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Even if the president enjoyed bipartisan political support, Social Security cannot be reformed because politicians refuse to acknowledge that the program is so fundamentally flawed it is beyond repair.

On Aug. 23, 2006, Dick Armey, former House majority leader, stated:
"Social Security is headed for the biggest catastrophe in the history of the world." Mr. Armey is one of many who are sounding alarms. No one is listening!

The truth is so outrageous it is almost unbelievable. What Mr. Armey, nor any other public official, will admit is that Social Security already is being subsidized from general treasury revenues and the shortfall is growing exponentially. Economic calamity could be avoided, but only if the truth is revealed so solutions can be found and a new, more just social welfare system may be created.

Reports that Social Security is currently running cash-flow surpluses are a lie. OASDI (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) is running current cash flow deficits. No one will acknowledge this, although it can be documented. An examination of federal policies and accounting practices exposes disinformation that is designed to conceal government deception. The media is guilty of covering up the truth as is the government.

One irrefutable legal fact is: An employer may retain approximately one-third of the individual Federal Income Taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes withheld from employee paychecks; although workers are led to believe those taxes are sent to the Internal Revenue Service of the Social Security Administration.

The 2006 Social Security Trustees "Summary of 2005 Trust Fund Financial Operations" reported the OASDI Trust Funds received income of $701.8 billion and expended $529.billion. "Assets increased by $171.8 billion in 2005 to $1.86 trillion because income to each fund exceeded expenditures."

The 2006 OASDI Trustees Report stated: "Under the intermediate assumptions, the OASDI cost rate is projected to decline slightly during 2006 through 2008 and then increase up to the current level within the next two years. It then begins to increase rapidly after and first exceeds the income rate in 2017, producing cash flow deficits thereafter. Despite these cash-flow deficits, beginning 2017, redemption of trust fund assets will allow continuation of full benefit programs on a timely manner until 2040, when the trust funds will become exhausted."

John Koraska

Tyler

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Doesn't Understand

I don't understand the reluctance to concentrate on Middle Eastern men as a security measure for the airlines.

It isn't as if racial profiling is something new. Under the name of Affirmative Acton, it has been used for years to keep white males from getting to many of the good jobs. Our government uses it in hiring all its employees, including the very people now in charge of airport security.

Charles Hayes

Tyler

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Gullible Americans

What can be said for a sanctimonious people who feel no moral contriteness for having supported a bloody war in Iraq into which our nation has been grossly misled by the current administration in Washington, D.C.? And now which purpose has been changed yet again in the latest barrage of propaganda - this time to being the key to winning the tactical "war against world terrorism?"

How can our leaders justify the notion of winning such a war by attrition without the ultimate use of our own weapons of mass destruction to exterminate an enemy that is consumed with a religious neurosis so irrational that ritual suicide bombings are believed to earn special rewards in heaven?

Is there no limit to how gullible Americans can be?

From my view, every American would do well to start right now getting down on their hands and knees in prayer every day and begging God to deliver us from our own apathy, denial, vanity and destructive self-righteousness.

May God bless our brave troops and speed the day when they can come home to stay.

Myrta F. Trimble

Tyler

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Property Values

For years I have been wondering why more Smith County taxpayers don't complain about the inflated property appraisals. I found the answer in Roy Maynard's column Sunday, Sept. 3, "Appraisal Cap Proposal Akin to Government Price Controls."

Property values are actually determined by market pressures: supply and demand. If citizens in Smith County rely on the county tax appraiser to set the price of their property, they should wake up. The county appraiser values real estate for tax purposes only.

If the Texas Legislature reduces the appraisal cap from 10 percent to 5 percent it will not affect the price at which property is sold or bought. Property values are controlled by supply and demand! But such a cap will affect property values for taxing purposes ... and a cap is certainly needed.

Smith County spending is a very good example of the need for limiting appraisal increases. Our politicians continually brag about the reduced or constant tax (rate) while increasing their spending each year by double-digit percentages due to the increased tax income generated by flagrant appraisal increases in real estate values.

I'd like to see Smith County freeze property values (0 percent cap) for everyone so increases in spending would require increases in the tax rate. Even those who didn't pay attention in economics class could figure it out!

Norm Beavers

Tyler