Medicare, Social Security Changes

Re “Save Our National Community,” Commentary, May 2:

It was refreshing once again to encounter the clear thinking of Arthur S. Flemming, with whom I have had the pleasure of serving on some national boards over the years. His appeal to save our national community, which the “contract with America” threatens to destroy, is a warning which should be heeded before it is too late.

Flemming points out how utterly tragic it would be to demolish what has been so successfully built up over 60 years under both parties. It is fortunate to have an eminent Republican, who served in Eisenhower’s cabinet and in other top posts, to alert us to what the 1995 Republican Congress is trying to do.

G. MERRILL LENOX

Claremont

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Part of my modest income is derived from Social Security. I paid into this over a 40-year period and most, but not all, came from payroll deductions. I have no regrets over these payments.

I read in many places that Social Security is in financial difficulty and that cuts will have to be made to have the trust remain solvent.

What I find disturbing is the seemingly endless parade of nominees and people in prominent political positions that fail to pay their own employees’ Social Security taxes. These people range from a Supreme Court nominee to a sitting governor. Most have been trained attorneys with a good education in the laws of the land.

If these people, our most elite, choose to avoid payment of their obligations, is it any wonder that the trust fund for the system is going broke? Part of the rage in the country is the public’s perception that we have less than honorable leadership.

Let’s try to put things in order again and have a country where honor and confidence reign!

RICHARD B. PRIDHAM

Downey

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In our youthful days we had a system that was universally accepted and eminently sensible. At any time in our games or contests we could declare “King’s X,” which held everything in place, eliminating acts to the advantage of either party, while we debated the rules or cleaned up details.

Consider the silly situation in our nation’s capital. Any politician that can add knows that Medicare and Social Security are on the fast track to meltdown. Those who take the time to think know they can fix these programs now, with little pain, or continue to procrastinate and let the problems multiply. So each party taunts the other, daring them to take action, knowing that no solution will be without cost and can be exploited for political gain.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could declare “King’s X,” stop the juvenile wrangling, place Medicare and Social Security off limits for politics and settle down to solve the problems in a sensible way? When will they realize we are less interested in who is to blame or who will get the credit than in the right solution?

Forty years of Democrat spending! The Reagan/Bush deficit! So what. It’s the debt, stupid.

HARRY E. GOLDSWORTHY

Riverside