Testy Means
Charlie Earl
According to
most demographic determinants, I am a “senior citizen” or “golden-ager.” More
accurately, though, I think of myself as a kid trapped in a fragile skeletal
and muscular structure. My spouse and I have labored for many years to achieve
some small level of economic freedom. Sometimes we were successful and other
times we were not, but here we are approaching 70 years at break-neck speed. We
have become rather adept at detecting the real meanings behind political-speak
and government-speak. While the language is usually populist, it more closely
resembles pure socialist thought.
One glaring
example is the toxic term “means testing.” That little two-word explosive
device is actually a synonym for “redistribution.” “Redistribution” can be informally
defined as “retribution.” First…let me be clear that I am opposed to any
non-constitutional government program that uses the FORCE of government to
alter my natural inclinations or behaviors. The scam known as Social Security
is a strong-armed government tactic used for generating a slush fund of money
for government to divert into purposes other than the declared one of “setting
resources aside for my retirement.” Social Security has for many years become
the piggy bank and the artificial asset for profligate government spending and
political vote-buying. The artificial “returns” on my “investment” could have
been exceeded if I had invested a similar sum in buggy whip manufacturing or a
chastity belt franchise.
Knowing how
government functions, I am fully prepared to be informed that my “benefit (?)”
will be reduced because I have other sources of income that may offset my
“need” for my entire benefit (I use this term loosely because the government
seeks to project the notion that my payment of FICA taxes and the subsequent
withdrawal of the same was voluntary, therefore government will reward me with
a “benefit” for my “contribution”). In other words….my contribution will be
used to supplement those who contributed less….or not at all. The imaginary
sums that I have paid to the Social Security Trust Fund (no security, no trust,
no funds) will be redistributed to others via government coercion versus me and
government largesse for others. I have no input into the equation other than to
avoid earning taxable income in my early years. But…I was young and naïve….and
monumentally stupid.
This column
was inspired by Congressman Paul Ryan’s recent appearance while being booed
before the AARP. Admittedly, I am not privy to the financial positions of any
of those “seniors” in the audience. I do not know their life histories, but I
will attempt to be charitable by assuming their dissatisfaction with Ryan’s
words were because they feared that their lifelong ‘contributions” to the
old-age system would be jeopardized by Ryan’s proposals. If I were mean
spirited, I would assume their anger arose because they feared they would not
be allowed to access MY contribution from the massive redistribution scheme.
The concept of means testing the withdrawal of funds that were coerced from me
does make me radically mean spirited. But my sense of being personally violated
is not my sole….or even primary reason for opposing this massive redistribution
scheme.
There is NO
trust fund. There is no retirement or medical piggy bank for the older members
of our nation. The funds for those idealistic goals come from current workers
directly into the “out box” of government transfers. Presently….fewer than
three workers (a diminishing class as we all know) support one retiree or
“disabled” recipient. In other words, it is the same effect as adding another
member to each and every household in the nation. Another member whose medical
needs and special requirements are greater than the typical member of the
family. Yes…the term “unsustainable” is an accurate description of the scam.
So, too, are criminal, socialist, Marxist, despotic, tyrannical and a host of
other terms that describe the theft of liberty and human dignity from the
citizens of our nation.
To the class
of crying clowns at the AARP meeting with Paul Ryan: grow up, face reality and
stop this runaway train. The new definition of “means testing” should mean that
if the Constitution doesn’t require it, we shouldn’t do it.
Charlie Earl
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