Re: Question on Charity

[Billypit@aol.com]

Many of those advocating privatization have argued that both charity
and family should play a greater role in a reformed Social Security
system.

My Responses
1. 
I am against privatization of Social Security. The system has served the 
needs of this country for over 60 years. Under the auspices of the 
government, people are guaranteed some income. The current system can and 
should be fixed to provide more to those seniors who have little or nothing, 
and provide those with greater resources less. The system must be updated, 
but turning it over to the private market will only cause further suffering 
and poverty for those with little or nothing. 


2. 
Under the present system, with the poorest and sickest being assked to pay an 
ever increasing amount for Medicare, they are already making choices between 
shelter, food and medicine. This can and should be corrected while the 
program remains under the governance of the present system. There are no 
guarantees that privatizing SS will help the poorest and sickest. To the 
contrary, in private, profit minded hands the program will have little or no 
protection in the long run. 


3. 
While charitalbe organizations play an important role tody, and will continue 
to do so in the future, they alone can not begin to manage the program alone. 
We have witnessed a massive retrenchment in government funding to many public 
programs. The foundation community can not begin to replace the resources 
taken out of the support systems so many are dependent upon. (I would refer 
you to the work of Salmon and the Urban Institute)