Dear John: The suggestion to raise the retirement age for Social Security does not take into account how people earn their living: An office worker ages differently than a shipfitter or a welder or a long-haul trucker. Believe me, many in the trades are burnt out by 60. J.D.
Dear J.D.: First off, this letter comes from Canada.
I’m glad you are reading my column from so far away. But I’m surprised to get a comment about the US Social Security System.
But yeah, you are right. A lot of people work hard for a living, and 65 is old in their business. But the fact is, the Social Security system accounts for that.
If a trucker or a shipfitter, or even a shoplifter, is burnt out (in a truly medical sense) by 65, he can apply for disability.
If he’s only burnt out in the sense that he’s tired of working, he should have picked another profession.
I’d recommend journalism: People in this business seem to keep working well into their 100s.
The big problem, of course, is that Social Security will go broke sooner or later.
The government can use gimmicky accounting as much as it wants, but eventually there will be too few people paying into the system and too many taking out.
So the ages will have to change.
I admit that’s not fair. People get into the Social Security contract with certain rules including the age at which they can retire. To change those parameters would be breaking a contract.
Social Security is a perfect example of what happens when a pyramid scheme loses the base of workers paying into it. Eventually, the system has too much going out and not enough coming in.
Dear John: Why is it that whenever the topic of Social Security is discussed, no one ever brings up all of the people that collect as dependents of the insured, people who collect Social Security Disability, and who knows who else, besides people who worked their whole life and retire at 62-65?
These young people [are] sucking the system dry. I would bet that half if not more are illegally on it. I know a bunch myself, and it makes me sick to hear them brag about what they get. R.J.
Dear R.J.: If you know people who are getting Social Security payments who don’t deserve them, turn them in. If you don’t have the guts to do that, then stop bitching.
Send your questions to Dear John, The NY Post, 1211 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10036, or john.crudele@nypost.com.