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On July 31, 1965 the Medicare Bill was signed into law, by President Johnson, as an amendment to Social Security. To pay for this new program a new tax was added to the "Federal Insurance Contributions Act" (F.I.C.A.). At this time the F.I.C.A. tax rate stands at 6.2 percent for Social Security and 1.45 percent for Medicare, for a total of 7.67 percent on both employer and employee.

The "Social Security Trust Fund" is the means by which the Federal Government accounts for the "excess contributions" made by workers and their employers to the Social Security System that are not required to fund current benefit payments to retirees, survivors and the disabled or to pay administrative expenses. These surpluses are invested in "Special United States Government Securities." This Trust Fund, which oversees both Social Security and Medicare, is "Off Budget" and treated seperately, in certain ways, from other Federal spending.

From the U. S. Code: " Exclusion of Social Security from all Budgets Pub. L 101-508, Title XIII, Sec. 13301(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388-623, provided that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund shall not be counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surplus for purposes of (1) the budget of the United States Government as submitted by the President, (2) the Congressional budget, or (3) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985."

What does that say? To me it tells the Federal Government, in no uncertain terms, hands off all Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund money except to pay retirees, survivors (of retirees) and the disabled or to pay administrative expenses. (This also includes Medicare payments). As to the so-called "Health Care Bill" which was passed earlier this year and the government's right to take money saved by either cutting out waste and fraud or by cutting payments to doctors and hospitals and using it to either cut the deficit or to start some other scheme, such as public option insurance: According to the law as stated in the U.S. Code (above) they can not do that. I spent some time on the internet trying to find information as to exactly how much money is in those trust funds but ended up more confused than when I started. Do you suppose that could be the intention of our Government? No, of course not, they want us to be well informed. Don't they??

While looking out the windows or going outside and seeing how the leaves are changing colors and the weather getting cooler I am reminded that Autumn is really here so I'll leave you with this.

Autumn Means

Autumn means Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins, kids playing trick or treat / the sound of drying leaves as they crunch beneath your feet / the butterflies have left us, looking for a warmer clime / wild geese ready to fly south, they'll be leaving any time / Jack Frost has made his visit and left his calling card / now a friend is busy raking the leaves up from his yard.

Autumn means the days are getting shorter, ole Sun's not up so long / bull frogs singing in the night a lonesome sounding song / squirrels out gathering acorns to hide in hollow trees / Blue Jay's always quarreling with everything he sees / the icy winds of winter are just two doors away / and the world is out rejoicing while it's warm enough to play.

All opinions given here are mine,statistics came from various internet sites. Thanks for your time whether you agree or not. Stay tuned - William