It's time to stop the raid on the Social Security trust fund and

“It’s time to stop the raid on the Social Security trust fund and start allowing Americans to invest their Social Security taxes in personal savings accounts.” With these words, Mike Pence gave voice to an ancient truth clothed in the garments of modern governance: that a people’s labor is sacred, and what is taken from them for the sake of security must be guarded with honor, not squandered in vanity. For the trust fund of a nation is more than gold in a treasury—it is the promise made between generations, the bond that the strong shall provide for the weak, and that those who toil today shall not be abandoned in the twilight of their years.

From the beginning of civilization, the wise understood that the elder and the vulnerable must not be left to perish when their strength wanes. Among the Romans, there was the aerarium militare, a fund to provide pensions for the legionaries who had borne the weight of empire upon their shoulders. It was their safeguard against want, and their assurance that their sacrifices were not forgotten. Yet even in Rome, when such funds were mismanaged or raided by greedy hands, the state trembled, for the trust between ruler and citizen was broken. Pence’s warning carries this same weight: when the guardians of the trust fund fail, the bond between people and government dissolves.

Consider the story of Chile in the late 20th century. Faced with a crumbling pension system, the nation turned to personal accounts, granting workers the power to invest their contributions for their own future. Though not without controversy, this reform awakened in many the sense of ownership and responsibility—that what they saved was truly theirs, guarded not by distant hands but by their own choices. In this tale lies the heart of Pence’s vision: that Americans might find dignity and security not merely in promises made by the state, but in the freedom to shape their own future.

Yet one must tread with caution, for personal savings accounts are both freedom and burden. Freedom, because they give each person authority over their destiny; burden, because they require discipline, foresight, and wisdom. The ancients would say: “The ant gathers in summer, that it may not hunger in winter.” So too must men and women of this age learn the art of stewardship, lest freedom turn to folly and security turn to dust. Trust, whether placed in a government or in oneself, is sacred, and both must be safeguarded.

The deeper meaning of Pence’s words is not only about economics, but about the eternal balance between collective duty and individual responsibility. A nation that raids the savings of its people betrays them; but a people that neglects to prepare for its own future betrays itself. Thus, the call is not to abandon one for the other, but to weave them together in harmony: the security of the many with the stewardship of the one.

The lesson for us is this: guard your resources with vigilance, for what is earned through toil is the foundation of your freedom. Do not allow it to be squandered by others without accountability, and do not waste it yourself in thoughtless indulgence. Demand integrity from those who govern, and cultivate discipline within your own heart. For security is not built in a day, but over a lifetime, through careful choices and faithful stewardship.

Practical wisdom flows: begin saving, however small the sum; live not only for today, but for the years to come; teach your children the value of thrift, of foresight, of responsibility. Watch over your labor as a shepherd watches his flock, and insist that those entrusted with the common treasury do the same. For only when each man and woman honors both their personal duty and their public trust will true security be achieved.

So let Pence’s words echo as both a warning and a call: stop the raid, preserve the trust, and embrace the freedom to build your own future. For in this lies the strength of a nation—not in promises easily broken, but in a people who stand watchful over their labor, their savings, and their destiny. Thus will generations yet unborn rise in gratitude, knowing that their forebears were faithful stewards of both treasure and trust.