entitlement

I decided to look up the word 'entitlement' since Republicans are throwing it around like it's a dirty word.

en·ti·tle·ment \-ˈtī-təl-mənt\

1 a : the state or condition of being entitled : right

b : a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract

2 : a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program

3 : belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges

-"a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract"

When we buy car insurance or homeowner's insurance, we enter into a contract with the insurance company that they will pay the damages when and  if we get in an accident or something happens to our home.  And although we all know how much insurance agencies will balk at paying claims, we are entitled to expect they will hold up their end of the bargain.

When every worker pays unemployment and social security and Medicare taxes with every paycheck, they are entering into a contract (one they have no say in by the way) with the government that says if they find themselves in need, the assistance will be there.  This is no more or less than another insurance policy but one you would hope they wouldn't try to wriggle out of.  And so, yes, we are entitled to that help when and if we need it.  

-"a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program"

Like benefits to veterans.  Young men and women who return from serving their country, maimed and traumatized, are entitled to help, having paid the most valuable of coin.

Yes, we are entitled.  We have fulfilled the terms of the agreement.

-"belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges"

When Republicans decry the sense of 'entitlement' this is the sneer they use with the word.  As if we are not deserving of the aid for which we have been paying with every single paycheck or with a limb or an eye.

These lawmakers who want to cut these programs out of the budget have a blind eye toward their own entitlements.

While members of Congress do pay some for their unparalleled health care benefits, 75% of their premiums are subsidized by the government.  So while I cannot afford health insurance for myself, I'm helping pay for theirs.

The average pay for Congress is $174K a year (party and house leaders get more) with automatic cost of living increases every year.  And for this they are in session an average of 140 days a year while everyone else in this country works at least 290 days.  However, getting them to increase the minimum wage to a living wage is nearly impossible.  Not only that, but during this recession while everyone else was getting pay cuts or losing their jobs, their pay increased by 5%.  (Just for comparison, the per capita personal income for 2009 was a little over $39K.)

Members of Congress also get an allowance of over $1 million to run their offices.  It goes to pay for their staff, rent, supplies and travel.  I wish someone would pay all that for me.  I'd love to have employees I didn't have to pay.  I'd even settle for having the gas I use being subsidized.

It's hard to have respect for people who seem to have totally lost touch with what it means to be an average American.

And there is nothing wrong with these 'entitlement' programs the government provides that people pay into their whole working lives. The only thing wrong about them is that Congress is able to abscond with the funds of a solvent program and use them to pay for something else they don't have the money for, like undeclared illegal wars.