Social Security Takes Another Hit

[Royd]

Quote:
Pretty cold dude. Guess you never learned empathy as a kid. Glad you make enough money to save for college for your kids.

Social Security barely pays the rent for most seniors. Sure there are a lot of seniors that have money. They had good jobs when they were young and were able to save for retirement. Most people aren't that lucky. SS is a security net for them and the stuff they need is getting more expensive. Every time I got to the grocery store I see seniors scouring the day old bread area so they can make ends meet. They don't live extravagantly.

May your Karma bless you in old age.

If those old people were smart, they'd do like me. Go the the bread store, and get the manager's special. For $6, I get a grocery cart full of bread, about 40 loaves. I freeze the high quality bread, for myself and feed the rest to the chickens. It lasts over 2 months, at a lick.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Those "Greedy Geezers," got us through World War ll, the Korean War, not to mention a few other skirmishes thrown in. Those geezers knew the value of the dollar, saved every penny and paid cash...not credit, except maybe for a house and possibly a car. They set the example on how to save, we could learn today and tomorrow what those geezers did in the past. Blame unemployment on the Feds, starting with free trade agreements where most good paying American jobs have been shipped overseas for cheap labor and high profits for the companies involved... it has all come home to roost and caught up with us putting many Americans out of work. And if you believe that our own products made overseas are cheaper than if they were made here...guess again... if anything, it's more expensive! Greediness by corporate America, speculators and individuals that have worshipped the almighty dollar caused the decline of this country as well as our government is at the worst fault. This country has dug it's own hole and will never get out of it, much to the delite of our enemies.

 

[Dunkopf]

I wouldn't mind seeing an actual fair tax. It would have to be graduated. There's no way that a lot of people could afford to pay 25 or 30% in Federal taxes. I know the proponents blow smoke up your *** telling you we could all pay 10% and run the country. It's a lie of course.

What would happen to the housing market if there was no deduction for mortgage interest? A lot of people wouldn't buy houses. They would rent instead. No deduction for kids. A lot more birth control would be sold. The only fair tax is one with no deductions or breaks for anybody or anything.

It's real popular amongst people that already just rent and don't have any kids and use a 1040EZ form. Not so popular amongst others.

What about all the money you have already put in SS? I've put in about 120k over the past 40 years. I figure another 100 over the next 18 years. How are we going to recoup that? The fed has no choice but to keep the system afloat. The only reason it is having problems is because of the baby boomers. Eventually all the baby boomers including me will be dirt and the problem will be reduced.

Right now the problem is campaign financing. That's the reason that our politicians don't represent us. Every morning when a Senator wakes up he has to raise 20k for his next campaign. The only way to run for office is to accept massive donations from corporations or be independently wealthy. If you accept contributions you have to vote in the interest of your donors which is almost always a vote against the people. If your wealthy then you vote in your own interest. Once again not usually in the interest of the people.

You can say vote them out and lets put some other people in. Problem is that there are no other people that are any different. It's the system that's broken.

 

[Damummis]

The whole system is a rotten tomato. Let it rot. You can't have a new tomato plant until the goo around the seeds have rotted. We can't fix it so let it rot. Start from scratch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Social security was set up so that the current taxpayers will pay for the benefits taken out now by the people that paid for the benefits of their elders when they were tax payers. You can look at it as a Ponzi scheme or you can look at it as a way for the current working populace to help take care of the elderly in a time when the old system of parents living with their children or grandchildren on a farm and being taken care of is not longer the standard. You can look at it as a way for politicians to buy votes or you can look at it as the government trying to help people live with some dignity in their old age. I don't care how you look at it. That is up to your individual politics, ethics, and morality. But in any case, it was never intended to be an investment in the future. It was a simple pay as you go system.

When the number of people paying into the system does not increase to keep pace with the number of people drawing on the system, you have two choices. You can cut benefits. Can you think of any politician that would actually have the courage to do that. It is an absolutely sure way to not get reelected and probably get a few death threats. Some are smart enough to understand that it is one option and occasionally you get one that is dumb enough to say it is one option. Boy, do the media and their opponents have a field day with that. The other option is to put more money into the system, either by raising taxes or borrowing money. This is obviously what any politician that has any hopes of getting reelected will choose. The only choice is whether you raise taxes or increase the debt of our grandchildren. What's a candidate to do?

The Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) is based on a formula set up by our elected officials. If the cost of living does not increase by that formula, then the COLA does not increase the benefits. No politician would ever be stupid enough to vote to decrease the benefits if the cost of living actually went down based on that formula. In 2009 we had a slight adjustment in the economy. Some of you may have noticed it. I sure did. Based on the formula used, an increase in the COLA for that year was not required. An increase in the COLA is not automatic. It depends on that formula. In spite of an increase not being required by law, some people got $250. Whether this was an attempt to help the economy, help out people having a rough time, or an attempt to buy votes, I'll leave up to your individual ethics, morality, and politics.

I've probably angered enough people with this so I'll stop.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Social security was set up so that the current taxpayers will pay for the benefits taken out now by the people that paid for the benefits of their elders when they were tax payers. You can look at it as a Ponzi scheme or you can look at it as a way for the current working populace to help take care of the elderly in a time when the old system of parents living with their children or grandchildren on a farm and being taken care of is not longer the standard. You can look at it as a way for politicians to buy votes or you can look at it as the government trying to help people live with some dignity in their old age. I don't care how you look at it. That is up to your individual politics, ethics, and morality. But in any case, it was never intended to be an investment in the future. It was a simple pay as you go system.

When the number of people paying into the system does not increase to keep pace with the number of people drawing on the system, you have two choices. You can cut benefits. Can you think of any politician that would actually have the courage to do that. It is an absolutely sure way to not get reelected and probably get a few death threats. Some are smart enough to understand that it is one option and occasionally you get one that is dumb enough to say it is one option. Boy, do the media and their opponents have a field day with that. The other option is to put more money into the system, either by raising taxes or borrowing money. This is obviously what any politician that has any hopes of getting reelected will choose. The only choice is whether you raise taxes or increase the debt of our grandchildren. What's a candidate to do?

The Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) is based on a formula set up by our elected officials. If the cost of living does not increase by that formula, then the COLA does not increase the benefits. No politician would ever be stupid enough to vote to decrease the benefits if the cost of living actually went down based on that formula. In 2009 we had a slight adjustment in the economy. Some of you may have noticed it. I sure did. Based on the formula used, an increase in the COLA for that year was not required. An increase in the COLA is not automatic. It depends on that formula. In spite of an increase not being required by law, some people got $250. Whether this was an attempt to help the economy, help out people having a rough time, or an attempt to buy votes, I'll leave up to your individual ethics, morality, and politics.

Well said.​

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
Eh, not entirely accurate there... when SS was originally made it was optional, and those that paid into it got the benefits. Nowadays it is mandatory. Money is taken out of your check every week... and it may or may not be available for you to get it back when you hit retirement age. That's what a lot of folks fret over... paying into this retirement plan and then getting nothing. When they could have been investing those same dollars themselves and had a nice nest egg.

Now there is also SS Disability, which is a different thing... anyone with a disability can get that, having never worked a day in their lives. Sis got rushed right on through... her mental problems (drugs) are supposedly bad enough that it makes her incapable of working... rather than her just not liking to work because she doesn't like being bossed around... and yet not so bad that her three kiddos aren't taken from her... boggling... but then Uncle, who is TERMINAL and thus supposed to be rushed through has been fighting for months to get benefits... if that doesn't show a screwy system I donno what does.

And then there's TANF... that's CASH assistance... SNAP, Lonestar, Food Stamps = Food Benefits ... put on a card you take to the grocery... and Medicaid is insurance (not to be confused with MediCare for seniors only), but TANF is cash money deposited onto that same card that you can take to the store can get cash just like an ATM...

SS Disability, TANF... even Stamps would qualify as 'The Dole" to me... but SS, MediCare no... they've paid for it their whole lives and what you get paid is calculated on what you paid in...

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Eh, not entirely accurate there... when SS was originally made it was optional, and those that paid into it got the benefits. Nowadays it is mandatory. Money is taken out of your check every week... and it may or may not be available for you to get it back when you hit retirement age. That's what a lot of folks fret over... paying into this retirement plan and then getting nothing. When they could have been investing those same dollars themselves and had a nice nest egg.

Now there is also SS Disability, which is a different thing... anyone with a disability can get that, having never worked a day in their lives. Sis got rushed right on through... her mental problems (drugs) are supposedly bad enough that it makes her incapable of working... rather than her just not liking to work because she doesn't like being bossed around... and yet not so bad that her three kiddos aren't taken from her... boggling... but then Uncle, who is TERMINAL and thus supposed to be rushed through has been fighting for months to get benefits... if that doesn't show a screwy system I donno what does.

And then there's TANF... that's CASH assistance... SNAP, Lonestar, Food Stamps = Food Benefits ... put on a card you take to the grocery... and Medicaid is insurance (not to be confused with MediCare for seniors only), but TANF is cash money deposited onto that same card that you can take to the store can get cash just like an ATM...

SS Disability, TANF... even Stamps would qualify as 'The Dole" to me... but SS, MediCare no... they've paid for it their whole lives and what you get paid is calculated on what you paid in...

Never worked a day in their life to get SSD??? I beg your pardon...I've worked over twenty years and when I coul dnot find work due to my jobless situation being pregnant and got medical problems up to the yahoo, I had to submit all kinds of paperwork inclluding the denials from employers and application thank you letters. It sucks but it gets reveiwed every five years. I would be surprised if your sis has not been called up to see if she has gotten better. I've heard of SS is really cracking down on so called bogus behavior so they can collect disability. You have to work ten years or more to GET SSD, that is required. Something IS up with your sis getting the SSD and not working a day in her life, does she have a life threatening or long term disability that she can not be employed?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

People that are disabled can get it assuming that one of there parents paid in over a set amount of time. They don't have to have worked at all there selves. But they do hound them to make sure they have not gotten better. Its also about half what other people would get.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Unfair is a nice word to use. It's down right stealing. How can we pay into something for so long to have it not be there for us when it's time? That's like making a deposit into our savings account and the bank is withdrawing it to give to someone else, so when it's time for us to use of money from our savings, the bank says, "Whoops, your money is gone." Isn't that stealing? And I have been asking for years, what can we do about it. And I was told nothing. That ticks me OFF!!!