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Every day, it seems, another letter writer accuses President Donald Trump or Elon Musk of planning to take away important services such as Social Security. You don’t have to blame them; these federal programs, without intervention, are going to wither away on their own. The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund that holds those funds in excess of current expenses for Social Security is estimated to run out of money in 2033.
Social Security beneficiaries will get only 76% of their current benefits. Medicare and Medicaid together cost $1.7 trillion per year. Just the interest on the national debt of $36.7 trillion is projected to reach nearly $1 trillion per year in 2025.
If nothing is done to these ever- growing costs, the United States will be financially insolvent. So if you are opposed to Trump and Musk taking action now to save these programs, what will you say when the inevitable happens and they no longer can pay anything?
Earl Arakaki
Ewa Beach
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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