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Show ROLLO-GLYPHICS ByKlien Rollo Changes in the Social Security laws of this country are eminent and being proposed by the Carter Administration that will effect every worker and employer. The National Federation of Independent Business has come up with an alternative plan to that proposed by President Carter and I believe has some merit that citizens should have an opportunity to consider. The NFIB proposal would divide the current Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) program into two parts. Part A wpuld resemble the existing insurance in-surance program, but with some conceptual changes. Under Part A, each individual in-dividual would receive as a benefit his or her accumulated ac-cumulated employee-employer employee-employer contribution, plus interest. Proponents acknowledge that Part A benefits may not be enough for some individuals in-dividuals or families to exist at reasonable standards which creates a need for Part B of the plan. Part B, patterned after the existing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program would propose that beneficiaries would receive two checks-their Part A entitlement based on employment em-ployment contributions and the Part B benefit based on family need. Source of Financing Since Part B benefits would be social subsidies and not earned entitlements, they would be finance from the general revenues, subject to annual appropriation. ap-propriation. The proposal, a spokesman pointed out, "places rationality and equity into the benefit structure from the beneficiaries' perspective. That is not now true. Persons Per-sons who contribute don't necessarily receive benefits; persons who don't contribute may receive benefits. Some are 'docked' for working after retirement, while others having a greater income receive the full benefit. It simply dosn't make sense." One obvious inequity which the plan would solve involves working wives. Under present law, a wife who never worked outside the home is entitled to a Social Security benefit equaling half of her husband's benefits when he reaches retirement. Thus, in order to get a Social Security benefit resulting from employment outside the home, a working wife must have earned a Social Security entitlement equaling more than half that of her husband's. The NFIB plan , both husband and wife would be entitled to the full amount which they and their employers had paid into the system. Recipients to Pay The program would force persons not contributing to Social Security to part of the subsidy given low income retirees. Since Part B benefits will be financed from general revenues, no person can escape paying his fair share. The largest group affected will be the approximately two million civilian Federal government employees and the approximately three million state and local government employees who now contribute virtually nothing to the maintenance of the low income elderly. The program does not advocate the reduction of benefits to any current retiree or those planning to retire. The plan is tailored to meet the future needs of the system. NFIB acknowledges that Social Security problems are not those brought on by the Carter Administration, but does assume that the response to the problem is an unimaginative response and a failure to utilize an opportunity to review the entire Social Security program. Certainly a review is needed and an equitable program presented to meet peoples needs and equally distribute the participation on a broader spectrum than currently exists. Delays in reacting to the problems of Social Security increase the intensity of the problem. Let's face up to it NOW! |