THE “ENTITLEMENT” PROGRAMS: SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
The American few want to destroy the “entitlement” programs for reasons of greed, power, and control.
The denotative definition of “entitlement” is a “guarantee of access to benefits based on established
rights or by legislation.” Typically, “entitlements are laws based on concepts of principle….which are
themselves based in concepts of social equality or enfranchisement.” The connotative meaning of this
term would imply a right which is not earned or not deserved.
Thus, the denotative meaning might be confusing or unknown to most retired, American workers.
The Social Security and the Medicare programs are worker, funded, federal programs which provide the
only social “safety net” for a large number of retired workers. Workers are “entitled” because they paid
for their social insurance during a life time of work (social security taxes). Accordingly, better
terminology would be pre-paid, workers insurance for retirement income and healthcare (PPWI).
Without these pre-paid programs, American workers would needlessly suffer and would prematurely
die!
But, the American few really, really do not care! They see the federal programs as “low hanging fruit”
for financial gain. They want to “privatize” these programs. They have been trying to “privatize” these
programs for 76 years. Somehow, the American business community knows how to do things better
than anyone else: especially, the government. And, the private sector, business “know how” will save
the social insurance programs from “financial” destruction: to the individual and to American society.
Of course, these stated assumptions are presently and historically untrue. And, they know it.
The private market has proved itself to be dramatically and purposely inadequate in the areas of
providing retirement income and in providing payment for comprehensive healthcare. What they really
do best is to generate a “profit” (without providing the contracted services). If the “know how”
argument were correct, the federal programs would not have become the “essential to survival”
mechanisms (for numerous, retired workers) that they are today.
The private market attempts to collect, excessive premiums without providing the contracted coverage.
The private market is populated by would be scavengers (corporations) who lobby and fraud for limitless
profit at the cost of human life. This is why the U. S. government needed to become involved (in order
to create a more humane, retirement system).
Historically, some of the greatest American Presidents have been the authors of PPWI.
(And to the shame of the Republican Party [and who may be shameless], all these great Presidents have
been members of the Democratic Party. The American few really, really like the Republican Party
because they feel that they represent their interests: and in this case, their need to feed on the
existence of the retired, American worker.
In truth, the American few control elements of both parties. Still, the Republican Party is more
identified with the interests of the privileged then the Democratic Party. This may be because the
Republican Party appears to be more active in supporting them. [Parenthetically, the American few
enjoy winning in situations which are biased in their favor. In truly competitive situations, their
arrogance and greed lead to their, predictable, financial implosion-just ask one of their business fronts,
Donald John “Blowhard” Trump.].)
What is the contemporaneous history of PPWI programs?
All the titled programs are part of the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The SSA is the primary, federal, PPWI program which provides protection against the failures of the
capitalistic, economic system. It was created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) who
was the 32nd President of the United States (1932-1945).
(After George Washington (1732-1799) and after Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), President Franklin D.
Roosevelt is viewed as being the greatest, U. S. President.)
Social insurance, as conceived by him, addressed the issue of economic security for the senior citizen by
creating a worker, contributory system. That is, workers would provide for their own economic security
by paying taxes while they were employed. This approach was a rational, “creative”, response to the
monetary insecurity which was a natural “by-product” of a capitalist, economic system. Of course, this
so-called, creative approach was already a conceptual reality in Europe.
The Social Security Act was signed into law on August 14, 1935. Although the Act did not achieve its aim
of being a “comprehensive package of protection” (disability coverage and medical benefits would have
to wait), it did include unemployment insurance, old-age assistance, aid to depended children, and
grants to the states in order to provide various forms of medical care.
The Social Security Act of 1965 was signed into law on July 30, 1965 as an amendment (Title XIX) to
existing Social Security legislation. President Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973) was its signatory (He
was the 36th President of the United States [1963-1969]). President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who
was the 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953), and his wife, “Bess”, were the first, two
enrollees in this essential, protective program.
Medicare is a social insurance program which is administered by the United States government. It
provides health insurance coverage to citizens who are 65 years-old or older or who meet other “special
need” criteria. Medicare functions as a single-payer, health care system. Also, it provides residency
training programs for physicians throughout the United States.
Medicaid, a healthcare program for low income individuals and for low income families, also, was
created by the Social Security Act of 1965 (by means of a legislative amendment [Title XIX]). It is a
means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and the federal governments. Still, Medicaid is
managed by state governments. Low income alone does not necessarily qualify individuals for this
program. In addition, certain U. S. citizens and resident aliens and individuals with certain disabilities
are served by Medicaid.
That is, Medicaid is a means-tested, needs-based social welfare or social protection program rather than
a PPWI program. The main criterion for program eligibility is limited income and limited financial
resources. And, Medicaid covers a wider range of health care services than Medicare does.
In summary, the greedy, illegal, and immoral, American few need to “stay away” from the PPWI
programs (as well as from Medicaid).
If they do not “stay away”, they will find that being “retired” is not an impediment in containing them.
The American worker, after all, was “created by and is the child of” revolution. Is their front person,
Paul “Jacob’s island” Ryan, really listening? The Republicans (and their Democratic allies) need to take
another vote in Congress. Senior citizens need to be more aware of this group of “Thor’s goats.”
Unfortunately, the American few are going to require some “push back” because they will not stop in
their attempts to destroy the retired, American worker and soldier. When it comes to “courageous
tenacity”, the few will learn the meaning of “containment” from the American veterans (for example,
“Hal” Moore) of the Vietnam War (1955-1975).
And, do the shameless few really, really think that American police will fire upon retired, American
workers and soldiers? Good luck to the American few: they are going to need it in terms of where they
are going. Their wealth, their power, and their influence will not help them in hell.
….”None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves”…. (Alexander’s Feast, John
Dryden, 1697)….their freedom… (Fromoneofthemany, 2011i)
Fromoneofthemany