Customer Reviews

The Social Security Swindle: How Anyone Can Drop Out

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The problems that I have with Schiff's book about Social Security are as follows:

1) It has too much filler material about how Social Security is unworkable. Even without reading this book the average John Q. American citizen already knows that.

2) He never covers the jurisdiction of the Social Security Act. The United States Congress has limited jurisdiction in which its law are applicable. Get a copy of the Constitution for the United States of America and read Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, which clearly states the legislative authority of congress:

"To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, byCession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;"

In other words congress (which is the opposite of progress!) only has jurisdiction in the above defined areas, not in the 50 union states! And it cannot force people in the union states to join it.

Here's an interesting United States Supreme Court case that should help you see the light on jurisdiction:

"The power of the United States to tax is limited to persons, property, and business within their jurisdiction, as much as that of a state is limited to the same subjects within its jurisdiction."

- United States v. Erie Ry. Co., 106 U.S. 327, 333, 1 S.Ct. 223 (1882)

Do a search on google under "federal jurisdiction" to find out more.

3) Schiff never informs the reader about 42 USC § 405 which has the requirements for obtaining a SSN. NOWHERE DOES IT STATES THAT ANYONE IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO APPLY OR POSSES ONE. Also see 20 CFR § 422.103(b). He never discusses how to deal with employers, banks, hospitals, and others when they ask for your SSN which no one is required to have. As an example 42 USC § 405(c)(2)(C)(i) allows the states to use the SSN "...in the administration of any tax, general public assistance, driver's license, or motor vehicle registration law within its jurisdiction,...." However if you keep reading § 405 you'll come across the following: "(vii) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands."

The 50 union states aren't included in the definition. That is because congress can only pass laws for its own jurisdiction!

Also see the definitions of "State" and "United States" at 42 USC § 410 (h) and (i).

Search the web for "SOCIAL SECURITY TAX AND TAX WITHHOLDING ARE VOLUNTARY WITHIN THE 50 STATES". There's more detailed information in this document about SOCIALIST INSECURITY than in Schiff's book. Read it!

This is an excellent book and is a great followup to Schiff's book "The Biggest Con, How The Government is Fleecing You." Once again Schiff exposes Government fraud and deceit by showing, with Supreme Court decision, that the Social Security Tax is just another Income Tax and is not earmarked for any special purpose, but goes into the general fund to be spent as Congress wishes.

Irwin Schiff is a master at cutting through the government rhetoric and telling you in plain language what's really going on. He does it in a way that really makes it easy for anyone to understand the absurdity of our governments financial policies. He breaks through the deceptions and lies and gets you to the bare bones truth. If you can handle the truth, this book is for you. If you work for an employer, I don't know that they will actually allow you to stop participating in the Social Security tax that's being withheld from your pay, but it's really nice to be informed as to what's really going on.

I bought this book 20 years ago. It is a classic indispensible for any libertarian library. In almost all of his books Schiff demonstrates that government plans are essentially all swindles and/or Ponzi schemes. Here he lays out the facts painting a clear and convincing picture to support his case against the Social Security scheme. Social Security was sold to the American people as a social insurance plan. Unlike insurance there is no fund of reserves. This is simply a pyramid scheme where more and more new "investors" have to be drawn in to pay off the preceding generation of investors. Where once there were twenty people paying in for every person collecting benefits the are now only two people paying in for every recipient. The scheme is close to bankruptcy. The New Great Depression of the 21st Century (which started in late 2007) will only hasten the end (a thing Schiff also predicted). The schemes of corrupt Wall Street bankers and investment houses are "chump change" compared to the frauds of government. A free people need to have critical thinking skills to see through such scams when they are first presented. Schiff make a solid case to help people understand this eternal truth helps readers develop the tools to fight back.

People who want to get more information about the real condition of the economy should also look up Peter Schiff, Irwin's son, who is a very successful investment adviser and regular guest on television business news programs. Peter warned that the economy was going down the tubes long before it became widely known. Peter Schiff, Jim Rogers and Ron Paul were together in making the right call, but Irwin was ahead of even these great minds by a generation.

Irwin Schiff is forgotten by many, these days, but he was among the first in the recent era to call into the question the fundamental legitimacy of many governmental branches we all to casually now "take for granted." The analysis of the Social Security System presented here uses copies of the Agency's OWN enabeling legislation to CLEARLY demonstrate the much of what you think you know, "Jusy ain't so!"

Schiff must also be held up as an examplar of "Walking your talk" having done time in Federal Prison for sticking to his guns, and his positions. If you're a fan of Larken Rose, you'll find an idealogical "ancestor" here. His other works "The Biggest Con" and "How An Economy Grows and Why It Doesn't" are other eye-openers well worth finding. Good Hunting all!

Excellent book by Irwin Schiff father of Peter Schiff. Social Security Exposed as a Ponzi scheme, also read all of Peter Schiff's
books they are excellent.