Response to Moderator's questions

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

Maureen West has raised some of the basic questions regarding values 
and social security.  If the nation agreed on these issues, it would 
be far easier to decide on what changes need to be made to Social 
Security.  I believe Social Security is a social insurance system, and 
that it has been a great success.  That is not to say that it can 
continue without some changes, or that it has been perfect.

Social Security should balance individual and family equity with 
social adequacy.  It should not be a personal savings account.  It 
should reduce the rate of poverty among the elderly and disabled.  It 
should help Americans achieve a decent standard of living in old age.  
Heidi Hartmann's statement did an excellent of summarizing why Social 
Security is and has been important to women.  A study of the poverty 
rates among elderly women in the past and today indicates that a lot 
of progress has been made, but that we have a long way to go.

In my opening statement, I raised the issue of equity and fairness 
between single and dual earner families.  Regardless of the structure 
of the system, it should be fair accross families with different 
economic structures.  

Anna Rappaport