Trustees Report confirms: Trump's war on immigrants is hurting Social Security

[applegrove]

http://thehill.com/blogs/congres-blog/economy-a-budget/393463-trustees-report-confirms-trumps-war-on-immigrants-is-hurting-social-security?amp=

BY NANCY ALTMAN, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

"SNIP........


Immigration is a net plus for Social Security. Because immigrants are younger, on average, than other Americans, they will contribute to Social Security for decades. Ironically, undocumented workers contribute even more. They are prohibited from receiving Social Security, even when they can prove that they have contributed. The Social Security Administration has estimated that undocumented workers pay billions of dollars to these programs each year but earn no benefits.

If Trump and his GOP allies succeed in their plan of cutting in half the number of people legally immigrating to this country, Social Security will lose$2.4 trillion in revenue over the next 75 years. That is money that will have to be found elsewhere.

But, if immigration were doubled, rather than halved, Social Security would gain around $5 trillion over the next 75 years. That is substantially more than the cost of giving all current and future beneficiaries a 5 percent benefit increase starting today!

Trump and the GOP's xenophobic policies aren't the only way they are hurting Social Security. Their determination to redistribute wealth from average Americans to their plutocrat donors is also having an impact. Their tax bill, with its technical rules about converting salaries to so-called pass through income, is also robbing Social Security of revenue.

...........SNIP"

[Wounded Bear]

1. This is a feature, not a bug...

RWers love the idea of killing SS. Always have, always will.

Much like the minimum wage, raising that would add billions per year to the SSA coffers.

They hate SS, so they use these stealth tactics to hurt it.

[applegrove]

2. Yes. They want anything government bankrupt. Except for private property laws and the millitary.

[Lars39]

3. I knew it!

Undocumented workers contribute a heck of a lot and receive far, far less in benefits.

[Wounded Bear]

4. They also pay state and local taxes...

especially sales taxes.