Future Options
The future of Social Security is under debate. MOAA provides objective information about four alternative solutions to help you understand the issues and make up your own mind.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

What do you worry about? OK. Not fair. That question is a bit too broad. What if we said, “Of the social, economic, and political problems facing the country, which ones do you worry about most?”

The Gallup Organization (www.gallup.com) asked Americans a similar question in a March 2005 poll. People were presented with a list of 12 problems facing the country and asked to rate their level of concern about each one.
 
According to Gallup, “Americans are most likely to choose ‘the availability and affordability of health care’ as the issue they worry about most. Six in 10 Americans (60 percent) worry about this issue ‘a great deal.’ Social Security is a distant second with 48 percent worrying a great deal.”

We certainly agree that the availability and affordability of health care is a major concern to virtually every segment of the population. Those in the military community, of course, have unique problems. And that is why MOAA continues to devote its expertise and energy to health care issues. The April 2005 Military Officer reported on “Health Care Heroes” in conjunction with MOAA’s board of directors’ fact-finding trip.
Future coverage is in the works.

But what about the second worry of most Americans? If you follow Military Officer, you’ll know we’ve run a series of articles on Social Security. The first, in December 2003, framed the basic issues. The second, in July 2004, presented three well-known advocates debating the pros and cons of creating private accounts within Social Security. This month we bring you the third in our series.

In our article “Track to the Future” (page 46), we flesh out the issues and summarize specific recommendations proposed under four concepts of Social Security reform. As we go to press, Congress is conducting hearings on the restructuring of Social Security. The challenge is how to keep the program solvent in the future. The response will affect us all.

Our purpose is to provide objective information on the issues and competing points of view so you can make up your own mind about what should be done.

We summarize four alternatives, but they aren’t necessarily the only ones or the most popular ones. Our intent is to present a sampling of ideas from those who have expertise in this complicated issue.
Finally, no June message would be complete without saluting two key events: the Army’s Birthday and Flag Day. Happy Birthday Army! And please pause for the Pledge of Allegiance on Flag Day, June 14.