Re: Values

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

As Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration in 1947-70
and Deputy Commissioner of Social Security in 1981-82, I have very
strongly held views about the value of the Social Security program
to persons in this country. Our Judeao-Christian culture proscribes
that we should love our neighbors as ourselves and should take care
of our brothers and sisters. The Social Security program is a most
important way that we can do this in a broad manner, as well as
very efficiently. This does not mean that this program should
attempt to do everything for everybody, but rather ample room should
be left for individual responsibility and effort. Thus, good balance
is needed, and the Social Security program should be a good floor
of economic protection and be universally applicable, not merely
a safety net available only for the few persons who may be in dire
need.