Fred Thompson For President!!!, page 4

posted by Gatordone
I don't care about "Republican" like I care about "conservative." I believe liberal policies and standards will be the end of this great nation . . “ [Edited by Don W]

That assertion sounds far too ideological for me to discuss without knowing more. I think it is often a mistake to prefer a label rather than to address the issues realistically.

The very first Federal welfare program was called AFDC - Aid to Families with Dependant Children. Enacted in 1933, it is still in existence after 74 years. On that basis alone - passing the test of time - it must have features the majority has found useful. The program came into existence in the very early 1930s because so many men were leaving their homes in the Appalachian mountains hunting for jobs in the industrial centers of the country.

They were often called “ho-bo’s” and were said to “ride the rails” or even, to “ride the rods.” Railroad box cars are not very resistant to twist, so under the floor a series of diagonally placed rods are used to strengthen the walls and roof. There is space to ride among those rods and when the Railroad Police were about, many men would hide in the rods rather than get off the train. Very dangerous as you can imagine which demonstrates the desperation of the men seeking work.

This is the program that required the breadwinner - usually the man - to be out of the house. The mother - usually - would be home alone with several children and no income. Neighbors were as poor as the family, so there is very little help. The ususal outcome was for the children to be placed in an orphanage - the norm for that era - and the mother go back to her family or do other unremarkable things to keep body and soul together. AFDC let the mother stay home with the children. It was no easy ride, as the amount payable was by law 85% of the calculated amount needed to live on. This was meant to discourage people remaining on the AFDC program longer than necessity drove them.

A family values program in 1933. This same philosophy was included in the 1935 Social Security Act, effective in 1936, which paid not only retirement benefits at age 65 - now 67 - but also pays total disability benefits and survivors benefits, the latter paid to the surviving parent - most often the mother - who can thereby keep the family together. Family values at work and not in talk which is cheap. See Foot Note below.

These are two examples of meeting a need intelligently. Call it liberal because it takes money from one person and gives it to another; call it conservative because it truly conserves, it protects the nation’s fundamental institutions.

OK, it's your turn.

Foot Note: Social Security is paid for by the people who use it. The size of payments is based on individual contributions. Each person has his or her own account. Part of the 6.2% tax on wages (matched by employers) goes to the total disability program and another part goes to the survivors program. The largest part goes to retirement payments. Both Social Security and Medicare have always been in the “black.” Medicare is funded by a 1.45% tax on wages, also matched by employers.

Medicare will begin paying out more than it takes in by 2010 or 2011. There is nearly a half trillion dollars in the Trust Fund to off-set the shortfall for a time. A similar shortfall in Social Security payments will not happen until the 2020s. It too has a Trust Fund with well over one trillion dollars in it. The up-coming “problem” is exacerbated by the fact the US Treasury has already spent all the money in the 2 Trust Funds. One good reason why since 2001 we should not have been incurring more Federal debt in good economic times. DW

[edit on 6/2/2007 by donwhite]