United Systems of America (Vol 8) – Part 2 Down Memory Lane

 

Founding Fathers of the USA

                                                   

Continued from earlier post

This is the concluding part. The first part link is below for those who have missed the earlier blog.  These were my first impression in our early years in US (year 2001) when I used to compare everything I saw with the systems in India. I used to wonder how such simple systems evolved over the years made the US citizens life easy. They had to struggle less with more support from the government at times of need.  In my opinion what makes a country developed and great is not based on GDP or how many trillions of dollars they make but how good the systems are for the citizens.

Unemployment allowance for US citizens:

One of the awesome system is Unemployment Allowance for the US citizens. The current Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program in the United States was again established on August 14, 1935 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed as part of the Social Security bill. Unemployment Insurance is a method of safeguarding US citizens against distress for a short period of time after they become unemployed. It is designed to compensate only employable persons who are able and willing to work and who are unemployed through no fault of their own.  In all states, the system is a federal-state joint venture, financed by both federal and state unemployment taxes. If the citizen loses their income and home the government provides also temporary shelter for the unemployed and their family and help in getting them back to workforce.

Medicare and Medicaid:

Medicare is a federal program that provides health coverage if you are 65+ or under 65 and have a disability, no matter your income. Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides health coverage if you have a very low income. They will work together to provide citizens with health coverage and lower your costs.

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law legislation that established the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For 55 years, these programs have been protecting the health and well-being of millions of American families, saving lives, and improving the economic security of the nation. Medicare and Medicaid started as basic insurance programs for Americans who didn’t have health insurance, have changed over the years to provide more and more Americans with access to the quality and affordable health care they need.

Medicare is a federal program. It is available for all US citizens when they reach age of 65. Hospitals and Doctors cannot discriminate against Medicare patients although the program pays much less for doctors than normal insurance. It is basically the same everywhere in the United States. In 2017, Medicare covered over 58 million people. Total expenditures in 2017 were $705.9 billion. Medicare spending grew 6.7% to $799.4 billion in 2019 or $11,582 per person and accounted for 17.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A 65-year-old male will only pay anywhere from $126 to $464 monthly for a Medicare policy.

Medicare Funding: Medicare is funded primarily from general revenues (43 percent), payroll taxes (​36 percent), and beneficiary premiums (15 percent) it's funded by taxpayers: All taxpayers pay 1.45% of our earnings into Medicare. If you are receiving Social Security, the Social Security Administration will automatically sign you up at age 65 for Medicare..  

How old are you?  Date of birth is considered confidential and never mentioned in the resume and one need not have to reveal their age during job application or during interviews as it is considered discriminatory. The retirement is not forced based on age. It is now 66years for people of my age to get 100% social security. By giving citizens options to work longer the social security benefits per month goes up with delayed retirement beyond age 65!!Old is gold really 😊

If one has not planned well for retirement and have talent to contribute the citizens are entitled to work longer and can share the wisdom. Dr Fauci the medical doctor of US is the classic example at 80 years and is still heading NIH and guiding the nation on this ongoing coronavirus epidemic. There is no substitute for experience.

Retirement Planning: Most of my colleagues and classmates in India have retired happily at age of 58 or 60 years which is the normal retirement age. People who have gained wisdom are pushed to boredom unless they enjoy the transition.

Indians by their culture plan do early for retirement. However, the inflation in India is so high that the individual’s retirement plan goes for a spin. Bank Interest rate has also dropped over the years and it is a serious problem for senior citizens who have put their money in FDs in Banks and are dependent on interest income. Looking back before coming to US my accumulated Provident Fund (PF) when I cashed barely covered a year worth expenses even though I worked for good companies for almost 20 years.

America's Founding Fathers — including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe and Benjamin Franklin — together with several other key players of their time, structured the democratic government of the United States and left a legacy that has shaped the world.

 The Constitution reflects seven basic principles. They are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, republicanism, and individual rights. The term of the President is maximum 2 terms of 4 years limited to 8 years however good he may be and if people are not satisfied will be voted out after the first term as it happened recently.

Rule of Law: Government and citizens all abide by the same laws regardless of political power. Those laws are justly applied, consistent with an ethos of liberty, and stable. Justice system is fast and we can see punishment within months and not years  and  no one is above the law.

Checks and Balances: Constitutional powers are distributed among the branches of government (Senate, Congress and President) allowing each to limit the application of power of the other branches and to prevent expansion of power of any branch.

Federalism: The people delegate certain powers to the national government, while the states retain other powers; and the people, who authorize both the states and national government, retain all freedoms not delegated to the governing bodies.

Separation of Powers: A system of distinct powers built into the Constitution, to prevent an accumulation of power in one branch.

Bill of Rights

As a final recourse against government abuse, the Founding generation codified a list of rights that they believed were essential to the maintenance of their constitutional governing structure.

Freedom of Religion: The right to choose one’s religion or form of worship, if any, without interference; freedom of conscience

Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly: The legal right to express one’s opinions freely, orally or in writing, and the right to gather with others in groups of one’s choice without arbitrary or unreasonable restrictions.

Private Property: The natural right of all individuals to create, obtain, and control their possessions, beliefs, faculties, and opinions, as well as the fruits of their labor.

 The Senators and Congressman are answerable only to their constituency and not bound by the party. A Democrat or Republican Senator can vote against the party on case to case basis. In India the elected representatives have to follow the party agenda or will face expulsion. The Senate, Congress and President in US all have to agree on every agenda to pass. All states have only 2 Senators irrespective of how big or small they are. Smaller states too have the voice and these senators can vote for or against any bill.   One third of Senate (100 senators for 50 states) goes to polls every 2 years and 50% of US Congress goes to polls every 2 years. Every 2 years the dynamics of the branches of the government change.

No nation is perfect. US has its own problems like Race, Crime and Gun culture now although the common systems keep the democracy vibrant. India, with its splendid diversity is another shining democracy of how people of different culture and languages live in harmony. While this is the strength, the ever- increasing population and lack of systems which lead to corruption   is the weakness.

My only intention is to put all the facts and figures and my own perception of how systems by the founding fathers and the former US Presidents made this country lead the rest of the world.  In my opinion instead of following western culture or lifestyle it makes sense to adapt their systems like many countries like Singapore has done.

Majority of Indians in old age are supported by their kids due to family bondage. Family and parents come first to the children and they pay back, and the seniors may not require support from the government. Not all the seniors in India are fortunate and we also see many unfortunate senior citizens   suffering as their children consider them as burden and have to undergo humiliation. Where will these old people go with dwindled savings?

 Jaaye to jaaye kahan

Samajhegaa kaun yaha Dard bhare dil ki zubaan

Jaaye to jaayen  kahan!

If I must go, where could I go?
Who here will understand the words of a heart full of pain?

Concluded

Link to Part 1

https://raman1956.blogspot.com/2021/07/united-systems-of-america-vol-7-down.html