To The Eagle:

A writer’s list submitted last week emphatically stated it contained the “facts” about social security.

With respect to the writer, an easy, quick fact-check shows that everything on the list is either demonstrably false or a gross misrepresentation.

The list appears to be a nearly verbatim recast of a partisan email first circulated in 2005, the last time politicians proposed privatizing SS or cutting benefits, and has been thoroughly debunked. Without going through every item on the list here are a few samples:

-- “FDR said money put into SS account is 100% ‘income tax’ deductible. Today SS is no longer tax deductible.”

This is false. From the outset and ever since, FICA taxes have never been tax deductible.

--”Under POTUS Carter SS payments were given to immigrants at age 65 even if they never paid any SS (FICA) to qualify.”

Again, false. No one without an SS account that has been paid into for at least 10 years can qualify to receive payments.

But don’t just take what I say as gospel: Please visit https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/social-security-changes/ and other credible sites for the complete parsing of the list and the actual, factual truth. After reading, it’s hard to fathom the brazen nature of the lies, when the truth is so easily obtained.

It appears that last week’s comments were written mainly to disparage Biden and Democrats and their defense of SS.

So, fact check, use your horse sense, be skeptical; when you hear very partisan arguments devoid of nuance, ignore them.

Steve Puddicombe

Grays River