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Social Security Works for Everyone!: Protecting and Expanding America's Most Popular Social Program
Social Security expansion is back on the agenda, at a time when Americans need it more than ever--here's what it should look like (and why it matters to everyday people all over the country)
"Altman and Kingson cut through the fog of calculated confusion and outright lies about Social Security."--David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author
The COVID-19 crisis has pulled the curtain back on America's looming retirement income crisis, a fraying of the national community, and ever-worsening income inequality. Never before have so many people's livelihoods and futures been thrown into flux. Now more than ever, expanding Social Security is essential to addressing these challenges. Social Security Works for Everyone!, an evolution of the argument Nancy J. Altman and Eric R. Kingson made in their acclaimed first book, Social Security Works!, presents the case for expanding Social Security, explaining why monthly benefits need to be increased; why Americans need national paid family leave, sick leave, and long term care protections; and how we can pay for it all. Don't believe the nearly four-decade, billionaire-funded campaign to convince us that the program is destined to collapse. It isn't.
At a time when growing numbers of Americans are seeing beyond the false choice between financial security for working people and financial security for the federal government, this book eloquently makes the case that universal programs that benefit all Americans (yes, even the rich) make our country stronger and our lives more secure. Social Security works because it embodies the best of American values--the ones that will allow Americans to obtain financial security and weather the next crisis.
"Altman and Kingson cut through the fog of calculated confusion and outright lies about Social Security."--David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author
The COVID-19 crisis has pulled the curtain back on America's looming retirement income crisis, a fraying of the national community, and ever-worsening income inequality. Never before have so many people's livelihoods and futures been thrown into flux. Now more than ever, expanding Social Security is essential to addressing these challenges. Social Security Works for Everyone!, an evolution of the argument Nancy J. Altman and Eric R. Kingson made in their acclaimed first book, Social Security Works!, presents the case for expanding Social Security, explaining why monthly benefits need to be increased; why Americans need national paid family leave, sick leave, and long term care protections; and how we can pay for it all. Don't believe the nearly four-decade, billionaire-funded campaign to convince us that the program is destined to collapse. It isn't.
At a time when growing numbers of Americans are seeing beyond the false choice between financial security for working people and financial security for the federal government, this book eloquently makes the case that universal programs that benefit all Americans (yes, even the rich) make our country stronger and our lives more secure. Social Security works because it embodies the best of American values--the ones that will allow Americans to obtain financial security and weather the next crisis.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
352 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2021
11 people are currently reading
780 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 5, 2024
Fantastic book about what makes Social Security great, and dispelling myths and detractors that say social security is going bankrupt.
This book changed my mind. Social security is not a savings account, it's more like an insurance policy. An insurance policy I will cash out on should I get hurt and be unable to work or at old age. Social security has kept millions in this country out of poverty, a truly enduring legacy of FDR and The New Deal. It allows us to not have to work til we drop. To enjoy a dignified retirement. More than half of the income of most senior citizens in this country comes from social security.
Still, there are many that say Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme or that it will be bankrupt and I will never see it. These lies have been around since the programs inception. I remember when George W Bush tried privatizing our social security, giving it to some investment bankers who would probably rob us. Take our money out of a secure institution and put it in the casino that is the stock market. Even the very conservative boomer generation punished him in the next few elections for this. Social security sometimes does have projected budget shortfalls. But most years it runs a surplus, reinvesting that surplus into US Treasury Bonds (the safest investment on earth), currently worth $2.1 trillion. Even if the worst should come to pass, it would be a disgrace to have bailed out all the major banks because they were "too big to fail" and not bail out social security, if needed. But I couldn't say I would be surprised if it did happen either.
This book changed my mind. Social security is not a savings account, it's more like an insurance policy. An insurance policy I will cash out on should I get hurt and be unable to work or at old age. Social security has kept millions in this country out of poverty, a truly enduring legacy of FDR and The New Deal. It allows us to not have to work til we drop. To enjoy a dignified retirement. More than half of the income of most senior citizens in this country comes from social security.
Still, there are many that say Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme or that it will be bankrupt and I will never see it. These lies have been around since the programs inception. I remember when George W Bush tried privatizing our social security, giving it to some investment bankers who would probably rob us. Take our money out of a secure institution and put it in the casino that is the stock market. Even the very conservative boomer generation punished him in the next few elections for this. Social security sometimes does have projected budget shortfalls. But most years it runs a surplus, reinvesting that surplus into US Treasury Bonds (the safest investment on earth), currently worth $2.1 trillion. Even if the worst should come to pass, it would be a disgrace to have bailed out all the major banks because they were "too big to fail" and not bail out social security, if needed. But I couldn't say I would be surprised if it did happen either.
June 12, 2021
Cutting social security is indeed a solution in search of a problem. Never mind stagnant wages, declines in union membership, increased military spending, wasted expenditures of nineteen years of war, slashes to domestic spending, huge tax cuts that benefit the wealthy, corrosive effects of campaign contributions.
More than 75% of income going to the bottom 60% of senior households came from social security. Many other nations spend much make than the USA on retirement, disability and survivor protection. The United States spend 5% of its GDP. Spain, Japan and Germany spend 10%. Portugal, France and Austria spend 12%.
As long as there are Americans who work, there is simply no way that Social Security can run out of money.
We are right in the middle of seeing the full retirement age rise to sixty-seven.
More than 75% of income going to the bottom 60% of senior households came from social security. Many other nations spend much make than the USA on retirement, disability and survivor protection. The United States spend 5% of its GDP. Spain, Japan and Germany spend 10%. Portugal, France and Austria spend 12%.
As long as there are Americans who work, there is simply no way that Social Security can run out of money.
We are right in the middle of seeing the full retirement age rise to sixty-seven.
May 16, 2021
A well researched, data driven argument for protecting and expanding the Social Security system. I have long been a supporter of many of the ideas outlined here. However, I found chapters 10 and 11 particularly helpful. They dispelled ongoing propaganda which attempts to weaken confidence in government insurance programs.
April 23, 2021
It was an interesting read and very insightful.
May 18, 2021
Great book
Explains how we can improve and expanded our Social Security benefits. Everyone should pickup and copy be an advocate for expanding.
Explains how we can improve and expanded our Social Security benefits. Everyone should pickup and copy be an advocate for expanding.
September 14, 2021
a wonderful reference book -full of a lot of information..
April 21, 2022
Very well-researched; reads almost like a short textbook with compelling arguments and proposed solutions. A great read or source for anyone researching the social security program.
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January 3, 2025What an incredible book. I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s as non-fiction as non-fiction gets; this shit read like a graduate school textbook, and I am NOT good at numbers.
But this was probably the most uplifting thing i’ve read in a long time. It’s thoroughly researched with figures and charts. It makes sense of history and policy. It’s really dry. Drier than a burnt steak. But there’s something about cold numbers that gives a sense of hope with a tangible solution.
My eyes did glaze over at all the stats, admittedly. I got tired of renewing it at the library, so I skipped over some parts that were bogging me down, but I plan on buying this book to have as a reference and source of hope.
But this was probably the most uplifting thing i’ve read in a long time. It’s thoroughly researched with figures and charts. It makes sense of history and policy. It’s really dry. Drier than a burnt steak. But there’s something about cold numbers that gives a sense of hope with a tangible solution.
My eyes did glaze over at all the stats, admittedly. I got tired of renewing it at the library, so I skipped over some parts that were bogging me down, but I plan on buying this book to have as a reference and source of hope.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews