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I promise, I will continue the argument about Social Security, but tonight, I’m just going to do a round up of news stories found on Google news when search “Social Security.” 

• The Southeast Missourian: Teachers in Missouri pay into the Missouri Public School Retirement System instead of paying into Social Security.  However, some school employees who are not teachers, such as bus drivers, counselors, speech therapists, and others, may have been incorrectly exempted from paying into Social Security.  In the comments, a teacher complains, “15% of our salary is unbelievable.”  (Allen: I guess the idea of paying for their own retirement is too much for teachers to understand.)
• Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Seniors who rely on Social Security benefits alone have a tough time getting by.  (Allen: Don’t neglect to save for your own retirement.  The fact that an AARP spokesman says “young people can and should count on (Social Security)” isn’t very reassuring.)

Am I the only one suffering from Obama Fatigue?  Surely not… after all, 46% of voters opted for John McCain instead.  But good gravy, you can’t walk into a store here in DC without running into Obama Inaugural merchandise, Obama Commemoratives, and just plain Obama on the cover of a ton of magazines.  I counted 10 in the last newsstand I stopped at before reaching my gate at Reagan National Aiport.

Historic election, first African-American President, Change.gov, blah blah blah.  I was mightily tired of the election campaign, and now I’m mightily tired of Obamamania. 

• Government should be as small as possible.  It’s said that John Quincy Adams ran the entire Executive Branch out of a roll-top desk.  If only!
• It’s not the government’s money.  It’s my money, and it’s your money.  Republicans used to say this explicitly, and won elections by doing so.  They don’t seem to say it anymore, and look where it’s got them.
• The government takes our money by the only legitimate form of armed robbery in our society: taxation.  Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) was 100% wrong when he said, “I think there are a lot of rich people out there who we can tax at a point down the road to recover some of this money…” Recover is the operative word here, and Frank is wrong because the government has no money of its own to recover.
• Entitlement programs are insidious and not only because they rob the poor of (some or all of) their motivation for self-improvement.  Each dollar I have is an opportunity to, among other things, experience the power of voluntary giving.  Each dollar the government takes from me takes that opportunity as well.
• We should allow the Big Three automakers to fail.  The auto workers, having nearly killed the goose that lays the golden eggs, would like to do the same to the rest of us.