Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 5 · column 3 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
By MARTHA MCSTEEN
Rappahannock Neva Contributing Writer
Fifty-five years ago this week, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law what has become the most successful social program in American history — Social Security.
Over the years, Social Security has provided a strong measure of economic dignity to tens of millions of seniors and disabled Americans and has become the cornerstone of planning for tomorrow’s retirees.
But Social Security, as we know it, faces serious challenges.
With the federal buget deficit expected to top $160 billion next year, budget experts, desperate for new revenues of any kind, are targeting the Social Security Trust Fund as a way out of their financial mess. They want to reduce the deficit by trimming Social Security benefits.
But this strategy, which singles out one segment of our society to shoulder a disproportionate part of the budget pain, would be unfair and makes no sense. After all, Social Security didn’t create the deficit. Why should it be the solution?
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