Retirement earnings no gift

I find it very interesting that some folks, e.g. Ms. Joan Harman’s letter of March 17, call Social Security an entitlement, not an earned benefit. Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program as established in 1935. It was set up as such and not as an entitlement or income supplement to the “poor” and paid for by the “middle class and rich.”

It was quite simply a program funded by the workers for retirement, as very few people were funding any kind of retirement for themselves, so BIG brother stepped in and forced people to “save” for their golden years.

I find it blatantly absurd that some folks now say that I am not entitled to the benefit that I funded throughout the 50-plus years of my working life. When I read a letter like that one, I wonder where that person got their wealth and does not need or want Social Security. Was it from some government-supplied pension plan, a union plan, a large corporation plan or plain hard work and intelligence?

I will agree with one thing she said: “The more you can plan to save for your own future” is a very good idea, as Social Security has been used to provide for things it was not designed nor intended to fund.

Les Spillman

Spokane