How Billy Long is Spinning his Commitment to Senior Citizens

Billy Long has often said the United States government has to meet its commitment to seniors.

“When I ran for congress, I said, ‘we have to honor our commitment to our seniors,’ and that’s exactly what I plan to do and that’s exactly what we’re going to work on in Washington D.C.”

Long's voting record reflects that. Long support of the Paul Ryan budget ensures that today's seniors will receive the promises that were made to them like Medicare and Social Security. The problem lies for future seniors who have paid into these ponzi schemes and have planned for the future with the promises of Medicare and Social Security.

Long told Busplunge blogger that he didn't plan to touch these programs "for now." Long can get away with this because for now is exactly the verbiage in the bill. For those Americans who were born after 1957, well for now doesn't protect the money you have paid all your working life to protect these benefits. That's were the problem lies.

There is no doubt Medicare and Social Security are messes. They are messes because of government abuse--not because of the people who went to work every day and paid into these programs. For Americans who paid into these programs with the promises of the government, the year needs to reflect a point where it can be phased out. For example, a better solution to end these program would be to pass a bill that any person born on January 1, 2012, will not be required to enroll in Social Security and Medicare. The plan Long pushes begins taking benefits away from Americans who have paid in all their life, and this will be a losing issue for Republicans that could turn Democrats back to power even though the Great Society and Social Security need to be dismantled.

The key to this issue is what is the best way to dismantle these programs that ensure the health and well being of the American economy while taking care of those who paid into the program with their labor. Simply cutting people off who have paid into the system isn't a solution that is going to work. Long's vote shows that he is committed to today's seniors but doesn't care about the seniors of tomorrow who have had their wealth confiscated from them in return for a promise.

The issue is no doubt sticky, and it's one that needs planning to phase out.