The aim of socialist governments is to transfer power and wealth from the people to the state, to make citizens dependent on these governments. What our government should be doing is transferring wealth back to the people and uplifting the poor to the middle class instead of the other way around. This is actually very easy to do by eliminating socialist agendas and policies. Here’s one example:
Privatizing Social Security:
The rate of return for Social Security is about 3%. Investing in stocks and bonds yields at least 5%. This equates to a minimum monthly payment of 2 1/2 times the current rate.
When a spouse dies, the surviving spouse’s SS payments are reduced to the higher of the two. In a privatized system, the surviving spouse would retain both monthly payments. Plus, when the second spouse perishes, the fund is passed on to beneficiaries.
A population that is financially stable will resist the temptations of socialist ideology.
We need to make sure there are opportunities for the poor among us to reach for better if they are willing. Most will. Sometimes not, but most are willing to do better if they have the chance. They deserve the chance to at least try.
As for Social Security, it needs to be treated as the individual account that it is. People should get what they paid into it and nothing more. Stop Congress from draining it for useless reasons. Public or private will not help. People should be able to direct that money into an investment account to grow if they choose, with the understanding that that investment is subject to the same dangers and rules as any other investment. Leave the age restriction for withdrawal in place though.
The point of Social Security is guaranteed income. The 3% rate of return reflects the necessity to invest extremely safely. I do not support SS taking unnecessary risks to potentially achieve greater returns; it is supposed to be a safety net, not a way to make money.