The New Citizens Press

As the debate on privatization of the Social Security System rages on, I have been forced to consider many factors of where we came from, where we are and where we are going. I first reflect on what people did before the system was instituted as a safety net for those who could not sustain an ongoing method of income to meet basic needs. In those unenlightened days [as some would say], family and community personally were considered the safety net of last resort. In those days, elderly family members who no longer could support themselves was generally taken in by family or sometimes a concerned community member. Before I go too far sounding like a conservative, let’s seriously examine this ever-fading phenomenon.