, other politicians, both Democrats and Republicans.,are also responsible to their billionaire sponsors and are not immune from being puppets.

Bernie Sander’s plan raises the cap to $250,000. If Social Security is important to you, then find out the plan behind your candidate’s words.

Anne Michael

Tama