Entitlement, not welfare

I just read the May 10 comments by Maryann Wignes (“Scrutinize Social Security”). She is so right as to the eroding of our Social Security benefits.

The term “entitlement” means money owed. Keeping that in mind, Social Security is an entitlement. What makes it offensive is that it has become classed with welfare, a program that is not money owed in the sense that it was paid into a fund with the intent of withdrawing it later. Thus, in the strict sense of the word, Supplemental Security Income and welfare benefits are not entitlements but benevolence on the part of the taxpayers who support them.

For example, when I work for wages, I am entitled to be paid those wages. If someone comes to me asking for a handout, it is not required but generosity.

Those of us who have been required to pay into Social Security for years have had every reason to believe that the benefits would be there for us to use. After frequently being diverted to other causes, it certainly does bear the need to have a full-scale investigation.

It was supposed to be a trust fund, but has become a means of fooling the people with accounting tricks.

Carey Marshall

Washtucna, Wash.