Omitting the most crucial facts

Stephen Ohlemacher’s valuable, fact-packed articles on the shrinking Social Security surplus still leave the most crucial facts buried [“Social Security surplus wilts in shadow of looming deficit,” News, Aug. 14].

The taxes are levied only on wages under about $110,000 — this exempts most of the earnings of the very rich. This loophole should have been closed years ago, and would solve the whole underfunding problem. Why the inaction? The politicians of both major parties serve the ultrarich, not the people.

Proof of this is that at the same time Congress was screaming about the so-called shortfall, it and President Barack Obama cut Social Security taxes, underfunding the system. Then they bleat about more money going out than is coming in! This is criminal.

Finally, there’s the issue of the deficit. For years, elected officials have used the income from Social Security to fund income-tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy, and to wage wars against countries whose only crime was to own oil resources that U.S. tycoons wanted.

Now we’re told that “entitlements” are responsible for the deficit. Working people are “entitled” because we paid for the benefits. Congress and the fat cats owe us, and they can pay up or have a real fight on their hands.

— Megan Cornish, Seattle