Governmental AID

Typically, social security benefits decrease depending on how much you've contributed, although some rare exceptions apply in situations. With everything getting more expensive, the money you are provided doesn’t get you much, let alone save; nor does the government like when you save money in your account because they will punish by reducing the aid you’re given or flat out remove you from said governmental assistance programs. Furthermore, we must raise the substantial gainful activity amount for those on Social Security. The wage index used to calculate earnings needs revision, so it accurately represents the actual cost of living in every country, state, city, or town. These changes would let social security recipients work with fewer restrictions on hours and income, making it easier to find jobs. Social Security should also create policies that guarantee permanently disabled people remain protected within the program. This would provide a safety net for those who attempt to return to work but are unable to succeed, helping to prevent homelessness.

When it comes to Food Stamps, we need to upgrade how they work, with them being far less means tested where at minimum, people should receive at least $300 every month for individuals (with it being adjusted based the cost of living in each state, city/town, instead of a flat rate for all, and of course, it would need to scale based on household size. Furthermore, government support should remain unchanged for anyone whose household income is below $40,000 annually.

I'm disabled, and on Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid. I can not make too much money, nor can I accept any money outside of what little work I'm allowed to do while under the restrictions of substantial gainful activity. Otherwise, I will be punished if found out. This could come in the form of reduced coverage/financial aid, or I could be completely kicked off of them. I'm particularly worried about Medicare/Medicaid myself, as I can not afford my medications without them. Both myself and my family, along with millions of others, rely heavily on Medicare/Medicaid to cover prescription and healthcare costs. I don't know how many people will suffer and quite possibly die without said coverage. This is why we need a single payer healthcare system. We also need to address the hold that the pharmaceutical industry has in our country and on our politicians. 

In terms of social security, I would like to add that far too many are looking at social security from a retirement aspect, but many people are on it as a form of UBI because they can't work or they don't make enough, which I happen to fall under and am stuck due to how broken the system is. If the United States had a single payer healthcare system, I could work more. I personally would like to abolish or at least drastically reform substantial gainful activity as well, where you can have a part-time job with full shifts and not lose your social security (SSI/SSDI). This could provide greater financial security for people who are unable to work full-time due to disabilities. 

These topics are complex, and I'm not an expert. I'm aware that the system isn't working properly and requires reform. People shouldn't have to choose between poverty and fulfillment. I should mention that although I support more help for the people, I also know that work can be fulfilling and provide a sense of purpose. To be clear, communists do not object to employment; rather, they support fair compensation for their work.

There are estimations suggesting that the minimum wage ought to be no less than $30 per hour, while other suggestions even advocate for rates of $60 an hour or higher. What I feel should happen is for the wage to adjust for the actual cost of living by location, down to the city/town you live in. With neighboring cities/towns not being too drastically different as to cause worker shortages in one area. In addition to this, I think we should subsidize small to medium-sized businesses so that they can afford to pay higher wages and maintain business costs. Large retail chains and major corporations such as Wal-Mart and Amazon. The government will not offer aid, even to businesses owned by asset management firms. However, I feel that a higher wage without policies to prevent hyperinflation and price gouging would be futile and quite possibly would cause more problems. With that said, I should mention that these are just ideas I'm throwing around and that I don't know how it would work in practice.