Hey, I paid for those 'entitlements'

  LETTER TO THE EDITOR  

(Gazette Blog Editor's note: The following letter appeared in the March 5 edition of The Arizona Republic.  It doesn't matter if you missed the earlier article it references, because we've all hard that line of thinking before.)

Regarding "Spending that can't be ignored" (Republic, Sunday):

Republic business columnist Russ Wiles wrote a nice article, but I must question his use of the word "entitlement" when talking about Social Security and Medicare.  My term is "benefit," as I paid the maximum into the system for 40 years.  It is not an entitlement when you have paid for it.

The article did not say anything about what financial condition Social Security and Medicare would be in if President Lyndon Johnson had not moved the trust fund to the general budget.  How about showing those figures?

Last, I believe in showing by example.  When are members of Congress going to cut their salaries and benefits like private industry when they are in the red?  One term and you receive "entitlements" for life.

How about salaries and benefits stop when you leave the job?  That would save a dollar or two.

Kenneth M. Buss
Tempe

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