Out of the red

Douglas Kurz
Lambertville
    There is a compelling reason for getting the legions of undocumented workers on the books and paying taxes. Consider this:
   — The number of illegal immigrants in the United States has grown to as many as 12 million, and they now account for about one in every 20 workers.
   — Meanwhile, Social Security is going broke. Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system: Money in, money out with money from current contributors coming in the front end and money to current beneficiaries paid out the back end.
   — This transfer of income, from one generation of workers to another, works only when there are more at the front end than the back. But as the boomers retire there is a decrease in the number of future workers who are paying into the system.
   — Today, 100 workers support 32 beneficiaries. In 20 years, 100 workers will need to support 46 beneficiaries. There are more of us nearing retirement age, and we have not procreated enough.
   What if we added the 12 million illegal workers to the payroll books — people who do not pay taxes today. Social Security and Medicare could remain solvent !
   Imagine 12 million illegals paying Social Security and other withholding taxes: It might just get us out of the red!