Status of Social Security

Republicans are attacking the Social Security System because they believe it is a “Ponzi scheme.”

 

“A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often promise to invest your money and generate high returns with little or no risk.”

 

First, Social Security is funded by employees who pay into the system throughout their work. Their payments accrue and earn interest. When retirement age is reached or a person becomes disabled, they receive apportioned benefits from their account as long as they live.

 

Managed properly, the system should remain sound, reliable and dependable.

 

A problem can occur if or when the number of retirees exceeds the number of new entrants. For instance, the number of baby boomers exceeds the aggregate number of new entrants. Still, the retirees who paid into the system should not be at risk because the system is based on administering their money.

 

What could go wrong? If Congress dipped into the system’s assets, that would destabilize the system. If too many people “qualify” for benefits without their having paid sufficiently into the system, a deficit could occur.

 

It is essential to understand the financial integrity of the Social Security System.

 

Republicans have never embraced the concept of government managed social security. Since Roosevelt, they argue that the system is socialism and prefer that people suffer their fate even if it means impoverishment. Therein is our national debate – the moneyed class against the middle class and poor.

 

In the news is that Republicans (Trump and Musk DOGE) want to reduce the Social Security Administration workforce. First, I know personally from having bid on IT system work at Social Security, the systems are woefully old and inefficient. Needed is a new IT infrastructure which requires investment.

 

Republicans argue that a privatized solution is better. However, there are no proposals, concept papers, or plans to demonstrate a better way.

 

Trashing the current system by destabilizing it puts retired persons and those near retirement at great risk.

 

What is the status?

“The Social Security system is facing a projected shortfall, with the trust fund reserves expected to be depleted in 2035, but the program will still exist, with ongoing taxes covering about 83% of scheduled benefits. Congress will need to take action to ensure full benefits are paid.” AI-generated content.

Open Letter to Speaker Mike Johnson

Open Letter to Speaker Mike Johnson

Subject: President Trump Lying on the Floor of Congress

Mr. Speaker, under your leadership in Congress, I expect you to hold the proceedings to the highest standard, beginning with truthfulness. 

Congress is no place for lying, especially incessant lying by the president or his vice president. I expect that you will uphold the rule of law without hesitation.

Unfortunately, you have permitted the President to lie incessantly and repeatedly even when his lies have been refuted with the facts. 

Until the President acknowledges his lies with admissions and apologies for each, I want you to censor the President from further addresses on the floor of Congress.

Furthermore, I expect you as Speaker to hold the same standard for members of Congress. While some issues are debatable, the facts must be presented to support what the parties believe is the truth.

Let the people decide truthfulness based on facts and the source of facts on merit.

Your incumbency and your legacy depend on you being the bearer of and enforcer of the truth.

When I tried to send this email to you, your website does not permit correspondence outside your district even though you are the Speaker of the House for all Americans. That is wrong.

Sincerely,

James George
District 1, Ohio

Purge

Fact: Every entity in the Federal government is created by acts of Congress which means all the systems, processes, and enabling people and technologies. They are managed by government departments created for specific purposes.

 

I identify all of them in my book, How to Select an American President. When the Department of Homeland Security was created, I wrote The Management Approach for Securing America for ManTech International to assist the department’s first secretary, Tom Ridge. I know first-hand how the processes and enabling organizations are integrated.

Only Congress can reengineer and undo government in concert with the Executive branch. When the Executive wants to make changes, legislation is submitted to Congress for their action or Congress creates responsive legislation. 

 

Watching un-President Trump and his billionaire hatchet man taking an executive axe to the government, I know the consequences and the damage is akin to a nuclear strike in the heart of Washington. We will reel from the disaster until a new Congress gets a grip. Even then, damage to foreign policy and our reputation will take a generation to correct, if and only if American voters realize what they have done.

 

I implore citizens to appeal to the elected officials to stop the damage. Call for a new election. Impeach Trump and purge his illegal-acting regime. The Vice President is also untenable. 

Creator: Brandon Bell | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2024 Getty Images

Deep Heroes

 James George

American Government

21 February 2025

Deep Heroes

Call for Courage

This blog post addresses an answer to my questions about what we can do to counter the authoritarian Trump regime. After a month in office, it is apparent that Trump and his side-kick, Musk, are waging an ideological war that benefits billionaires at the expense of most citizens and undermining the American democratic republic. 

Having spent thirty years consulting and working with government departments in process improvement and logistics, I am keenly aware of what it takes to reengineer government systems and do so in concert with Congress and the Executive branch. Evidence of my experience is in several books:

Smart Data, Enterprise Performance Optimization Strategy

How to Select an American President

Regenerating America with Sustainable Economics

Standards for American Political Parties

I beg for readers so we can have meaningful discussions to guide our elected officials. While the Trump-Republican-led Congress embarks on an economically irresponsible, socially irresponsible, and environmentally irresponsible path, the only mechanisms available are court appeals aimed to stop illegal actions by this administration. Congressional Republicans have surrendered their sworn oaths and Constitutional duties. Trump has declared war on the Constitution and the rule of law with a life-long pattern of evidence.  He corrupted the court with biased appointments, weakening the path of justice. He wants to be a king more than a President.

Trump’s attack on military leaders and loyal public servants changed the rules. When a President no longer upholds his oath, all bets are off. Military leaders are sworn to protect the nation. When their commander-in-chief disavows the Constitution and operates illegally, the chain of command is broken. When military leaders cannot trust the President, that is the circumstance that leads to military-led coups to counter corruption.

This morning, I saw and heard Senator Tom Tillis from North Carolina pushback on Trump’s embracing Putin and his lies. I know Tom Tillis as he was a Senior Partner at Pricewaterhouse Coopers when I worked there. I know him to be a patriot and one who knows right from wrong. There are other Republicans in the Senate, like Tom.

Another “Tom” is Senator Cotton from Arkansas. He was a Captain in the Army, a Bronze Star, and a Harvard-trained lawyer. He knows that Trump’s actions are illegal and his foreign policy is compromised and corrupted by Putin. He must step forward.

It is too late for Lindsey Graham, Senator for South Carolina. Why? It is because he waffled and compromised his ethics and oath too many times for personal gain. He is superficial and needs to go the way into oblivion like Mitch McConnell. 

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, might make the short list of Republican deep heroes, but not Susan Collins. Collins is unreliable and indefensible. 

Obviously,  Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney are viable leaders who are no longer in office.

There are deep heroes among the Democrats, although they are apparent in leadership positions.

Please Read:

Smart Data, Enterprise Performance Optimization Strategy

(https://se.moevm.info/lib/exe/fetch.php/courses:smart_data:smart_data_enterprise_performance_optimization_strategy_wiley_series_in_systems_engineering_and_management_by_james_a._george_james_a._rodger_z-lib.org_.pdf)

How to Select an American President
(https://www.google.com/books/edition/How_to_Select_an_American_President/0QYZDgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover)

Regenerating America with Sustainable Economics

(https://www.amazon.com/Regenerating-America-Sustainable-Economics-Ahead/dp/1480851078)

Standards for American Political Parties
(https://www.amazon.com/Standards-American-Political-Parties-George/dp/B0CZPB459Q)

One Path for Restoring

 One Path for Restoring 
The American Democracy

The US Constitution

At the moment, about half of Americans believe the Trump Administration and the Republican Congress have placed the nation’s democratic republic at risk under the authoritarian actions of President Trump, his Vice President, and the head of the questionable authority of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Is President Trump an authoritarian? (favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom.)

Trump’s directives to make lists and fire those who disagree with him without regard to laws and regulations are illegal. His penchant for not following the rule of law follows him from the past and now. His actions demonstrate his failure to uphold his Constitutional duty and constitute high crimes.

For those reasons, citizens, citizen groups, Democrats, and Republicans should be challenging him in the courts. They are doing that now. The US Supreme Court has appeared to be biased toward Trump's politics will be tested again if cases reach them, or lower courts may stand against his illegal actions.

As many media channels have asked, the leaders of the opposition party must be on the airwaves, rallying public understanding and support for saving the democracy against Trump’s tyranny. 

Trump’s Absurd Appointments

 Trump's Selection Process is Incompetent 

Anyone with staffing experience knows how President-elect Trump is staffing the Executive Branch, and it needs to be more professional and effective. As is, he is placing our nation at risk. No one should be surprised because his selection as a candidate for the Republican Party was equally flawed. I wrote “Standards for American Political Parties” to get at the heart of the issue. The American Political System is grossly corrupt and without Federal standards for vetting candidates for elected office.

I published “How to Select an American President,” providing a detailed analysis and recommended approach to guide all citizens and political parties in evaluating presidential candidates. I also applied the approach to assessing candidates for the House of Representatives and Senators.  I can defend the approach and welcome peer reviews.

Electing an incompetent president brings about a “trickle down” of deficiencies in both character and incompetence at a time when the nation needs and deserves the best. The mistake by US voters in 2024 will have immediate and lasting negative consequences that will become apparent to even the most ardent supporters of the want-to-be-king, Donald J. Trump.

https://www.amazon.com/Standards-American-Political-Parties-George-ebook

No More Political Contributions

My Vote But Not My Money

Whenever I open my email, I get a request for money from the Democrats. I gave all I could as a retired person to save our democracy. That action failed. The party wants payment upfront for every worthy action, basic things, like saving Social Security, preventing more tyranny from the Supreme Court, and preventing President-elect Trump from becoming a dictator. They have my money, and they have my vote. Now, don’t fleece me anymore.

Senior retired citizens should have a free membership in a political party. The American political system has always been corrupt, and now political parties are transparent in attempting to rob us as if their salaries are not enough.

I quit.