In Defense of Social Security

Social Security legislation seeks to give standard income to individuals who reach the age of 65, in an attempt to provide a basic, living wage to those who can presumably no longer support themselves. Having accurately predicted the cost of such a program, it remains both fiscally and socially responsible and obligatory for the federal government to enact such legislation, for the good of the citizens of the United States of America.

Despite the many costs of the social security program, Social Security remains the best course of action in retaining a high level of production and output from the American economy for several reasons - including the education of children in public school systems. Without such an act, society would have enormously high levels of poverty and homelessness in the senior population, many would lack medical care when they cannot afford it, workers would face the uncertainty of joblessness without benefits. Thus without passing for a social security reform act, we take a step toward economic ruin. Contrary to the beliefs of those who ascribe to the philosophies of such economists as Milton Brand, Ludwig Von Mise, or Adam Smith, there is no “invisible hand” that guides economic markets (Russell, 1935). Alternatively, the complex mathematics proposed as control measures by economists such as Paul Krugman or others who adhere to the school of New Keynesianism work wonderfully in theory but fall bafflingly short in practice (Dreier & Flacks, 2003). What, then, is the role of government interference in the economy, if any? Furthermore, is the relative size of the government of the utmost importance when considering whether or not enact legislation? For that matter, does the amount of aid offered to a given government’s citizens always indicative of said government’s size? While the role of government is certainly up for debate, there is little correlation in the amount of aid provided by a government to its people and its relative size, when contextualized as a body of governance.

The role of a government is outlined quite clearly in the preamble to the Constitution of the United States: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America” (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). The provisions given for the common welfare in the preamble are under constant debate by those on the left and right sides of the political spectrum alike, despite clear, constitutional proof that the government was designed to be able to interfere in the economy as necessary. Inevitably, a government that looms large in power and function will fall into decidedly bureaucratic tendencies, just as a small government that retains function over power is like to lose its hold on the people, wealth, arms, and the territories it controls (Halpin & Williams, 2009). The answer to what the size of government should we aspire to have is this: Large enough to strive for and provide the progressive ideals of socioeconomic equality, yet small and adaptable enough so as not to be dragged into the familiar pitfalls of an overarching bureaucracy; in essence, progressive ideals with conservative efficiency.

Government interference in the economy is essential to the survival of the United States of America. Without it, we would simply revert back to the days of pure laissez-faire economics and the intransigent public officials and robber-barons who kept the United States back from being the first world hyper-power. To what extent this interference should be implemented will always be a matter of debate, but to do without it in its entirety, and to not pass the social security act, as a result, would be a grievous step backward for the United States.

References

Dreier, P., & Flacks, D. (2003). "Patriotism and progressivism." Kirkpatrick Signature Series. Retrieved from http://idcontent.bellevue.edu/content/CAS/eBooks/Kirkpatrick/Book4.pdf

Halpin, J., & Williams, C. P. (2009). "What is progressivism?." Kirkpatrick Signature Series. Retrieved from http://idcontent.bellevue.edu/content/CAS/eBooks/Kirkpatrick/Book4.pdf

Russell, B. (1935). "The case for socialism." Kirkpatrick Signature Series. Retrieved from http://idcontent.bellevue.edu/content/CAS/eBooks/Kirkpatrick/Book4.pdf

National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). "The Constitution of the United States: A transcription." National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html