Open Letter To Bert Dodson

From LTP Member Edward C. Olivares:

28 October 2011

Open Letter to Mr. Bert Dodson:

Mr. Dodson, at the last recent debate between you and Mr. Tom Garrett at Lynchburg College, you stated in a rebuttal to Mr. Garrett, regarding his position that current and soon to be retirees on Social Security, who have contributed to the system for over 40 years, must continue to receive the promised SS checks for which they have contributed throughout their working career. However, the SS system is unsustainable as it is presently constituted and changes need to be made for future retirees who are currently contributing to the system. The problem is that more money is being paid out to SS recipients now than is being taken in from current workers.

You stated that the Tea Party Website has a posting that states the Tea Party is for destroying and closing down the Social Security System. This statement was intended to demolish Mr. Garrett who is supported by the Lynchburg Tea Party.

I, at age 76, have been receiving SS checks since my retirement in 2001, for which I have contributed at the maximum rate of FICA for over 44 years. I am a member of the Lynchburg Tea Party, along with probably another 25 to 30 % of the Lynchburg Tea Party who are also retirees receiving SS checks after contributing to the system for over 45 years. Therefore, I would like to know where in the Lynchburg Tea Party website this supposed posting is located. I consult the Website frequently, and am well aware of what the Lynchburg Tea Party stands for. Nowhere in the Web Site of the Lynchburg Tea Party is found any statement that we oppose the SS system and want to shut it down!

I would like to remind you that the Tea Party Movement is a Grass Roots movement of Patriots who believe in supporting the Constitution, limited government and, limited taxing to support those primary and defined functions of government at each level. Each local Tea Party group is an independent organization with its own rules, and basic tenets. All share the belief in the necessity of adhering to the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, and modified by Amendments through the legal process and approved by all or at least 2/3 of the States. That Constitution defines those powers that are delegated by the people and the states to the Federal Government, and reserves all others powers not so delegated, to the States and to the People of each state.

So, please tell me Mr. Dodson, and tell all who read this letter, where precisely, and which Tea Party you refer to, that you claim has posted as their goal closing down the Social Security System and leaving those of us on Social Security and receiving checks stranded.

I remind you that Social Security was originally established as a compulsory savings program to ensure that people unable or unwilling to plan and save for their eventual retirement would be forced to contribute funds by FICA that would be saved for them, draw interest to grow the principal, and then be paid out to them when they retire.

That was all changed by a Democrat controlled Congress and a Democrat President named Lyndon Johnson, who broke the promise, and stole all of the money from the Social Security Lock Box, and changed the FICA to a Tax that is paid into the General Fund to be spent at the discretion of Congress.

SS checks are now paid from the General Fund, and we are reaching the point that collections of FICA will be less than what is paid out to SS Recipients. The Lockbox is empty, containing nothing but IOU’s for the money stolen and spent by the Congress and Presidents both Democrat and Republican on anything but Social Security. And, the SS system has been turned into a welfare fund to support all sorts of freeloaders who have never contributed anything to the SS Program!

The Social Security system as presently constituted does in fact resemble in every respect a classic Ponzi scheme!

Respectfully,

Edward C. Olivares

USMA 1957