Tancredo Warns the Social Security System Endangered by Bush’s "Totalization Agreement" with Mexico

Congressman Tom Tancredo ^

[Happy2BMe]

From the Office of Congressman Tom Tancredo FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 09, 2004

Tancredo Warns that the Social Security System Is Endangered by Bush’s Proposed "Totalization Agreement" with Mexico

A September 2003 GAO Report warns that the cost of the proposed agreement cannot be reliably estimated because the number of eligible Mexican workers in unknown and may number in the millions.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Tom Tancredo (CO-06) today criticized President Bush’s proposal for allowing both legal and illegal Mexican workers to reclaim their Social Security contributions when they reach retirement age. "The President’s proposal bears no resemblance to the other agreements we already have with 20 other countries," said Tancredo. "Bringing illegal Mexican workers into the Social Security System not only rewards illegal behavior, it also further endangers the fiscal health of our Social Security System."

"The President’s proposal for a "Totalization Agreement" with Mexico was included in the Administration’s proposals released on Wednesday, but few in the media have reported on the ramifications of that proposal," said Tancredo. "The American public needs to understand how this plan might impact an already fragile Social Security System."

"We do have agreements with 20 other countries, agreements which allow foreign citizens who have worked in the United States to reclaim their Social Security contributions when they retire in their home countries," Tancredo noted. "American citizens benefit from these agreements because the agreements are reciprocal."

But the proposed agreement with Mexico is radically different from earlier agreements, Tancredo noted. By including illegal workers in the program the costs will skyrocket.

"Including illegal Mexican workers in our Social Security System will add untold billions of dollars in future liabilities. The September 2003 GAO Report basically says the cost estimates being used by the Treasury Department and the Social Security Administration are not founded in actuarial realities. Among the many questions raised by the GAO, most challenge the adequacy or the SSA’s analysis of future costs.

The cost of a totalization agreement with Mexico is highly uncertain. [ p. 2]

Mexican citizens with fewer than 40 coverage credits[calendar quarters of active employment]will be permitted to combine their annual earnings under their home country’s social security program with their annual earnings under the U.S. Social Security program to meet the 40-credit requirement...A Mexican citizen need work in the U.S. only six quarters to qualify for the program. [p. 8]

An agreement with Mexico...represents unique and difficult challenges for SSA because so little is known about the size, work history, earnings, and dependents of the unauthorized Mexican population... An agreement with Mexico [is] potentially far more costly than any other. [pp. 14-15]

Poor data undermine the reliability of SSA’s cost estimate. [p.9]

The reliability and integrity of Mexican government data on birth, work history and retirement contributions are open to question because of poor internal controls within the Mexican government. [pp. 6-7]

"Adding Mexico to the list of countries with which we have reciprocal social security agreements makes no sense unless the primary goal is to encourage more illegal workers to enter the U.S. workforce," said Tancredo. "I think not only our senior citizens but all who care about the fiscal health of the Social Security System will have serious objections to this plan."

###

[Happy2BMe]

Social Security.

[Dante3]

BUMP

[Happy2BMe]

""Including illegal Mexican workers in our Social Security System will add untold billions of dollars in future liabilities. The September 2003 GAO Report basically says the cost estimates being used by the Treasury Department and the Social Security Administration are not founded in actuarial realities. Among the many questions raised by the GAO, most challenge the adequacy or the SSA’s analysis of future costs."

I don't like this. Initially, Bush balked at endorsing concurrent receipt benefits for disabled U.S. military veterans because it would cost too much.

Where is the same concern when it comes to granting social security benefits to illegal migrants from another country?

[2banana]

I just might go fishing in the next presidential election and just forget to vote...

[AmericanInTokyo]

Doesn't make for much motivation, does it, to cruise on over the polls, doesn't it? Maybe there is a Congressional election featuring a patriotic, pro-legal immigration Conservative, that might at least get you out to vote in November.

[Happy2BMe]

"According to Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla., chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, benefits paid to retirees will exceed revenues in just 15 years. The pay-as-you-go system could go belly up as early as 2030.

" These projections don't take into account the economic impact of the Bush proposal, which would allow untold millions of illegal aliens from Mexico to collect full cash benefits for themselves and their families from their home country -- without having to work the required number of years that law-abiding American citizens must work to be eligible for payouts."

Thefts of Social Security ID rising fast

A Life Destroyed by Those Who 'Only Come Here to Work' (MUST READ)

Stop the Mexican Raid on Our Social Security and the Mexican "ID" Card

SOCIAL SECURITY: FRAUDS WALK OUT THE DOOR

Return of the Great Social Security Giveaway

Michelle Malkin: The criminal raid on Social Security

Ron Paul - Return of the Great Social Security Giveaway

Stop the Mexican Raid on Our Social Security and the Mexican "ID" Card

[Dixielander]

Why not try a write-in for Tancredo or Paul. Perhaps even vote for the Constitution Party candidate.

[Ben Ficklin]

Tancredo says that any immigration reform bill that comes out of Congress will be worse than Bush's plan.

[Moonmad27]

President Kerry will thank you. (I foolishly voted for Perot and helped Bill Clinton become President in 1992. Never again will I make that mistake!)

[adam_az]

I visited the Constitution party website, they sound like a bunch of blowhards who have no room in their party for people who don't believe that Jeses died for their sins. I was pretty turned off.

[Happy2BMe]

Major Industrial Nations Unprepared for Coming Population Aging and Labour Shortage

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I wouldn't worry about social security.

If the 10 to 20 million illegals get the Shamnesty deal, each will get to bring in five more. That's fifty to one hundred million thirdworlders dropped on us in a year or two, at most.

There's no surviving that.

[2banana]

President Kerry will thank you.

What is the difference? At least when we had Clinton the Republicans had something of a backbone...

[Happy2BMe]

Liberalism is not sitting pretty with George Bush . .

"What is the difference? At least when we had Clinton the Republicans had something of a backbone..."

BUDGET INCREASE FOR THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS

[Ben Ficklin]

".....there's a high probability that entitlement programs in 20 years will be financed by hispanics for the benefit of whites."

[LizardQueen]

I foolishly voted for Perot and helped Bill Clinton become President in 1992

I did the same thing, you weren't the only one. So did my parents (lifelong Republicans).

LQ

[templar]

Bush balked at endorsing concurrent receipt benefits for disabled U.S. military veterans because it would cost too much. Where is the same concern when it comes to granting social security benefits to illegal migrants from another country?

Don't worry about it. It the (occasional) conservative Rhetoric that counts, not the actions.

[Happy2BMe]

The article you referenced was written prior to the granting of amnesty for the huge population of illegal migrant workers. It does not take that into account the permanently damaging precedent such an amnesty will have on causing an even greater mass-migration of people from all over South America, thus further eroding an already weakened national retirement program.

The system will overload and self-destruct. Something of this scale has to have been planned - intentional.

It's no mistake any of this is happening.

[MissAmericanPie]

Tancredo is about the only voice of sanity left in D.C.

[reelfoot]

Tancredo BUMP.

[MissAmericanPie]

That is pie in the sky propaganda. How are people who are paid under the table, at worst, or paid 7 bucks an hour doing jobs Americans won't do, going to float social security or anything else.

On their wage they cannot carry their own cost, educating one child costs 3,500.00 a year now.

[Bikers4Bush]

If this plan goes through SS is dead.

[swampfox98]

Every time I write my opinion on Bush's plan, the thread gets sent to History, whatever that is. Truth is despised in Bush's term almost as much as it was in Clintons.

[meenie]

I hate to rain on anybody's parade but government officials have been known to fudge their figures in an attempt to woo the gullible masses. I think we have enough problems maintaining our social security system without including the hordes from the South. We have a very strange situation when there is more consideration given illegals than our own citizens and veterans.

[Happy2BMe]

"How are people who are paid under the table, at worst, or paid 7 bucks an hour doing jobs Americans won't do, going to float social security or anything else."

That IS THE $64 QUESTION.

Answer: They can't.

How likely is it that such a question will sneak past the political screeners in national debates between Bush and Democrats? Answer: ZERO.

The lie that immigrant workers doing jobs that "No Americans Want" and at the same time be able to reinvigorate the Social Security Fund is hogwash.

High Immigration Harms Many American Workers and Produces Wage Depression

Mexican migrant workers oppose Bush immigration proposal.

High Immigration Harms Many American Workers and Produces Wage Depression

Mexican migrant workers oppose Bush immigration proposal.

[hedgie]

In 2025:

14% of Mexicans will be 60+
30% of Mexicans will be 20-39

24% of Americans will be 60+
26% of Americans will be 20-39

But then again, Tom Tancredo seems to think letting people day-trade your mutual fund is good for you...

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I voted Bush in 2000 and badgered everyone I know to vote for him too.

I'm real sick of being heckled everywhere I go now over "my president."

I won't make that mistake again.

[kevao]

Mexican citizens with fewer than 40 coverage credits[calendar quarters of active employment]will be permitted to combine their annual earnings under their home country’s social security program with their annual earnings under the U.S. Social Security program to meet the 40-credit requirement...

Outrageous! Out-frickin'-rageous!!!

[Happy2BMe]

Post the 2025 demographic projection for Mexicans living in the United States.

The entire picture changes.

[navyblue]

".....there's a high probability that entitlement programs in 20 years will be financed by hispanics for the benefit of whites."

Sure they will! With the contributions they make from their low wage unskilled jobs.

Are you aware that once they gain citizenship, they can then bring in their old age parents who never having worked a day in thier lives in the U.S. will be able to qualify for SSI? SSI is a benefit they will receive for the rest of their lives. That little goody will more than offset any contribution.

Oh yeah! The illegals are really gonna save our Social Security!

[hedgetrimmer]

Totalization is defined as a globalist giveaway of rightful American goods and propety.

[american spirit]

Adding to the future misery is the fact that almost all of the $$ surpluses are being borrowed out by the fedgov just as fast as they accumulate and are considered part of the "unfunded liabilities" (estimated to be over 40 TRILLION) just never seems to be publicly discussed during all these alleged debates and campaign speeches.....hmmm, wonder why.

[chatham]

This sounds even worse than the amnesty crap that bush is pushing for.
It's hard to believe that bush is so WRONG on these issues.

[Happy2BMe]

"Totalization is defined as a globalist giveaway of rightful American goods and property."

What is it called when it is done by a Republican President in broad daylight with the (near) unanimous consent of the Congress and Senate?

[Happy2BMe]

Massive Spending Bill Helps Bush

Bush Brings Back Big (And Expensive) Government

Massive Spending Bill Helps Bush

[Jack of all Trades]

This is all just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. While I certainly disagree with legitimizing illegal aliens so that they can be included in the system, is that the fatal blow? IMHO, not by a long shot. The death throws began when SS Assets were first diverted into the Federal budget. The bill for this is ballooning just as the population’s ability to pay it is waning. The situation is going to get a lot worse before it can get better. SS bankruptcy is projected to be 15 years or so from now. For me the goals are to 1) not need it, and 2) not be dragged down by it.

[hedgie]

In 2025:

22% of Hispanic Americans will be 20-39
14% of Hispanic Americans will be 60+

24% of White, Non-Hispanic Americans will be 20-39
29% of Americans of the wonderful native background of
       Tom Tancredo and Pat Buchanan will be 60+

[Happy2BMe]

Link please.

[hedgetrimmer]

Same thing.

The term totalization comes from the UN through the WTO and IMF. It is one of the words the words that has been developled to make a bad thing sound not so bad. Let me quote you a few of the traitors to globalism we have in our government-- from the world economic forum in Davos:

I bumped into Congressman Barney Frank and asked what he wanted to accomplish in Davos, and he said he wanted to get the message to the world's top business leaders and bankers that he is prepared to cooperate with worldwide economic integration

With 1.4 billion people, their slave-labor benefits all the countries of the world, thus undermining economies with higher paid employees that are forced to downsize, outsource, privatize and reduce wages. You see, in a world without borders you can do that. Currently there are 200 million Chinese who need to be absorbed into the global workforce. This equates to finding jobs for the entire U.S. or European workforce! In America, we are confronted with the loss of steel, manufacturing and textiles moving overseas. In January, Levi Strauss announced – after 150 years of doing business in America – they were moving their last U.S. plant to China. Commerce Secretary Don Evans said with excitement that the "U.S. is simply trying to create conditions for long term monetary growth.

Wednesday U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft met in a closed-door session, and on Thursday he delivered his address to the plenary. Furthermore, Mr. Ashcroft said the United States was pleased to "reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the types of shared values the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the European Union, the Group of Eight and a variety of other institutions provide."

So despite all the talk during the Iraq war that the United Nations was meaningless, was finished, here we have our Attorney General, presider of our legal system and implementer of the Patriot Act stating that _he_ has shared values with the UN and the Organization of American States.

If you've read the charter of the UN or the OAS you will find they are the spawn of the communist cancer that metastasized on the fall of the Soviet Union to the rest of the world. The Charter for the OAS is deeply troubling, clearly communist in nature, absolute unAmerican and anti-liberty.

[navyblue]

Ah yes! The plan is going well! NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA, AU (The American Union). Not to worry folks. Everything is on schedule.

[hedgie]

http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/detail/d2021_30.pdf

[.38sw]

I was listening to the local radio station KSFO this morning, and one of the guests (I can't remember who it was, I wasn't completely awake yet) said that the political folks in the White House were actively seeking to find a candidate to run against Tancredo in the primaries. It's no secret that they don't like Mr. Tancredo - he's a thorn in the side of the administration. Anybody else hear this? Bootless, you listen to KSFO, right? Did you happen to hear this? If it's true, I think it is despicable.

[navyblue]

Yep! Karl Rove has been doing that for quite a while. Don't know if he's been able to find anyone to take Tancredo on yet.

Seems Tancredo keeps interferring with Karl's plan. The nerve of that man! (Tancredo)

[Ben Ficklin]

That quote is from the president of the Heritage Foundation. You call that propaganda?

In the early days it was said that the internet would make people more knowledgable and foster discussion and understanding. But, they found that although this did happen, there were many who retreated to places on the internet that told them what they wanted to hear.

I could type my fingers blue but you and other members of your group are going to to believe the "facts" that you want to believe.

What I will tell you is that when Congress writes an immigration reform bill, that bill will be based on an entirely diffrent set of facts than the one that you believe.

Let me give you but one example, although there are many.

The conventional wisdom among your group is that there are plenty of Americans to take the jobs that illegals are doing. Congress will not be listening to you and V-Dare. They will be listening to Greenspan who will tell them that if they cut the labor supply there will be a significant rise in wages without a significant rise in productivity, resulting in a round of inflation. Of course you will recall from Economics 101 that inflation causes further inflation.

You and your group can argue all you want with the demogaphic reality and the laws of economics, but it makes you look silly.

[Geezerette]

Tom Tancredo/Ron Paul bump.

g in AZ

[hedgetrimmer]

Temporary Workers in North America funded by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

MR. BILL EMMOTT:(The Economist)And the formulation of U.S. policy on migration for all nations, not just regarding Mexico, lawmakers consider input from all sides. The challenge is to come up with policies that take into account all of the various perspectives, while respecting the needs and humanity of the people affected. Presidents Bush and Fox discussed migration during President Bush's recent trip to Mexico. And following their meeting in Guanajuato at President Fox's ranch on February 16, the presidents issued the Guanajuato Proposal with the theme "Toward a Partnership for Prosperity."

"For this purpose, we are instructing our governments to engage, at the earliest opportunity, in formal high level negotiations aimed at achieving short and long term agreements that will allow us to constructively address migration and labor issues between our two countries.

The Bush administration has committed to exploring the issue of undocumented Mexicans in the U.S. with Mexican officials at the highest levels. A bilateral working group to discuss migration is being formed. The initial meeting of this group, which will be chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Mexican Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda and Mexican Interior Minister Santiago Creel, will take place soon. We are working on a mutually acceptable date, perhaps in early April.

The high level meeting will begin the process to look for a solution that ensures a safe and orderly migration

the U.S. Congress has the ultimate authority to pass any new legislation affecting immigration policy. There have been some interesting proposals coming out of Congress recently, one by Senator Phil Gramm of Texas; and we will be working closely with Congress throughout this process.

MR. GUSTAV MOHAR:(director-general of migration for Mexico)what we have today is a government elected democratically, with a president that comes from Guanajuato, a state traditionally known for sending migrants to the U.S.

MR. MOHAR: But on a serious note, the report that was announced that was just finished by a national panel, suggests both governments to start comprehensive discussions about the comprehensive totalization of social security agreements. And, in that way, your idea is very well taken. Thank you.

***
So basically there is all this negotiating going on underneath the noses of the American people, without their input or debate. Its like our system of government isn't by the people, its by the world, they do to us what they want and we only find out about it after congress makes it into law. Our opinions, our directive for self government is completely meaningless to these global tyrants.

[.38sw]

Well, it must be some really special strategery. I'm asking myself if it's any more enjoyable being s****** by Republicans than it is being s****** by democrats....

[Happy2BMe]

"This is all just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."

Exactly. And the captain of the ship has been warned, knows exactly where the iceberg is, what damage it will do, and refuses to right the course of the ship.

"While I certainly disagree with legitimizing illegal aliens so that they can be included in the system, is that the fatal blow? IMHO, not by a long shot."

Why isn't the captain listening? It may not be the fatal blow (in and of itself), but it certainly will help sink the ship.

"The death throws began when SS Assets were first diverted into the Federal budget. "

This is absolutely correct and was another lie greedy politicians were able to pull over on the American people.

"The bill for this is ballooning just as the population’s ability to pay it is waning."

Another great truth . .

Notice the "replacement" numbers of Americans already living in the U.S. from the 1970's going steadily down while Americans born outside the U.S. skyrocketing for the remainder of the 21st Century.

"The situation is going to get a lot worse before it can get better."

That is a good question for George Bush . .

President Bush - stand up and tell us the truth

"SS bankruptcy is projected to be 15 years or so from now.

Yes it is, and yes it will be at the current giveaway rate as a token of political payback by greedy polititians at the expense of the American People.

"For me the goals are to 1) not need it, and 2) not be dragged down by it."

What about the multiplied millions of people who will need it. What about the trillions of dollars legitimately paid into the SS Fund over the past half century promised to those paying into it? Is that money and those promises to legal citizens no longer valid?

[hedgie]

I just ran the numbers in posts #26 and #37 and came to the same conclusions as Heritage. It took me 5 minutes of research on the Census site. But it's easier to rant about the "world government conspiracy" or whatever...

[Happy2BMe]

Do you have a link for that info please?

The Bush administration has committed to exploring the issue of undocumented Mexicans in the U.S. with Mexican officials at the highest levels. A bilateral working group to discuss migration is being formed. The initial meeting of this group, which will be chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Mexican Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda and Mexican Interior Minister Santiago Creel, will take place soon. We are working on a mutually acceptable date, perhaps in early April.

The high level meeting will begin the process to look for a solution that ensures a safe and orderly migration