Social Security Essay

Today, social security in the US is one of the most debatable issues because the state takes responsibility for covering a considerable part of social security needs. The latter means that the government will use budget funds, which are taxpayers’ money mainly, to fund social security programs. In such a situation, the debate over the necessity to maintain social security programs arises. However, social security is essential for a large part of the American population, which cannot afford elementary, basic services, including health care and education. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that social security was not always the priority for the US authorities. Instead, the development of the concept of social security and effective programs enhancing social security in the US took a lot of time and efforts to provide all Americans with, at least, basic services and social security.
In fact, the US was the state with the low level of the social security but, in the course of time, the need in the development of the social security became obvious. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the US government did not interfere in the economic relations between citizens. However, as the economic situation in the US grew desperate, the US government had to revolutionize its policies and focus on the social security because a large part of the US population was doomed to starvation without the support of the government. In such a situation, social security could have changed the position of many Americans and to provide them with basic services and money to afford living. In this regard, the implementation of the Social Security Act of 1935 was the first step toward the introduction of the social security policy by the government as a part of the strategic domestic policies in the US. In the course of time, amendments were implemented to the Social Security Act to enroll a larger number of people and different groups of American population into social security programs but the major criterion for the enrollment into the social security programs was the inability of individuals to afford living without government or other support in terms of social security programs.
In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that it is due to the Social Security Act the federal old-age (retirement), survivors and disability insurance had appeared. In fact, this insurance contributed to the provision of retired and disabled Americans with funds for living. Many Americans could not afford living, if they got some severe injury or disability or if they had to retire (Fried, 196). In such a situation, they used to be deprived of any source of income and could rely on the support of their children, family members or other care givers. However, due to the federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance, Americans could count for insurance and paying off in case of retirement or injury.
Furthermore, health care services were and still are unaffordable for a considerable part of the US population. In this regard, the Social Security Act granted Americans with the government support in terms of provision health care services (Berstein, 115). The government has developed Medicaid and Medicare programs to provide uninsured Americans with health care programs, Medicaid and Medicare. Retired Americans and low-income families can count for the enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid, which provide them with basic health care services, which they could not afford otherwise.
In addition, the social security implies the assistance to Americans in case of unemployment. In this regard, the Social Security Act imposes obligations on employers to compensate fired employees as well as introduces special programs to support unemployed and help them to find a new job.
The Social Security Act also provided the temporary assistance for needy families. Low-income families could count for the support from the part of the government in terms of food, education, and health care services. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the state children’s health insurance programs, which provide children from needy families with basic health care services.
At the same time, social security is not a privilege but a right of all Americans. At this point, it is possible to refer to the Flemming v. Nestor Case (1960), according to which, the entitlement to Social Security Act is not a contractual right. American legislators carried on working on the improvement of social security of Americans. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which provided larger support for Americans with disabilities and banned their discrimination in employment, education, and other spheres of life (Kessler-Harris, 232). Also, it is worth mentioning the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which granted Americans with larger rights to take leave in case of health problems or to provide health care services to their family members.
Thus, it is obvious that the social security evolved consistently in the course of time. Today, Americans can count for extensive social security programs, which provide them with basic services, including health care and education.