Ron Paul - Return of the Great Social Security Giveaway

House of Representatives Web Site ^ | 1-5-2004 | Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)

[jmc813]

Last year around this time I wrote about a serious threat to Social Security that was moving ever-closer--a threat so great that it could truly break the bank of our already dangerously fragile Social Security system. The threat is the ongoing "totalization" negotiations between the US and Mexican governments. An agreement on "totalization" would make hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens eligible for American Social Security. Press reports just last month reminded us that these talks are continuing and will likely be completed this year.

As I wrote last year, under such a "totalization" agreement, even if a Mexican citizen did not work in the United States long enough to qualify for Social Security, the number of years worked in Mexico would be added to bring up the total and thus make the Mexican worker eligible for cash transfers from the United States. To qualify for American Social Security, a Mexican citizen would need to work in the US as short as just 18 months!

Totalization is nothing new. The first such agreements were made in the late 1970s between the United States and several foreign governments to help American citizens who were sent abroad by their companies. From there we have come, nearly 30 years later, to the point where an estimated 160,000 Mexican citizens would be eligible for US Social Security in the next five years.

Ultimately, the bill for Mexicans working legally in the US could reach one billion dollars by 2050, when the estimated Mexican beneficiaries could reach 300,000. Worse still, an estimated five million Mexicans working illegally in the United States could be eligible for the program. According to press reports, a provision in the Social Security Act allows illegal immigrants to receive Social Security benefits if the United States and another country have a totalization agreement.

Those in favor of sending US Social Security benefits to Mexican citizens argue that the crushing poverty in Mexico demands some form of US assistance to that country's aged. While the poverty in Mexico is truly deplorable and saddening, the fact remains that the US Congress has no constitutional authority to enact what is essentially another foreign aid program. I would applaud any private citizen who wishes to help his fellow man living in poverty, whether in the US or Mexico or wherever he wishes. But for the US government to force this kind of "charity" is both immoral and illegal.

When Congress returns late this month, it should take the opportunity to re-affirm that Social Security is an American program designed to benefit American retired workers. That is why I introduced HR 489, the Social Security for American Citizens Only Act, in the current Congress. This act forbids the federal government from providing Social Security benefits to non-citizens. It also ends the practice of totalization. Bringing in hundreds of thousands of impoverished foreign workers into the Social Security system will surely break the bank, depriving millions of our seniors who contributed to the system all their working lives of that which is rightly theirs. That is no way to treat our seniors, be they from this generation or coming generations. As I said last year, we should be shoring up the system for those Americans who have paid in for decades, not expanding it to cover foreigners who have not.

[stopem]

As a senior and millions more who are seniors we have one word,
VOTES. You will NOT get our votes if you destroy social security. Thats a promise not a threat!

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[Klickitat]

ping

[steve50]

You will NOT get our votes if you destroy social security. Thats a promise not a threat!

It should have a delayed effect on SS, it'll take a few years to gain eligibility. But in a decade or so the costs should explode.

[waterstraat]

I voted for Ron Paul, and I still think he is good(not many other people like him or like his views though, since he got less than 1% of the vote)

[LIBERTARIAN JOE]

What can you say about a gov't that admits that their ponzi retirement scheme will soon be broke but insists upon extending it's benefits to foreigners? What can you say about a people that allow it to happen?

Criminals and sheep! A criminal gov't ruling a nation of sheep!

[RJCogburn]

As a senior and millions more who are seniors we have one word, VOTES.

The greedy geezer vote.

Don't mend it....end it (as presently constituted).

[MosesKnows]

You will NOT get our votes if you destroy social security

Social Security is failed. The Republican political party and the Democrat political party destroyed social security years ago, and we still vote for them.

[dr_who_2]

I figure that a better thing to do would be to not require social security numbers or collect social security from illegals.

[sgtbono2002]

Giving Social Security checks to Mexicans is just plain nuts . It sounds like something Vincente Foz came up with

[joesnuffy]

Well we let the abortionists and femanazis kill off over 43 million American future taxpayers since Roe V Wade...Factoring in all the children they would have had...and that the dead would right about now ..be in the the beginning to middle of their best earning years..paying lots of social security...and many in the "jobs Americans don't want"...

One can see the necessity of importing tax paying labor....

The unfortunate thing is....it will cost the nation its culture and its heritage...bye bye Miss American Pie...

The globalists are right on track
imo

[stopem]

One day you to will be a "greedy ole geezer"!

We all get old one day, I know its not politically correct to get old.
What do ya'll's parents teach you these days?

Here in Texas we teach our young ones to have RESPECT for their elders.

[RJCogburn]

One day you to will be a "greedy ole geezer"!

Not long to make geezer for me, but the greedy part will hopefully not be attached.

Here in Texas we teach our young ones to have RESPECT for their elders.

Here in NH we teach giving respect to those who have earned it by doing more than staying alive for a long time....otherwise I'd have to respect, say....Walter Mondale.

[Beck_isright]

Ping...

[North Coast Conservative]

NEOhio,NWPennsylvania,SWNew Jersay ping:

I respect Ron Paul, he is one of the true patriots in Washington looking out for us.

I don't make this stuff up, and either does he, but at times it appears as ridiculous as a sketch off the old Saturday Night Live. This one could be titled: Samurai Immigrant.

Where is it stated in the Constitution that we have the responsibility to pick up the security of the hemispheres retired citizens? I think that is in the same paragraph that establishes the Department of Education.

Is it me, or is this administration going haywire. It seems like they are bent on political suicide, as well as economic.

In God We Trust.....Semper Fi

[trek]

God bless Ron Paul.

[Happy2BMe]

"As I wrote last year, under such a "totalization" agreement, even if a Mexican citizen did not work in the United States long enough to qualify for Social Security, the number of years worked in Mexico would be added to bring up the total and thus make the Mexican worker eligible for cash transfers from the United States. To qualify for American Social Security, a Mexican citizen would need to work in the US as short as just 18 months!"

The culminization of such a "Totalizing" and merging the United States Social Security eligibility requirements with the total time a Mexican worked in Mexico would be a national disgrace to the hundreds of millions of Americans who have worked hard their entire lives to become eligible for these benefits.

Where is Tancredo?

Dave Drew, a local resident, protests near day laborers who are lined up waiting for work in Farmingville, N.Y, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004.
(AP)

Illegals Are Destroying America - A Letter To Rep Tom Tancredo

Jobs Americans Won't Do: Voodoo Economics from the White House.

Bush: Let Illegals Work in U.S. (But that is not enough say illegals.)

Mexico President to Mexico: MORE – WE’RE GOING FOR MORE!!

[Badray]

Once again, Ron Paul exhibits the common sense and respect for the Constitution that the vast majority of Congress and the current POTUS spits on.

If Ron Paul is 'fringe' or 'radical', put me in his camp.