RE: Question on Charity

[TPrisk <tprisk@ibm.net>]

			QUESTION ON CHARITY

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

1. Do you favor a privatized system which eliminates the current
system's redistributive benefits formula (which gives relatively
higher benefits to lower-income people)?  

	<<<<YES>>>>

2. Under the present system or some of the proposed alternatives,
will some people be forced to choose between food, lodging or
medicine in their daily budgets?    

	<<<<YES>>>>

3. Will charitable organizations be able to fill the gap between
the needs of the poorest sector of the population and the benefits
provided by government programs?  

	<<<<If the government took less from the middle class and
	"rich" and relaxed the charitable contributions laws then
	yes.  I would rather give 10% of my income to a local church
	or soup kitchen than the 15% (I'm self-employed) that the
	government takes from me for Socialist Security. As it
	stands now no, there will be a gap.>>>>

Should this be the solution to this problem?  

	<<<<Partly yes.  The family should be the primary saftey
	net for the elderly, not the government.>>>>