Who Should Receive Entitlements? Essay

The Social Security Act of 1965 established Medicare and Medicaid which are health insurance programs for the poor and elderly people of the United States. It is funded by a tax on the earnings of employees and contributions by the employers. “It is now broadly apparent that those who opposed Social Security in 1935 and Medicare in 1965 were wrong in their fears…” (Nicholas Kristof  “The Wrong Side of History”).

America was founded on several principles to include, that all men are created equal. However, throughout history, it has been made clear through the various social classes that this is not the case within the realm of monetary value. It is for reasons such as this that the entitlement programs were born. Entitlement programs were created to provide security and assistance to those in need. They would allocate basic necessities for eligible persons and families to live comfortably until they are no longer necessary. Though a great deal of people across the country have benefited from these programs, it has come at a high cost to the government and the taxpayers. Because of the apparent success and high expenses, there are a number of arguments both for and against entitlement programs. This includes the extent of their benefits and costs, the amount spent to fuel them, and even their entire existence. On one hand, they have proven value by significantly reducing the national poverty level and other similar successes; on the other, they cost the country millions and have been adding to the ever increasing national deficit. Another common school of thought, is that an increasing number of individuals or families have become completely dependent on them as they create an avenue to stability at no cost to them. The overwhelming and unnecessary volume of goods and services—including medicaid, unemployment compensation, and food stamps— that entitlement programs supply to many

The entitlement programs are good for us to have but they are out of control. The federal government overspends on these programs leaving no room for other expenditures. States across the nation are trying to help with the control of the budget. Some have even began to shrink some of these entitlement programs because the federal government has overspent them. Medicaid being one of the top three entitlement programs has been significantly decreased in thirteen out of fifty states in America. These states have taken steps forward to try and decreased the extra cost on entitlements that the federal government has been spending. States are calling out and stating that entitlement programs are too much for the country, they have said this with the slashing of Medicaid. If the working class has to pay for the lazy man’s medical bills is not fair to anyone who pays for taxes. The biggest reason why the states have decided to cut some cost on Medicaid was because their budgets were strained and need to put it into balance (Mannion, Chang 2011). If they have the ability to cut the spending on Medicaid why can’t the federal government do that also and why can they not do it to other entitlement programs because if the states can do it and it does not affect them badly then the United States should be able to do it to other programs with a positive affect.

Notably, the elderly populace is growing rapidly, and will reach 3.4 million or 12.8% of the population. Eventually, in the next thirty years older adults will comprise of 20% of the total population due to the aging of 76 million baby boomers (Olson, 2001). Seeing that, entitlement programs and means-tested benefits, are presented, in order to bolster this increment of older adults. Accordingly, around 96% of the American workforce is secured by Social Security and it is likewise estimated that 58 million American will receive a total of $816 billion in Social Security benefits (Moody and Sasser, 2015). In fact, today 56 million or 17% of the population is enlisted in Medicare (Leonard, 2015). Therefore, this has presented an open deliberation about the eventual fate of Medicare and Social Security and regardless of whether changing Medicare and Social Security to means-tested benefits, instead of entitlement programs can resolve the policy issues.

The government also assists those who are disabled and unable to work. For example, my cousin, who was born with down syndrome, receives a pension from the state each month because she is unable to support herself. Or a veteran who returns home with PTSD surely deserves the assistance. It is necessary to support those who cannot help the fact that they are unable to work. While certain welfare programs support those who truly need it, other government programs such as unemployment benefits and food stamps encourage illegitimate pregnancies, cost the government trillions of dollars, and are too often abused by drug users.

America is fortunate to have benefits available to help retirees, the disabled, survivors, and dependents. The benefits are made up of taxes taken from the working class people and distributed by a circulation of calculations. In Joseph and Dorothy Matthews book Social Security, Medicare &

While Social Security has made great advancements in defeating poverty, there are still many pitfalls present in the program. Franklin Roosevelt created Social Security as a safety blanket to combat poverty, in response to the Great Depression. Social security pays monthly checks to retired workers, by taxing workers payroll (FICA ;) similar to a pay-as-you-go system. Tannahil suggest that, up to 77% of current worker expect Social Security to play a role in retirement income. However, Social Security Trustees fear the Social Security Trust Fund Reserve will be depleted by 2033 (Tannahil, 2012, p. 27). This leaves the previously mentioned, 20% of individuals who depend on Social Security alone, at great risk, after retirement. A second pitfall in this government program, it that individuals who earn a higher income pay less in Social Security taxes juxtaposed to individuals with lower earnings. Social Security ultimately, only mandates taxes on individuals with an income of $118,500 or less (Consumer Reports Money Advisor, 2015, p.

The United States of America is one of the most diverse places in the world. We all share different cultures, beliefs, and problems; nevertheless, economic security is a universal, human problem that each society has had to encounter in some way. The term “social security” was introduced to the United States in 1935, during the Great Depression, when the Social Security Act was passed. Social security has created about 16 social welfare programs over the years. These programs were developed to give millions of Americans a sense of economic security and to show that the government cares about the well-being of their own. The most popular programs under the Social Security Act are Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Medicare and Medicaid Programs. These programs have greatly influenced the lives of many United States citizens and allow our people to feel secure.

In as early as 2012 it is estimated there will only be two workers paying taxes for every one recipient of Social Security benefits. At that time the surpluses generated each year will cease, and Social Security will begin to run a deficit (paying out more than it takes in). The government will then have to begin paying back the money borrowed from the trusts, plus interest. Since no money has been saved for this purpose, the government will be forced to increase the national debt, cut

We, as people, age, which limits our abilities and our overall health. The unhealthier we are through our years of aging, the more likely we are to be unhealthy as we become geriatrics. Medicare is an insurance plan for United States citizens; it aids those over the age of 65, to help pay for medical bills they might encounter. As an elderly person gets older and unhealthier, the more likely they are to need hospital care, using Medicare funds. People who are overweight as they grow throughout adulthood should be required to pay more Medicare due to their higher chances of using this governmental aid in the future.

The United States Social Security System is often considered a political football, frequently debated on whether the government should continue to manage it or should it be privatized. Either way, in today’s economy, it’s vital to the welfare of many. The main purpose of the system is to provide benefits to America’s workers and their families for retirement, disability, and early death. (Unknown Social Security ProCon) According to the data collected in the 2000 census, “Social Security is the main source of income for men and women 65 and older.” (Hartmann, Lee Highbeam) This finding proves people have become to depend on the government for this benefit, and for a multitude of reasons are not saving enough money to live on once they

Enacted in 1935, the Preamble of the Social Security Act stated that it was: An act to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws (Official Social Security Website, N.D.). These are the people who have the most difficulties supporting themselves, and if we are to be a “just society”, we should help those in need.

Lets go into the Obama Care and Medicare in the case of the senior citizens living in America.

If one does not consider the human element involved, this option makes economic sense. Kraft and Furlong (2015) explain that a whopping 60% of Federal spending can be attributed to entitlement programs. These programs, such as Social Security and Medicare,

Is it morally and ethically right to decide who receive allotment of resources? I view every individual as important, so every citizen should have the right to all needed resources. I totally agree with your quote “More and more Americans are reaching old age, and older Americans are making up a larger share of our total population” (Hayutin, et al., 2010,P.1). As the elderly age, they require an extensive amount of care. Financial issues in health care, have led to many individuals without access to health care. “Justice is a crucially important concept to consider when addressing the issues related to the allocation of health care. Roughly speaking, justice refers to the notion that resources should be fairly distributed within society.