Medicaid and Social Welfare programs are part of life. We can’t simply abandon the old and sick in this country. We’re better than that. What we can do is try and make those programs as efficient and effective as possible yet maintain our compassion for those in need. What I would like to see is offer people the option to pay into social security or instead keep the money and invest it themselves with the knowledge that they won’t receive any SS benefits upon retirement. Of course, I would insist and monitor that they are investing those dollars. And give them specific mutual fund options to choose from. I wouldn’t allow them to use the money for speculative investments like Bitcoin and other less mainstream options. Must be highly liquid, highly stable options. Essentially index funds. A stock index, a bond index and treasury/cash fund is all you need. Unfortunately we have gotten ourselves into a Ponzi scheme situation where you constantly need new money to pay the retirees because it wasn’t invested well. AND people are living longer and receiving much more than they paid in. I believe I would have taken that deal if offered when I first started working. You’re essentially betting on yourself.
