Federal entitlements intended to lift people out of poverty now benefit the middle class, Stanford scholar says.While U.S. federal entitlement program expenditures are intricately woven into the fabric of American society, they have grown into a costly burden with a reach far beyond what was originally intended, Stanford scholar John Cogan says.
The article continues:U.S. federal programs – such as Medicare and Social Security – are now a costly burden that actually distribute most of their aid to middle class households, said Stanford scholar John Cogan. Also known as federal entitlements, these programs include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the GI Bill and military pensions.
This is in my opinion based upon substantial evidence absolute nonsense! Pensions are earned. Social Security and Medicare are paid for! In fact many people on Medicare never get back anything near what they paid into the program. Medicaid however is a social program. Medicare is NOT.
How do academics get away making these in my opinion baseless claims. Medicare is a program that people pay 3% of their annual salary and 3% of any capital gains for their entire life. Then they also pay often in excess of $4,000 per annum to stay on the program and in addition pay for added benefits to pay for what Medicare does not pay for. A decade ago we wrote an extensive analysis of the Medicare issue which was covered in the Washington Post. Perhaps if this Stanford academic spent a bit of time examining the facts their screeds would change.
Medicare and Social Security are NOT entitlements. They are paid for. Unfortunately Congress spends the money! Most of it seems to go to California! Perhaps we should stop all Federal payments west of the Rockies! Thank God I did not decide to go to Stanford!
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