Social Security Property Rights

SOCIAL SECURITY PROPERTY RIGHTS -- (House of Representatives - June 09, 2005)

(Mr. MILLER of Florida asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as I listen to the national debate on Social Security reform, I am left wondering why no one is talking about America's greatest principles, and that is property rights.

I get letters, e-mails, and phone calls every day from my constituents demanding that I do not take away their guaranteed Social Security benefits. That leads me to believe that our Nation's citizens may not understand that they really have no legal right to their Social Security benefits.

The Supreme Court ruled in Flemming v. Nestor that there is no legal right to Social Security benefits. In the eyes of the Court, it is deemed a tax-and-spend program in which Congress can change the rules regarding eligibilit y at any time, and it has many times over in past years. That is how our current system works.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for reform. It is time to give American taxpayers back their personal property rights. Personal accounts would give workers true legal property rights to their contributions and their benefits. They could not be raided to pay for other programs. Personal accounts are the ultimate lockbox.

http://thomas.loc.gov