How About Earning Old-Age Entitlements?

It happened again. Congress debated changes in Medicare and Social Security, and there was an instant counterpoint, a greed chorus chanting: “We’re entitled! Children of the Depression. Fighters of World War II. We’re entitled!”

The geriatric selfishness of some of my contemporaries, otherwise a generous lot, is puzzling. It’s not as if our country had ever forsaken us. We’re talking about the most thanked, honored and rewarded generation in history. We’ve suffered an embarrassment of gratitude from our nation for simply surviving.

Take World War II. The largess began the minute the last ticker tape was broomed up. Few Americans had been thanked so profusely for doing their duty as we victorious Sad Sacks.

Thank you, they said. Here’s weekly income until you find a job. Thank you. You get preference in hiring. Thank you. Here’s tuition and expenses for learning a trade or going to college. Thank you. Thank you.

And then things got better. We flowered into seniority just when that happy duo, Medicare and Social Security, became so generous that even Congress took note.

Now in the name of saving them and keeping budgets balanced, entitlements are on the table. A presidential commission will study proposals to cut benefits and/or raise premiums and age of eligibility. It doesn’t have to happen. What if Medicare and Social Security were treated the way the Department of Motor Vehicles immortalized driving: a privilege, not a right.

Billions might be saved if both were rewards, not givens. The amount of your benefits would be decided by your lifetime performance as a citizen, not a qualifying age or income. Like Smith Barney, you would earn them.

For the first time, there would be an incentive to be an exemplary citizen. Your entitlement rating would be a running tally, with points awarded for acts of first-class citizenship and deducted for undemocratic fluffs, all on the record or provable. The higher the rating, the higher the benefits.

Pluses would include such obvious generous acts as volunteering time to help others, donating money to charity (not the amount but the percentage of income.) You also would pick up points for graduating, voting, raising and educating a family, not smoking and never working as a telemarketer.

Points would be deducted for lying to the IRS (particularly about church donations), being a deadbeat dad or irresponsible mother, dropping out, jail time, driving under the influence, littering and appearing on an afternoon talk show with your stepmother.

If enough citizens had low ratings, their reduced benefits would produce the savings necessary to retain the programs and balance the budget. If ratings were high, the government would pick up enough added income from honest payment of taxes and faithful child support to save the programs and balance the budget.

This rating system could have some unexpected results. For one thing, it would make St. Peter’s job a snap.