Social Security

money.usnews.com
January 23, 2012
Emily Brandon
 http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2012/01/23/5-social-security-changes-coming-in-2012

Summary-
    Social security recipients will soon experience some changes in how the program works for them. The current plan is to have those who qualify for social security to receive about $40 more per month. At the same time, the cap for people with large incomes to pay extra into social security has increased, meaning that fewer of the rich will be paying into the system. There is also supposed to be a possibility for the growth of social security savings over time, but some people who earn a significant amount will become ineligible for social security.

Connection-
    This connects to class through a discussion regarding social security and other parts of the government that are a significant part of the American budget, and therefore the national debt. The national debt is very high, and some of the major areas of spending are in need of reevaluation. Congress has been reforming parts of Social Security to relieve some of the debt, and this appears to be the result of their efforts.

Personal Reaction-
    Social Security costs too much to keep in the American budget. It is no longer effective, since there are now more people taking out of it than those that are paying into it, and if it continues to be funded  America will have huge problems. It simply does not work to attempt to reduce a debt by funneling more money into a bottomless hole in the ground.