Do YOU care about YOUR future?

The majority of the American population aged 18 - 36 is too busy twittering about Justin Bieber, playing with their iPhone 4, or attempting to text while driving to actually involve themselves with the current state of the economy or their own economic future for that matter.  The fact of the matter is, the U.S.A. is in a downward financial spiral.  No thanks to our unions, lobbyists, and any other industry that can afford to place their hands in the pockets of our politicians. 

Fact - If you are legally working in the U.S., 1.45% of your total Gross Earnings and 6.2% of your Gross Earnings up to $106,800 is being withheld for Medicare and Social Security programs, respectively.  If you are close to retirement age, this is probably not a big deal for you;  However, if you are my age, or under the age of 50 for that matter, keep in mind that the Social Security program will be paying out more than it is collecting by the year 2017, according to the  2009 Annual Report from the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees.  In other words, its liabilities will exceed its assets, and essentially the Social Security system will be bankrupt.  You should ask your elected officials exactly how this could happen, if your Social Security benefits are to be paid based solely on the amount of payroll taxes you previously contributed.  In essence, the very fact that this will happen, means that funds were misused, misallocated, or both.

Another disillusioning fact - The U.S. is currently paying to keep commodities like sugar, other farm crops, and products (GM autos) produced in OUR country at affordable prices, so outside producers like South America (Brazil), China, and Japan can be heavily taxed in order to import these goods into the U.S.  Instead of letting the Free Market rule, we are essentially paying to keep the market in check, while farmers and other like unions are paid twice as much as the lower-cost producers, to sit on their asses all day long - then collect Social Security and Medicare benefits on OUR dime again, at retirement.

So, why should I have to pay for the teachers and firefighters who are able to retire at age 55 AND still allowed to collect Social Security benefits?  Why should YOU have to pay to keep funding programs you may very well never receive any benefit from?  Why should WE have to pay for the farmers and auto industries that cannot produce efficiently, just for the sake of not upsetting the unions?  These are the questions YOU should be asking YOUR representatives. 

I urge you to become more involved in your own future.  Research current issues like Cap and Trade, Immigration, Unemployment, economics, capitalism, etc.  Make yourself educated so that you can make an informed decision in November.  After all, it's your future, and your money.  You have a right to know.