Re: [PEN-L] Social Security

[Daniel Davies]

nonono, tell the truth and shame the devil.  Social Security isn't a savings program, an insurance program or a life assurance program and there is no connection between inputs and outputs of the kind that might be summarised usefully as "returns".  It's purely and simply the embodiment in a modern political economy of the fundamental moral principle that there is an obligation on society as a whole to look after those who are too old to work.  Every single primitive society in the world has always recognised this obligation (even hard cases like the Inuit where strong social pressure toward voluntary euthanasia is apparently sometimes exercised).  It even makes it into the Ten Commandments.  It is quite a fantastic achievement of several hundred years of liberal political thought that we have reached a pass at which people can seriously question the moral imperative to social provision of retirement incomes.   best,   dd -----Original Message----- From: PEN-L list [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Devine, James Sent: 05 November 2004 16:37 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Social Security Bill writes: >So, the lies will soon start flying about the "problems" with Social Security and how it needs to be "fixed" --- in the same way that your dog needs to be "fixed".<   Bad analogy: a lot of dogs do need to be fixed, because of the over-pop problem.   >I would like to see discussion here on this topic, to see how we can help defend Social Security from Bush, for whom 60% of the eligible electorate did not vote.   >Let's start with an outline of what Social Security is: is it a form of insurance (against an event that is close to 100% likely for most people)?...<   As its full name suggests, it's an insurance program, which is why it's redistributive -- like all insurance programs. It's also has a very low rate of return -- just like all insurance programs. Jim D.