Being Social Without Security

In case any of you think that King George has given up hopes of killing Social Security as we know it, well, you haven't read the new budget proposal have you?

In the midst of this gazillion page tome which could easily be entitled The Rape of the American Middle Class, you find some mighty interesting input concerning would-be changes to our Social Security system.

King George has suggested Congress eliminate the $255 lump-sum death benefit. I guess he feels that a benefit which was appropriate 55 years ago when burial costs where much lower is not needed now that people pay over $6,000 in funeral expenses. So rather than up the anti to make it viable, let's just cut it completely. After all, it doesn't cost anything for your loved one to be planted in the local potter's field without a marker. Face it, within one generation no one will remember these people anyway.

Someone should remind our monarch that even a paltry sum like $255 helps cover some expenses. Even a little is better than nothing. And since people have paid into Social Security most of their working lives, it makes the faceless masses feel a bit happier knowing they will get some of it back in the form of a death benefit. For many people, it's the only money they will be able to leave their families.

There is one other benefit His Highness wants to cut from the Social Security rolls. He wants to eliminate monthly survivor benefits to 16 and 17 year olds who drop out of high school.

Now at first, that might seem reasonable, especially if you're a wealthy Republican who's never been in want for anything in your life. Why should American tax-payers pay money for high school dropouts to sit at home and party and do drugs with a free government paycheck?

Truth is, the great majority of these kids HAVE to drop out of school to go to work to support siblings. Taking that money away from them is like a death sentence for their families, who are doing everything they can to keep their families together, fed and clothed.

Administration officials say that the cuts would save the government a combined $3.4 billion dollars over the next decade. That's 3.4 billion more dollars that can be squandered away in Iraq rather than be of help to the poor here in America.

One can easily understand why Georgie would rather push that money into his never-ending black hole of a war. I'm sure he figures the dead won't miss it and the dropouts don't deserve it.

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