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The Social Security Act was drafted by President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]'s committee on economic security, under Edwin E. Witte, and passed by Congress as part of the [[New Deal]]. It was opposed by conservatives at first, but they came to support it. Indeed, Social Security has been called the "third rail of American politics" because politicians get badly burned if they try to tamper with it. In 2009 conservatives attacked the Democrats health care reform program because it involves large cut-backs to Medicare.
The Social Security Act was drafted by President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]'s committee on economic security, under Edwin E. Witte, and passed by Congress as part of the [[New Deal]]. It was opposed by conservatives at first, but they came to support it. Indeed, Social Security has been called the "third rail of American politics" because politicians get badly burned if they try to tamper with it. In 2009 conservatives attacked the Democrats health care reform program because it involves large cut-backs to Medicare.
In 1956 the US Congress enacted the [[Medicare]] program which guaranteed affordable health care to citizens over the age of 65. A [[Medicaid ]] program was established to provide health care for those who could not afford private health insurance.
In 1965, prodded by liberal president [[Lyndon Johnson]], Congress enacted the [[Medicare]] program as part of the "[[Great Society]]." Medicare operates as part of Social Security and provides affordable health care to beneficiaries over the age of 65. A [[Medicaid ]] program was established to provide health care for poor people who can not afford private health insurance.
Social security will face many problems in the 21st century, most notably the aging of the population in developed nations, although more problematic in Europe and especially Japan, will strain American social security budgets <ref>Will social security and Medicare remain viable as the US population is aging? (pdf) <i>Henning Bohn</i>[http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/~bohn/papers/Aging.pdf]</ref>
Social security will face many problems in the 21st century, most notably the aging of the population in developed nations, although more problematic in Europe and especially Japan, will strain American social security budgets <ref>Will social security and Medicare remain viable as the US population is aging? (pdf) <i>Henning Bohn</i>[http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/~bohn/papers/Aging.pdf]</ref>
Is Social Security going bankrupt?<ref>Social Security Commissioner, 2006 Social Security Statement</ref> Actuaries say that thanks to the Reagan reforms of 1983, Social Security is fullly funded for 75 years. Medicare is much harder to gauge, because no one knows the future rate of growth of medical costs, which have been quite high in recent decades.
Is Social Security going bankrupt?<ref>Social Security Commissioner, 2006 Social Security Statement</ref> Actuaries say that thanks to the Reagan reforms of 1983, Social Security is fullly funded for 75 years. Medicare is much harder to gauge, because no one knows the future rate of growth of medical costs, which have been quite high in recent decades.
In 2005 President Bush proposed a privatization program that would allow people to control their own Social Security accounts, especially by investments in the stock market. He argued that the stock market provided higher rates of return. The proposals got little support and were dropped. The stock market collapse in the [[Recession of 2008]] chilled enthusiasm for similar proposals, and no prominent politician in 2009 is proposing privatization.
==Pro's and cons of social security==
==Pro's and cons of social security==
* Some individuals will get "lazy" and choose not to work, only costing society.
* Some individuals will get "lazy" and choose not to work, only costing society.
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Beland, Daniel. ''Social Security: History and Politics from the New Deal to the Privatization Debate'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Social-Security-Politics-Privatization-Government/dp/0700615229/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256563533&sr=1-14 excerpt and text search]
* Glenn, Brian J. and Steven M. Teles, eds. ''Conservatism and American Political Development'' (2009), two chapters on conservatives andSocial Security issues since 1930s [http://www.amazon.com/Conservatism-American-Political-Development-Brian/dp/0195373936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256562179&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Glenn, Brian J. and Steven M. Teles, eds. ''Conservatism and American Political Development'' (2009), two chapters on conservatives andSocial Security issues since 1930s [http://www.amazon.com/Conservatism-American-Political-Development-Brian/dp/0195373936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256562179&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Shoven, John B. and George P. Shultz. ''Putting Our House in Order: A Guide to Social Security and Health Care Reform'' (2008), a conservative analysis [http://www.amazon.com/Putting-Our-House-Order-Security/dp/0393066029/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256563427&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]
==References==
==References==