The Red Herring of Social Security

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

Walter Hart gives a very misleading view of how to interpret the
functions of the survivors and disability insurance.

Mr. Hart did not show what the survivors benefits would be to his wife
and children.  Nor, did he calculate them with respect to the typical
worker who dies at age 38.

Thankfully, the Social Security system does have some excellent studies
comparing the taxes paid by minority workers and the benefits received
from disability insurance, and I would recommend folks go the Social
Security web site and read the excellent research there.

African American workers receive more benefits than they receive from
the Social insurance, and that is far more than could be said than if
private insurance was used to cover disability and life risks--since
private insurers would at least need to recover a fair market determined
rate-of-return.

And, unfortunatley, many of the privatizer plans before Congress do cut
benefits to disabled workers, and do push up the retirement age.  Both
of which would have very disproportionate impacts on African Americans.

William E. Spriggs