Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Clumns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Toggle search form
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Orland Park Village Board Appoints George Koczwara as Village Manager Government
  • Author Charlene Wexler
    Newly released novel, ‘We Won’t Go Back’ Published, addresses women’s issues Books & Films
  • Baby names. Photo courtesy of sincerely-media-9s7EOmv2HDA-unsplash
    Olivia and Liam Remain Most Popular Baby Names for 2024 Baby Boomers
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Dad who feared losing son forever, won in court, keeping son in the U.S.  Dads' Rights
  • Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
    Roseland Ceasefire Warns Chicago’s Homicide Numbers Could Be Victims of  Trump’s Targeted Cuts Chicago
  • (Back) Dep Fire Chief Nick Cinquepalmi, retiring Board President John Brudnak, Trustee Donald “DJ” Jeffers, Board President Beth Damas Kaspar, Trustee Bridget Eileen Tolan, retired Fire Chief Michael Schofield, front, retiring Trustee Jayne Schirmacher.
    ​Orland Fire District elects first-ever woman Board President breaking news
  • Congresswoman Robin Kelly
    Congresswoman Robin Kelly clear leader in race to succeed Senator Dick Durbin Blogger
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The $2 billion wealth transfer: How Cook County’s property tax appeals system rewards businesses at the expense of homeowners breaking news
  • Lyons Township Board
    Lyons Township Democrats celebrate public support at annual fundraiser Bridgeview
  • OFPD Jr cadet camp June 26 2025
    Registration opens May 9 for Orland Fire Kids Camp and Jr Cadet Programs Events
  • 19-year-old Victor Martinez charged by Cicero police in 2016 murder
    Cicero police arrest suspect in 2016 murder of Julio Servin Crime
  • OFPD Commissioner Donald "DJ" Jeffers, OFPD Trustee Beth Damas Kaspar, and former Palos Heights Police CSO Bridget Eileen Tolan, will take the oath of office for the OFPD Board of Trustees on Monday May 5, 2025
    Fiscal Voices candidates to take Oath of Office for Trustee for Orland Fire District Monday elections
  • Cook County Commissioner Aguilar expresses strong support for "workers' rights" at rally Thursday Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar joined May Day Celebrations, May 1, 2025, and spoke at the rally in support of workers' rights and immigration
    Cook County Commissioner Aguilar expresses strong support for “workers’ rights” at rally Thursday Civil Rights
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    When it comes to voting on property tax referendums, the few decide for the many Blogger
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings, 19th Senate District
    Hastings working to ensure vet techs have necessary training Government

Senior Social Security gets thrown under Illinois & US bus

Posted on October 29, 2022February 4, 2023 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Senior Social Security gets thrown under Illinois & US bus
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Senior Social Security gets thrown under Illinois & US bus

Although politicians in the Republican and Democratic Party pander to the senior vote, the Democrats did the most damage to the Social Security system fear mongering that if they don’t impose changes the system will collapse. But if the system were to collapse, it is because government, Republicans and Democrats, have borrowed money from the Social Security Trust Fund to pay other bills without ever paying it back. It was Democrat Dan Rostenkowski who proposed taxing social security in 1982 and convinced the Democrats and many Republicans to go along. Seniors have been ignored, abandoned and abused by politicians.

By Ray Hanania

Seniors are the most important vote in Illinois and in the United States, and yet they are taken for granted, marginalized and misled by everyone.

Seniors have been coopted nationally and in Springfield by lobbyist lowlifes who determine policy by funding campaigns of elected officials.

When an elected official leaves office, most are hired by the lobbyists they helped. Lobbyist salaries and benefits soar in the hundreds and millions of dollars.

Social Security was originally excluded from taxation, regardless of whether you continued to work.

Calculations on how your social security will be taxed made in 1983 but that have not been adjusted for 2022 dollars. https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/taxes.html
Calculations on how your social security will be taxed made in 1983 but that have not been adjusted for 2022 dollars. https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/taxes.html

 

But in 1982, lobbyists convinced then U.S. Congressman Dan Rostenkowski to change the law and tax Social Security.

 

Lobbyists were told if they wanted Federal funds to underwrite their programs, they had to come up with new funding sources. Lobbyists and Rostenkowski fear-mongered, asserting Social Security was collapsing. Congress went along with the lie to tax Social Security “for the wealthy” to save it.

How can this be when every senior paid thousands of dollars over a lifetime of earnings to fund Social Security. Interest on that money should have been more than enough to cover the annuity system forever.

But the Federal Government looked at the Social Security trust fund like wolves in a chicken coop, and used the money to underwrite lobbyist projects.

In 1983, pushed by Rostenkowski, the law was passed to tax all kinds of things, including Social Security.

They said, and it remains until today, that if you earned “total income” of between $24,000 and $34,000 as a single person or $24,000 and $44,000 as a couple, you would pay taxes on 50 percent of your Social Security. If you made more than $34,000 as a single person or $44,000 as a couple, you would pay taxes on 85 percent of your Social Security income.

Do the math. In 1980, the typical Social Security payment was about $700 a month or $8,400. You could earn $16,000 more before they hit your Social Security with taxes.

That has not changed in 40 years and applies to today, except that the highest level of Social Security is $48,000 a year, which is more than the highest limit.

Instead of adjusting the ceilings upwards before you have to pay taxes, they have left them the same. The ceiling should have gone up. An income of $24,000 in 1983 is the equivalent to about $72,000 today. So, it should be that if you collect the highest level of Social Security of $48,000 and earn an additional $24,000 in outside supplemental income, you shouldn’t have to pay any taxes on your Social Security.

In fact, the amount of money Seniors receive through Social Security has never kept up with inflation. The only time you hear about big Social Security adjustments is when the elected officials need your votes. After elections, those increase disappear.

They have been lying to seniors since Day One.

They have been lying about the weakness of the Social Security system, failing to tell you it is crippled because they borrowed from it and failed to pay it back.

They have been lying about the need to tax your Social Security income by failing to adjust the “tax levels” for Cost of Living along with everything else. No one earning a total of $100,000 should have to pay taxes on Social Security.

As seniors, we need to fight for our rights.

AARP (The American Association of Retired Persons) does a terrible job of fighting for our rights. I joined one year and all I got were ad promotions from health providers who paid AARP to advertise. They used me to earn their money. AARP executives earn more than $230,000 a year.

Medicare was intentionally made to be a complicated process so that the government could minimize actual benefits while falsely claiming they were providing healthcare to Seniors.

The prescription “Donut Hole” should be a holiday for Seniors. Instead, it’s a money holiday for the pharmaceutical companies who squeeze Senior incomes to death each year.

The Senior Citizens are the most vulnerable. As we get older, we become easy targets for scams. Scams from the criminals and scams from those who want our votes.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker hasn’t done a damn thing for seniors in Illinois, and neither has any president including my favorite, Ronald Reagan.

You can give them all your votes. Or, you can put your interests as seniors at the front of the line, and tell them all to shove it until they do something to protect Social Security.

We need a Senior Revolution!

Columnist’s notes: Readers point out that the death benefit of $250 that you can get has not changed since 1983. If it were adjusted to inflation the death benefit today should be about $2,500.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. A political analyst and CEO of Urban Strategies Group, Hanania’s opinion columns on mainstream issues are published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers. His Middle East columns are published in the Arab News. For more information on Ray Hanania visit www.Hanania.com or email him at rghanania@gmail.com.)

 

SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Subscribe to Ray's columns

Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

* indicates required field.

 

Select Email Format


Ray Hanania on Politics podcast logo
Ray Hanania on Politics podcast logo

 

Two Guys on Politics podcast with Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania www.TwoGuysonPolitics.comTwo Guys on Politics with Bill Lipinski
Ray Hanania and Producer Brian Broeking

PS … Follow Ray Hanania on Twitter at Twitter.com/rayhanania. Fight back against #SocialMediaBigBrother

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Orland Park Village Board Appoints George Koczwara as Village Manager - May 12, 2025
  • Newly released novel, ‘We Won’t Go Back’ Published, addresses women’s issues - May 10, 2025
  • Olivia and Liam Remain Most Popular Baby Names for 2024 - May 9, 2025
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Government, Health, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Seniors, Taxes, Veterans Tags:AARP, abandoned, baby boomers, Dan Rostenkowski, Democrats, ignored, patronized, Republicans, senior citizens, seniors, social security, taxing social security

Post navigation

Previous Post: Can anyone be honest in an election?
Next Post: Keeping a close eye on China and semiconductor production

Related Posts

  • Alexandra Holt appointed to the RTA. Photo courtesy LinkedIn
    Emanuel names Alexandra Holt to RTA Board News
  • Increase for Medicare enrolled; COLA for Social Security comparison
    Seniors need to refocus the National Debate on improving Senior benefits Baby Boomers
  • Statue of Liberty. Photo courtesy of Fabian Fauth on Unsplash
    America weakened by bullying, hatred and media hypocrisy Blogger
  • On Tuesday, May 16th, Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar joined Leyden Township officials to kick-off Commissioner Aguilar’s new Leyden Township satellite office. The event included elected officials, community organizations, and residents from throughout the 16th District.
    Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Opens Satellite Office in Leyden Township Cook County
  • U.S. Rep. Newman (Il-03) Secures Inclusion Of $17.8 Million In Funding For Six Transportation Projects Across IL-03 In House Transportation Bill. Photo courtesy of Congresswoman Newman
    Newman secures inclusion of $17.8 million for six district transportation projects Cook County
  • J.B. Pritzker receives endorsement from UFCW. Pritzker's Facebook Page
    Pritzker signs executive order for full transparency in state government Government

More Related Articles

Midnight Flight: Chapter 7 — Bowen High School Baby Boomers
Chicago’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Andrew Kopacz, from Hartford, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of the US Navy USS Chicago returns home from final deployment Chicago
IRS warns public about scammers. How to report telephone scams. Photo courtesy of the iRS US Justice Department convicts Indian-based IRS scammer Business
Bill Healy Jr., journalist and among the finalists for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize. Photo courtesy of BillHealyMedia.com Orland journalist among finalists for 2021 Pulitzer prize Blogger
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Treasurer Maria Pappas unveils online tool detailing property tax spending as Dec. 1 tax due date looms Chicago
Doctor performing surgery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) A better way to fight cancer and taxes Blogger

Comment (1) on “Senior Social Security gets thrown under Illinois & US bus”

  1. Pingback: Senior Social Security gets thrown under Illinois & US bus - Brightgram

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Congresswoman Robin Kelly
    Congresswoman Robin Kelly clear leader in race to succeed Senator Dick Durbin
    May 6, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    When it comes to voting on property tax referendums, the few decide for the many
    May 2, 2025
  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker
    Illinois has many better options than Pritzker’s choice to succeed Durbin
    April 27, 2025
  • Ray Hanania at 3 years old in Chicago with his mother, sister Linda and neighbor Paulie Hansen. 1956
    72 years around the sun, an experience that continues to grow
    April 19, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    You May Be Owed Money For Overpaying Property Taxes Up To 20 Years Ago
    April 18, 2025
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Men can be Victims of Domestic Abuse Too
    April 6, 2025
  • NEWS
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Orland Park Village Board Appoints George Koczwara as Village Manager
    May 12, 2025
  • Author Charlene Wexler
    Newly released novel, ‘We Won’t Go Back’ Published, addresses women’s issues
    May 10, 2025
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • SPORTS
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves Hockey skate Past Rockford Icehogs 4 to 2
    February 23, 2025
  • Chicago Wolves player Andrew Poturalski. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Wolves. https://www.chicagowolves.com
    The Chicago Wolves dispatched the Iowa Wild 4-1 on Saturday night at Allstate Arena.
    February 22, 2025
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Orland Park Village Board Appoints George Koczwara as Village Manager
    May 12, 2025
  • Author Charlene Wexler
    Newly released novel, ‘We Won’t Go Back’ Published, addresses women’s issues
    May 10, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme