In Response—Social Security’s Durability

The United States made a promise—let the government take a percentage of your pay with your employer matching this, and the government will ensure you receive that money back after you reach your retirement age. So, we have given our money to the government for safekeeping. Where is it? In a lock box somewhere? In a government bank account where there is a sub account with your name on it? No. The money is kept in the general fund and spent.

Are you telling me, our money for Social Security is not guaranteed? That is right. In fact, the Social Security funds are expected to run out within the next 10 years. Those who are age 52 right now, have a good chance of getting less or no benefits when they reach retirement age.

So how much money is in the government’s general fund, the U.S. bank account? Basically nothing. We are overdrawn. Did you know the government receives $4.9 trillion dollars per year from income taxes, excise taxes, tariffs, and payroll withholdings to name a few. The government spends $6.9 trillion per year, an amount that includes Social Security and Medicare benefits, along with national defense, and interest on our debt.

Translation: Each year we spend more than we take in, so we borrow to make up the difference.

Do you realize that even now, the United States government borrows to pay your Social Security benefits? This year, we will borrow $2 trillion dollars adding to the $36 trillion that we already owe. Of the $6.9 trillion we are spending, almost $1 trillion of that is interest on the money we have already borrowed to make ends meet. How long can this go on? Not long. If the borrowing continues, we will be bankrupt very, very soon.

Many in Congress say they will oppose any changes to the system in place. In other words, just let the orchestra keep playing while the ship sinks. The current administration is trying to right the ship, not just bale the water, but stop the leak. Thousands of illegal immigrants are getting a portion of the benefits that were supposed to be reserved for you. Thousands more scammers are getting checks through fictitious names, the unborn, and the deceased. We hear the words, “waste, fraud, and abuse.” Both parties say they want to see this stop. That is great to say, but it takes radical action to carry it out.

Many in Congress are grieving the reduction of 7,000 employees from the 57,000-employee workforce of the Social Security Administration. The average Social Security Employee makes $71,000 per year. The average recipient of Social Security receives $22,000 annually. With each employee reduction, our government is buying 3 more years of Social Security benefits for you. They are seeking to close 47 Social Security offices out of the 1,200 in the U.S. That will leave 1,153 offices. There will still be 50,000 working for the Social Security Administration.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has access to the Social Security data? Yes, of course. If you want to find the theft and fraud, the cloak has to be removed, the light must be allowed to shine. No doctor operates on a patient with a blindfold. They have to see the problem to fix it. And yes, caution must be taken in who does the work. I don’t want the mail man to perform the surgery, but if the surgeon has the degree and skill set, then let him operate.

There is a promise that the United States made—to be fiscally sound and fiscally responsible to keep its commitments. If the work of the current administration does not continue, the promise will be broken, a nation destroyed, your future hopes dashed.