LETTER – Social Security should not be used as campaign scare tactic

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, October 21, 2020

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To The Editor:

I’m looking at campaign literature from Dr. Cameron Webb, Democrat candidate for the U.S. House.

For a young man, he has accomplished a lot. But because he has held no elective office whatever, he is trotting out the cliche strategies. He’s promising pie-in-the-sky results with no outline of how he plans to achieve what others have promised but failed to deliver for decades. And he’s alleging his opponent is going to cut Social Security benefits. Can anyone think of an election in the last 50 years in which the Democrat didn’t assert this?

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It’s the same thing every time. Republicans are mean, selfish millionaires who aren’t content with their fortunes they stole from honest working folks. The ultimate high is depriving the needy of their benefits. No explanation is offered for how the money the Treasury would save by said cuts would be transferred to said millionaires.

The fact is, as we all know, that Social Security is paying out faster than it is receiving and will run dry in a short time if something isn’t done. The prudent thing to do is to raise the age of retirement. When Social Security began in the 1930s, most people died in their 60s and didn’t receive benefits very long. Now most people die in their 70s or 80s and the common pot of Social Security can’t keep up. Proposing increasing the retirement age is political kryptonite and the vast majority of politicians of either party lack the courage to propose doing the hard but necessary thing.

So when one does exhibit the courage to steer us down a responsible path, he or she should be praised and elected. Instead, the Democrats are willing to use fear to win the votes of those depending on Social Security by false allegations — terror.

Can any longtime Social Security recipient remember an actual reduction in their monthly benefit? Why vote for a party that uses scare tactics on one hand, then tells you there’s nothing to fear when “peaceful protesters” loot and assault?

Vince Taylor

Crewe