Thank you for this Ken. You are right. In addition to those attacks mentioned Reagan also attached GPO (Government Offset Pension) and WEP (Windfall Elimination Program) to lessen Social Security Payments. The way it works is that GPO and WEP each reduce Social Security payments for persons who ever worked in a government job; and had Social Security either from working more than ten years on a private sector job or from a spouse.
In my case I worked as a teacher 15 years paying into a Teachers Retirement plan, (I also worked three years as a teacher paying into Social Security. Then I worked 14 years in Social Services paying into a State Employee Retirement Plan. Altogether I paid into Social Security 21 years, 80 some quarters (40 quarters are required to achieve Social Security) but I'm docked about $400 per month on Social Security for having the nerve to work for governmental agencies too. No matter how the Republicans try to twist the facts, the truth is all of us who worked in a Private sector job had payroll deductions from Social Security. It is NOT welfare, we paid in. From FDR on, SSA has never been a charity for the bulk of the recipients.
From the beginning a man who wanted his widow to receive some money after his death could opt for lesser payments during his lifetime so his widow wouldn't be destitute.
After women enter the workforce after WW2 there are fewer women collecting on their spouses SSA. I earned more money (SSA related) than my husband so my Social Security is based on my own earnings, not his. I was also the Government employee - both as a teacher and County worker. I paid into all pensions - none are charities.
Thank you for this Ken. You are right. In addition to those attacks mentioned Reagan also attached GPO (Government Offset Pension) and WEP (Windfall Elimination Program) to lessen Social Security Payments. The way it works is that GPO and WEP each reduce Social Security payments for persons who ever worked in a government job; and had Social Security either from working more than ten years on a private sector job or from a spouse.
In my case I worked as a teacher 15 years paying into a Teachers Retirement plan, (I also worked three years as a teacher paying into Social Security. Then I worked 14 years in Social Services paying into a State Employee Retirement Plan. Altogether I paid into Social Security 21 years, 80 some quarters (40 quarters are required to achieve Social Security) but I'm docked about $400 per month on Social Security for having the nerve to work for governmental agencies too. No matter how the Republicans try to twist the facts, the truth is all of us who worked in a Private sector job had payroll deductions from Social Security. It is NOT welfare, we paid in. From FDR on, SSA has never been a charity for the bulk of the recipients.
From the beginning a man who wanted his widow to receive some money after his death could opt for lesser payments during his lifetime so his widow wouldn't be destitute.
After women enter the workforce after WW2 there are fewer women collecting on their spouses SSA. I earned more money (SSA related) than my husband so my Social Security is based on my own earnings, not his. I was also the Government employee - both as a teacher and County worker. I paid into all pensions - none are charities.