The Sandspur

Issue date: 4/1/05 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: ORVILLE MYERS / KRT CAMPUS MOONLIGHT SURFING: Will you end up paying for my grandfather to take up a new hobby?

Media Credit: ERIC MENCHER / KRT CAMPUS NO MORE FREE GOLF: We might end up taking away the funding for his Country Club membership...is that so wrong?

For weeks now, President Bush has been traveling across the U.S., trying to sell his social security reform bill to constituents and congressmen. His attempt to rally support for private retirement accounts has attracted opposition from democratic leaders who argue that the reform will plunge the U.S. deeper into a two trillion dollar debt.

But I've been thinking, what if we got rid of social security all together? Instead, the money that pays our seniors every year could be spent paying for the war in Iraq, giving more tax cuts to the wealthy, and increasing the retirement benefits for our congressmen.

It should be every individual's responsibility to save for their own retirement. If a person only saved four dollars a day, s/he would have $200,000 by retirement.

Americans are living longer than ever, so why is it the burden of their government to pay for what could be the last forty years of their life? It isn't fair for America's younger working generation to have to pay for their grandparents to move to sunny Florida and meander around all day.

America is renowned for its hard-working spirit. People should be able to keep the money that they earn and not be forced to pay for social security through every paycheck.

Without the social security system, America would be able to be fiscally responsible and pay off the war in Iraq quickly, so we don't have to pass the debt on to our children.

The money could also go toward building a stronger economy by allowing Americans to spend their money instead of saving it for the future. Social security is compromising American capitalism. After all, what are we- a socialist society?

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