by B. L. Babb

Created on: July 31, 2008   Last Updated: November 10, 2008

For decades, our parents and possibly even grandparents were required to pay into a pool of money called Social Security. They were not given a choice. As we became old enough to work for legal wages, our pay was also "involuntarily" tapped for an amount to add to this pool.

The positive (supposedly) aspect is that eventually, when we reach retirement age, we will have some sort of supplement to our income or retirement savings to assist us financially. If we become disabled before reaching retirement age and we have paid sufficient benefits, we may be able to receive benefits to assist in our financial future.

Now, the question is should we abolish benefits? If this were to occur, what happens to those currently receiving benefits, particularly those who have no other means of income?

In addition, what happens to the thousands of dollars an individual contributed during their working life to the program? Is it just gone? Lost forever?

Social Security needs reform; the biggest being to keep government entities from accessing the funds for the program and using them for other things. In addition, the government should be forced to return all monies "borrowed" from the program NOW!

Government raids on the financial resources have resulted in the fiscal problems facing Social Security today. Politicians see money sitting in a place and decide how best to spend it, even if it isn't there for their spending use.

Our bridges and roads are in a horrid state of disrepair nationwide. Gas taxes have been collected long-term to fund repairs. Now there are calls to re-instate toll roads to assist in paying for needed repairs. Why?

Another pile of money sitting where it should and some nefarious politician decided to tap into it for other projects leaving a shortfall for the roads and bridges. The fact of the matter is AMERICANS have already PAID to repair the roads; the money is sitting in another project.

To get Social Security AND our roads back into shape, our government should host a "spending stand down" much like the military does when too many accidents/incidents occur with similar equipment.

Compute how much money has been robbed from Social Security and the roads and then see what projects are funded. Those that were approved through "pork barrel" means tacking the project into a bill that had no direct relationship to the project funded should result in rescinding of funding for that project.

Once all funds have been accounted for, return funds removed from projects where

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