HISTORY LESSON ON YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD

X ^ | 6/1/2026 | Old Salty Marine @BamaSaltyMarine

[JayGalt]

HISTORY LESSON ON YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD: Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn’t know this. It’s easy to check out, if you don’t believe it. Be sure and show it to your family and friends. They need a little history lesson on what’s what and it doesn’t matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are FACTS.

Up until the 1980's, Social Security cards expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message was removed.

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. His promises are in black, with updates in brackets.

1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary [No longer voluntary],

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program [Now 7.65% on the first $90,000, and 15% on the first $90,000 if you’re self-employed],

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year [No longer tax deductible]

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent ‘Trust Fund’ rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program [Under Johnson the money was moved to the General Fund and spent]

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income [Under Clinton & Gore up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxed].

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month — and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to ‘put away’ — you may be interested in the following.

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent ‘Trust Fund’ and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democratic Party.

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?

A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the ‘tie-breaking’ deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

AND MY FAVORITE:

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?

A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments!

The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

Now, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve. Maybe not, though.

Some Democrats are awfully sure of what isn’t so but it’s worth a try.

How many people can YOU send this to?

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrat; government; politics; tax

[sauropod]

This is invaluable. Bookmarked.

[impactplayer]

Also, eligibility (65) was set at 2 years over the life at the time (63).

[equaviator]

My SS cards have always been made of paper. I usually keep it in my wallet but only as a redundancy in case I’m incapacitated and can’t provide the number myself.

[ckilmer]

I have never encountered anyone who considered a social security card to be a valid id.

[KarlInOhio]

[Now 7.65% on the first $90,000, and 15% on the first $90,000 if you’re self-employed],

This is old. That's the 2005 cap. It is now up to $184,500.

[Psalm 73]

Still have my original SS card issued 1973 so I could get a job (at 15).

[jacknhoo]

That’s very old data in brackets.

Here is how the current 2026 payroll taxes (FICA) break down:

Total Rate: 7.65% for both employees and employers.

Social Security (OASDI): 6.2% on the first ($184,500\) of your annual earnings.

Medicare (HI): 1.45% on all earnings, with no taxable maximum.

If you are self-employed, your total contribution is 15.3%.

The Social Security portion is 12.4%, while the Medicare portion is 2.9%.

[Vermont Lt]

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?

A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments!
——————————

This, as a general statement, is categorically false.

A legal immigrant with a work history of 40 quarters can qualify for SS—just the same as a citizen.

Someone moving here at say, 60 years old, and never worked could not collect Social Security retirement benefits. They MAY qualify for SSI in some circumstances.

I am not sure where the writer is getting their information. But they are presenting it incorrectly to make a point.

[plangent]

Social Sec.

[Freee-dame]

“ Now, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!”

For as long as I can remember, Democrats have campaigned on the false accusation that Republicans will take away senior Social Security payments. Keeping their voters uninformed is a basic tenant of the Democratic Party. If Democrat voters were not so uninformed, far fewer would vote for Democrats.

[DFG]

https://www.ssa.gov/history/InternetMyths2.html

Which political party started taxing Social Security annuities?

“The taxation of Social Security began in 1984 following passage of a set of Amendments in 1983, which were signed into law by President Reagan in April 1983. These amendments passed the Congress in 1983 on an overwhelmingly bi-partisan vote.

The basic rule put in place was that up to 50% of Social Security benefits could be added to taxable income, if the taxpayer’s total income exceeded certain thresholds.

The taxation of benefits was a proposal which came from the Greenspan Commission appointed by President Reagan and chaired by Alan Greenspan (who went on to later become the Chairman of the Federal Reserve).”

Which political party increased the taxes on Social Security annuities?

“In 1993, legislation was enacted which had the effect of increasing the tax put in place under the 1983 law. It raised from 50% to 85% the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation; but the increased percentage only applied to “higher income” beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of modest incomes might still be subject to the 50% rate, or to no taxation at all, depending on their overall taxable income.

This change in the tax rate was one provision in a massive Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) passed that year. The OBRA 1993 legislation was deadlocked in the Senate on a tie vote of 50-50 and Vice President Al Gore cast the deciding vote in favor of passage. President Clinton signed the bill into law on August 10, 1993.”

[Uncle Miltie]

I calculated what I would have if I merely invested my and my employers’ social security payments.

I’d have $4,000,000 based on the way the rest of my savings and investments earned over that timeframe.

$4M would yield me $16,000 per month to spend.

Instead, I get $2,500 per month.

They stole $13,500 per month from me. That’s $162,000 per year. $4M I could have left to my daughter and grandchildren.

Flat stolen.

[JayGalt]

I’m not sure what point the writer is actually making with that bullet point. Perhaps they are oversimplifying and including “Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a separate federal welfare program for aged, blind, and disabled individuals with little to no income. While legal immigrants can qualify for SSI, it is funded by general tax revenues—not Social Security taxes—and is subject to strict income and resource limits”
The situation for non citizens getting traditional annuity SS benefits is rather complex.
https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-non-citizens.htm

[ealgeone]

The dirty little secret the gubmint doesn't want you do know.

I think it's one of the reasons they don't want kids to be financially literate.

[ealgeone]

One correction....we don’t “pay” into the program. It’s taken from us.

[This_Dude]

Too bad libs wouldn’t care

[Bigg Red]

Thanks for posting this.

[JayGalt]

Thank you for posting the updated information.

[hanamizu]

I have never encountered anyone who considered a social security card to be a valid id.

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Checks used to have SS# printed on them, since many businesses required the SS# before they’d accept them. I think some states used the SS# as their driver’s license number. And Medicare used it for Medicare ID.

Now, to prevent ID theft, the SS# is guarded like a great treasure. And I still have my tattered original card with the ‘not to be used for ID’ on it.