Politics

The Walter E. Williams Social Security solution: Give me land, keep my Social Security

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
Font Size:

While some deny that there are problems with Social Security, it is facing deficits for the foreseeable future. However, the U.S. government has assets it could offer up to cover the shortfalls.

The federal government owns nearly 650 million acres of land, which according to the government’s own website, is almost 30 percent of the land area of the United States. Those lands include National Parks, National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges.

Dr. Walter E. Williams, an economics professor at George Mason University, filling in for Rush Limbaugh on Monday, proposed putting those assets to use.

“By the way, before I leave the subject of what government should be doing, I have an idea for the Congress to deal with, let’s say the solvency of Social Security,” Williams said. “The government owns a whole lot of wasting assets, namely they own most of the land in Nevada, Utah, I believe California and Alaska.”

So for 100 acres of land, Williams explained he would forfeit his claims to Social Security.

“I’ll tell you what I would do – I will make a deal with the United States Congress,” he said. “I will exchange all of my Social Security payments in the future for a hundred acres of land in Alaska anywhere — and they can keep the mule they promised my ancestors. Just give me 100 acres of land and I will give up all of my rights to Social Security. How do you like that?”

Watch: