Social Security is a viable fund; each person who receives benefits has contributed to that fund throughout their working life. Moreover, if a person is self employed the annual contribution is doubled. Thus, to denominate such a program as an “entitlement” is false.
Regarding Medicare, each of us pays for our Medicare benefits — this payment is typically deducted from one’s monthly Social Security check so that it’s never, or rarely seen.
In the context of a discussion of national issues, it is extraordinarily harmful to describe Social Security and Medicare in this way.



