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Yes, both Social Security and Medicare are welfare programs, and in fact they are the world's largest welfare programs, compromising ~40% of ALL federal US government spending.
Younger people should not be so concerned about having to pay into SS now, because as they near retirement age, there will be fewer people collecting SS. All we need to do is get through the hump in the curve of those collecting it and those that follow will have a situation where there is much more money coming in than going out. At that point in time the benefit amounts can increase to the point that, if they have to depend on SS, they will have a much easier time doing so. In the meantime, they may have to pay a little higher percentage of their income to keep SS solvent past the hump.
Those younger people also have to remain cognizant of the fact that SS is also there for them when something happens to them physically that prevents them from working. This can happen at any age.
Don't give up the ship on SS. If you have to pay in a little more to keep it going right now you will likely benefit more in the long run. If you live a long time and never have to depend on it, you still benefit, because you would not want to live in a country that does not have that safety net. The breakdown of such a society could make this seem like a third world country.
You are technically correct. But some people like to use the word 'entitlement' in a different context, i.e. 'welfare' or 'handout' for whatever agenda they are pushing. I think that's what the OP has a problem with, as do I.
entitlement
noun en·ti·tle·ment \-ˈtī-təl-mənt\
: the condition of having a right to have, do, or get something
: the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something (such as special privileges)
: a type of financial help provided by the government for members of a particular group
People often focus on meaning number two.
But to the OP:
Per meaning number one, that fella's pension is an entitlement. SS is an entitlement, but that doesn't mean it's in a negative sense.
Younger people should not be so concerned about having to pay into SS now, because as they near retirement age, there will be fewer people collecting SS. All we need to do is get through the hump in the curve of those collecting it and those that follow will have a situation where there is much more money coming in than going out. At that point in time the benefit amounts can increase to the point that, if they have to depend on SS, they will have a much easier time doing so. In the meantime, they may have to pay a little higher percentage of their income to keep SS solvent past the hump.
Those younger people also have to remain cognizant of the fact that SS is also there for them when something happens to them physically that prevents them from working. This can happen at any age.
Don't give up the ship on SS. If you have to pay in a little more to keep it going right now you will likely benefit more in the long run. If you live a long time and never have to depend on it, you still benefit, because you would not want to live in a country that does not have that safety net. The breakdown of such a society could make this seem like a third world country.
The millennials now outnumber the boomers. The boomers are no longer the largest generation.
And boomers are the first generation to have paid into SS their entire working lives and will get back less then they paid in.
entitlement
noun en·ti·tle·ment \-ˈtī-təl-mənt\
: the condition of having a right to have, do, or get something
: the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something (such as special privileges)
: a type of financial help provided by the government for members of a particular group
People often focus on meaning number two.
But to the OP:
Per meaning number one, that fella's pension is an entitlement. SS is an entitlement, but that doesn't mean it's in a negative sense.
But we have lumped earned entitlements (SS and medicare and even unemployment) with unearned free money handouts (TANF, SNAP, medicaid) and that is what upsets people.
Absolutely right, and the only ones who I know that insist they are 'welfare' are right wing extremist/neocon Republicans!
You're right in that it shows up all the time in far right statements. I hate that. As a Republican I am just as scared of the extreme right as I am of the extreme left that the entire Democratic party seems to be heading towards. However, the bankrupting of the SS system has been a 2 party effort. Both the Dems. and the GOP have constantly over the years had their hands in the cookie jar.
Entitlements are social assistance programs run by the government that guarantee a benefit to a specific group.
The negative connotation associated with the word came about in sort of the same way that the second amendment interpretation has changed from a very specific group (militia) to everyone old enough to hold one. LOL
Seriously though, the negative connotation associated with the word came about when certain groups of people were allowed access to these programs. Primarily the poor, young people, and certain minority groups.
All of the following are entitlements/entitlement programs (like it or not):
Social Security
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Medicare
Medicaid
VA programs
military retirement and benefit plans
federal employee retirement and benefit plans
state employee retirement and benefit plans
unemployment assistance
agriculture support programs
federal student loans
Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly referred to as Section 8)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, formerly known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children or AFDC) (Note: this is what people generally mean when they're referring to a "welfare check")
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program)
Women Infants and Children (WIC)
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Even certain tax credits and deductions can be considered entitlements, e.g.: Earned Income Credit, education credits, small business health care credit, mortgage interest credit, premium tax credit (Affordable Care Act credit), electric vehicle credits, capital losses deductions, home office deductions, student loan deductions, sale of home deductions...etc.
The strong feels are associated with when we help certain types of people LOL. They've always been referred to as entitlements, but we have now politicized and loaded the word to describe those-lazy-poor-[insert disliked group here] we don't like.
I also think it's weird that people don't consider increased population and increased cost of health care/improved technology right there with improved life expectancies when they talk about entitlement programs failing.
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