A few words about the author…

Ralph Shaw, Sr. was born in 1945 in Illinois and moved with his family in 1952 to southwest Michigan, where he continues to reside today.  He graduated from Michigan State University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Radio & Television, then proceeded to work in radio announcing into 1978, shortly thereafter moving into the bulk of his working career consisting of 18 years employment in personal lines insurance (explaining the use of life and disability insurance and the “law of large numbers” within the proposal).

Ralph greatly admired his father for his Phi Beta Kappa achievement at Northwestern University in the early 1940’s and his keen analytical ability.  Ralph was also mentored by his “Uncle John” from whom he gained a lifelong interest in the stock market and investing.

The genesis of the proposal was not long after Ralph turned 65 and contemplated his own mortality and how he would like to be remembered.  His desire was (and is) to help as many people as possible, and saving Social Security seemed a noble endeavor.

Ralph pondered the Social Security problem on and off for a couple years, ultimately deciding the best solution would be an entirely new and fresh direction with a guiding principle of doing NO HARM.  In December 2014 he began putting his proposal on paper, and during the next somewhat less than 3 years developed and refined it with feedback and challenges from many people (as noted on pages 62 and 63).  The result was the unique proposal you view today.

Specific to the proposal, Ralph feels so many people including friends, neighbors and relatives are deserving of great credit and appreciation for sharing their thoughts, advice, suggestions, ideas, tips, opinions, encouragement and assistance in bringing it to its present form.  He feels fortunate to have so much of, as the Beatles might say, “a little help from my friends” in getting the proposal accomplished.  Some who particularly contributed mightily (pages 62 and 63) are “John Smith,” the unnamed “Professor,” Cindy, Frieda, Steve, Andy and James, and, of course, God in helping (and allowing) “a troglodyte from a prior generation (Ralph’s words)” to get the document into its current place on this website.