Craig Seasholtz

Avis

The Social Security Act was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 14, 1935. The first benefit was issued on Jan. 31, 1940. At the time of its implementation there were approximately 159.4 workers for each Social Security eligible retiree. Below is a table that depicts how drastically the ratio of workers paying into the system compared to the eligible retirees receiving benefits has declined substantially since its inception.

Year Worker-to-Beneficiary Ratio

1940 159.4:1

1955 8.6:1

1970 3.6:1

1985 3.3:1

2000 3.4:1

2015 2.8:1

2024 2.7:1 (projected/estimated)

In a Letter to Editor opinion piece recently written by Rose Reeder and published in the Lock Haven Express on Saturday, July 27, 2024, there were some unfounded false claims launched at Republicans regarding Social Security.

Republicans do not desire to eliminate Social Security. Rather they desire to revamp the system, so it does not go bankrupt.

The average size of an American family in 1940 was approximately 3.67 persons per household. As of 2024, the average family size in the United States is estimated to be about 3.15 persons per household.

In 1940 there were approximately 220 thousand Social Security recipients. By 1970 the number of recipients grew to roughly 26.228 million. The estimated number of recipients in 2024 is 70 million.

To ignore this ongoing trend is to not address the problem. It would be like mopping a floor flooded by a broken water supply line in your kitchen without first shutting off the main valve to stop the flow of water.

Although mopping is rich in “good intentions” it is woefully lacking in practical long-term solutions. It is much fairer to say the Republicans are seeking true long-term solutions to an ongoing problem that already threatens the viability of the program, while the Democrats are focused on emotional half-truths and outright misinformation. It is easy to say I want my Social Security because I depend on it and would like an increase. This can only happen at the sacrifice of our children and grandchildren. Personally, I will opt to think beyond myself and vote accordingly.

The action of a “tax-happy” Democrat congress that joyfully embraced “Bidenomics” led to massive inflation. The inflation rate during the Trump presidency ranged from 1.3%-2.4%, a composite average of 1.875%, while it has ranged from 3%-8% during the Biden presidency, a composite average of 5.07%.

If you choose to ignore the cost of groceries, gasoline and home heating oil, life under Democratic rule is great! Why not demand more for me, me, me?

It is time to elect serious conservative thinkers and problem solvers instead of liberal cheerleaders and finger pointers.