Social Security is the biggest lie of our time. It is bankrupting not only our spirit of individualism, but our nation and our cities as well. When I was self-employed, 15% of my wages went to social security. From those wages, I will be lucky if I see a 10% return. Had I been able to invest my money the way I saw fit, even if it was only to bolster my Serta, at least it would be my money. 
    
I guess I have an unnatural inclination to want to  be free to make my own choices about my future. The fact the GW was willing to let me invest  3% of my own money in the way I saw fit (instead of giving it to Uncle Dillinger, er, um, I mean Uncle Sam) was a start, but just because others are too stupid to figure out they can't work forever doesn't mean I should be penalized. I should be able to invest 90% of my money and consider the other 10% a charitable contribution to those who really are pretty bad off through no fault of their own. I'm afraid the last generation of true individualists was born in the late fifties or early sixties.
  
  The rampant cheating and favoritism is what aggravates me so much. The Federation for the Blind has managed to lobby the government well enough that a blind  person, who is perfectly capable of doing everything except use their vision, can earn up to $900 a month and still keep their Social Security Supplemental Income (SSI). The SSI runs about $1200 a month on average. Let's assume this blind person owns their own business. Many do thanks to a federal law and a few state laws,including Indiana, that allows only blind people to establish vending areas in public buildings. The vending/convenience store business is pulling in roughly $40K a year. Should be enough to stop the SSI, right? Not so fast my fellow victims of Uncle Sam. Remember that $900 a month allowable income? The allowable extra income isn't counted until all the expenses are paid out. Then we start the tally of cash. So, for example, if I am blind and own my own business, I can deduct from that $900 a month:
depreciation on technology such as talking $$ bill checkers,talking cash registers, talking computers, etc.
dog food (for my working dog)
100% of transportation costs to get me around
100% of the cost of my lunches
These are just a few of the deductions I am allowed thanks to the powerful lobbying of the Federation for the Blind.  Now that I've racked up some expenses, I get to take all that money and subtract it from the money I'm earning ( as I should be doing since I'm quite able-bodied and capable of thinking). By now the total amount of money I am "earning" has slipped down to $500 a month. So Uncle Sam sends me $1200 of your money to supplement my income. My official income is now $1700 a month or  $20,400 a year. At that point I can take all the standard deductions, plus of course the deduction for being blind.  I've paid almost 0% of my income into the system, while I am drawing out $1200 a month. $40K in actual earned income + $10,800 from SSI/SSD = $50,800 a year, before the standard deductions and all the itemizations. Talk about disposable income! Sweet!

Then there's the Deaf. Same scenario, they can earn up to $900 a month on top of their SSI or Social Security Disability (SSD). This is how much they can deduct for technology, lunches, and getting around:
$0.00
Looks rather unfair, doesn't it? But the unfairness lies in the fact that a perfectly healthy Deaf person can (and often does) purposely work part time jobs for the sole reason of  keeping that $1200 a month that they get from me and you. $1200 + $900= $2100 a month. $25,200 a year for working approximately 15 hours a week. Again, this is income before standard deductions and itemization, plus the SSI/SSD portion is untouchable by anyone who sues for relief of debt. Wow, that's like sitting on the Indianapolis City County Council!

Lest you think I am picking on the "poor handicapped", let's look at another scenario. Mom is young, say mid-20's, has 4 kids and has never worked a day in her life. She can't read because she didn't bother to get an education after the public schools failed her so miserably, so she's been on welfare since the first child was born. Baby Daddy Bubba goes out and gets himself killed in a meth/crack exchange. Now Mom gets around $600 per month per child from Social Security until they turn 18 years of age, unless of course they bother to go to college which means she draws until they're 23 years of age.  Bonus points are also given because no matter who she gets into debt with she can never be forced to pay the money because her "earnings" are sacrosanct. If she doesn't pay her rent and the landlord takes her to small claims court, he won't get one dime of court ordered garnishment because the courts can't touch her Social Security checks.  4 kids x $600 a month = $2,400 a month. Plus she's eligible for free or reduced lunches, food stamps, and section 8 housing. Pretty good deal for someone who hasn't contributed a thing to society except more expense and aggravation.

Next time: Ponzi Schemes, why are they good for Uncle Sam but illegal for me and you?