Could someone explain "entitlement" programs to me?

[lengel]

I am starting to get concerned about Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. MIL gets these benefits and legitimately so. So why I am now seeing the wording "entitlement" attached to them. Her DH paid in for decades so why this reference to socialism or welfare? Isn't the money taken out of our checks as a form of retirement savings? It sure isn't voluntary.

 

[Calebs Acre]

The word entitlement is not always a bad thing. It means something you are entitled to receive. The entire reference to "socialism" is political posturing.

It's hard to describe this without being too political. It's an age old story: the Republicans and Democrats disagree on how much the government should be involved in peoples' lives. The democrats are now in power and they tend to increase government involvement in programs to help the needy by taxing the wealthy more than when the republicans are in power.

A socialist society, in overly simplistic terms, allows the government to collect money from everyone in an effort to "equalize" the classes. Kind of a take from the rich and give to the poor type of philosophy. The current administration is being accused by its opponents of taking that approach, hence "socialism".

I'm hope this helps and my apologies for the liberties I have taken in my explanation to those of you who enjoy political philosophy.

 

[vickie2133]

To have medicare part A at no cost to you, you or your spouse would have had to work at least 40 quarters in your lifetime, and paid in to medicare (40 medicare covered employment). Part B is set up differently.

 

[bluey]

Government likes to call things entitlement programs when they either don't want to pay for them or want to raise more taxes to fund them because they've spent the received proceeds recklessly on other nonsense. Let's face it, government has little to no accountability for the money it receives. They are far worse than the banks and auto companies that they have recently chastized. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

I'd be perfectly willing to take the money I've sent to the government for all these years under the guise of social security and call it even. I'd rather have control over my own retirement nest egg.

On a side note, our family recently purchased a new flag to protest all of the government's planned intrusions into our life. We want to see a smaller government that preserves our freedoms and allows us to make our own choices in our pursuit of happiness. We do not wish for a government that promises to take care of us from cradle to grave while imposing it's will upon us. We reject our government's socialist notion of "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

This flag, our protest to the policies of our current politicians (both parties) and the direction it is moving our great and beloved country.

 

[Calebs Acre]

I think that she was asking for as close to a non-biased answer as possible. She's not going to get an answer and this thread will be locked if we use this as a political platform.

I realize it's difficult to not inject one's opinion, but at least an effort to be objective should be attempted. I honestly think that she is trying to understand the semantics here.

 

[Rosalind]

Quote:
Attempting to be as neutral as possible:

It's referred to as an entitlement program for two reasons.
1. It was part of FDR's New Deal programs, most of which included social safety nets
2. Whatever was paid in is not being paid back to you personally; these programs are adjusted according to a Cost Of Living Index, so the money paid in is pooled and paid out immediately to people currently on Social Security and Medicare and so forth. It's literally money from your paycheck going to care for someone else. If it was all your own personal money, they'd be paying it out as if bread only cost 25 cents/loaf and medicine consisted of the barber attaching leeches

, which is how much it cost when the money was originally put in. It does earn a little interest, like a money market fund would, but not nearly enough interest to keep up with inflation and costs of living.

In FDR's day, lots of people didn't make it to 65, and those that did mostly didn't live to be older than 70, so the math worked a lot better in the 1940s.

Disclaimer: I personally don't mind it much as it stands, and supposedly the funds will be solvent until 2030 or so. If modern medicine manages to keep by tired old butt alive until then, I suppose I'll be really angry that the money's run out. Or maybe I'll be too doped up in the Raisin Ranch to care. My mother received Social Security until I was 18 (widow), and she receives it now as well of course, but she still works full time because, as I'm sure you know, it's a drop in the bucket compared to actual expenses.

 

[Opa]

Easy Bluey. With actions like that you will soon be joining me as what the liberal media refers to as a disgruntled "tea bagger".

 

[Cetawin]

Entitlement is simple that...she is entitled to those benefits. Not everyone is and not everyone is entitled to all of them. That is a way of tagging what she is entitled to.

 

[flopshot]

there's nothing political about the word "entitlement". Calebs explained it rather well. the politics come into play when one party wants to expand what the citizens are entitled to and one wants to shrink it. some people throw around terms and have no idea what they mean. i heard a guy the other day who thought the "government" was "giving him his unemployment payments. he had no idea that he and everyone else working paid into an insurance fund. same with medicare. you paid and you're etitled to the benefits. you just have to hope there's something there when you need it.

 

[SarahBeth9394]

Well Caleb and bluey are right. Caleb explained how the word entitlement pertains to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Bluey explained the other usage of the term. I agree with both. The thing is there are always going to be a few exceptions to "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs". This in my opinion would include people born or diagnosed with disabilities that will never be capable of living independently. The slippery slope begins when we begin adding people to the group of disabled who really don't need it but are looking for a handout.