Reagan and Social Security

For a while I had searched for proof, current, up-to-date, concrete proof. Finally, there it was, in black and white and from a reliable source. Rep. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles), chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging, in his article (Editorial Pages, April 3), “Let’s Make Social Security Tax Fair,” stated: “Social Security’s surpluses are already being used to finance deficits in other programs.”

I had heard over the years that the Social Security fund was continuously being raided to rescue other programs, but I could not quite believe that such mismanagement would actually take place. Any legitimate financial planner would invest such funds in order to secure steady growth over the years.

What hypocrisy to ask the people to bear the burden! Higher taxes and decreasing benefits--and blind faith in a President who can state with a straight face that a 2% increase of Social Security benefits during a period of a 4% (or actually higher) inflation represents a real increase.

You cannot blame Reagan for being Reagan, but you can surely blame the American people for being gullible and uninformed. In a democracy, that is more frightening than anything!

KIRSTEN HELWEG

Los Angeles