This is shaping up as major issue. The Repubs say it is broke, or soon will be, and talk - at least among themselves - about raising the age to 70 and/or privatizing it and replacing it with a voucher system. Then the $2.1 - $2.6 trillion surplus would presumably be invested in something like 401Ks on Wall Street, where those guys would make a bundle off it. The Dems say it has shown that gov does work, has paid all its obligations for 75-80 years, has enough in the trust fund to be solvent through 2027, and with a slight raising of the rates for those earning above $250K a small upward adjustment in contribution, would be good for another 50-75 years. So what do you think? What do you know? Do you care? This is a lot more important than Dancing With The Stars so lets hear what you think, want, etc.
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Old or young, what do you think about social security
(28 posts)-
Posted Thursday Jan 27, 2011 22:42 #
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Social Security is broke. There is no money in the trust fund - only an IOU from the federal government, which has done other things with the money.
I read a report yesterday that says that the system went into the red this year, paying out more than in takes in. This wasn't projected to happen for another five years or so.
Ever since I learned that public employees have a property right to their pensions but Social Security recipients do not, I am for privatizing it. At least you would get an account with your name on it. There are no guarantees for anyone with Social Security. SS and state and local pensions have one thing in common - they are managed by politicians who take the money and use it for something other than what was intended.
I think changes in Social Security should only apply to new workers in the system, just like the recent changes in pensions of school teachers and other state and municipal employees. And I think SS recipients who take social security at 62 should be allowed to continue work without losing any of their social security, just like retired school teachers are allowed to when they start drawing significantly higher pensions at age 55.
If there are serious changes to the pensions of state and municipal employees - and if the COLAs of state and municipal employees are computed the same way that SS and Military retiree pensions are, then I might think something different.
Posted Friday Jan 28, 2011 18:26 # -
I think the Republican party, Starting with Pres Reagan, has methodically sold itself to the corporations and Ultra rich. It is no longer the conservative party for the people. Its the party that makes me want to vomit when ever I hear that jackass Demint spout his ideas.
Posted Friday Jan 28, 2011 19:08 # -
mr - the source you quote is really just the Fox/Glenn Beck line. May I suggest that you google around on soc sec and look at some of the CBO projections. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but not their own set of "facts."
Eric - Reagan and W were the two great sources of unfunded mandates or spending, and created the great bulk of the debt. I suggest that everyone look at the video I.O.U. S.A. which the library has. It presents a really interesting non-partisan history of the debt situation we now face.
Posted Friday Jan 28, 2011 21:14 # -
I.O.U.S.A was made in 2008. It would be interesting to see a re-make of this "documentary" now, after 2 years of Obama's leadership.
Eric, if you want the Republican party to be the conservative party of the people, I doubt you could find a better leader than Senator Jim Demint to accomplish this.
Now if you want the elites within the Republican party, and the elites within the Democrat party, to continue to kowtow to corporate and ultra-rich interests, then keep reelecting them.
There is a movement underway in this country that is trying to wrestle the power away from these elites. Call it what you will, but it is a movement for the people and by the people to bring about positive change. The people are awakening more and more, as time goes on. They are becoming increasingly engaged in the political process. This is a healthy development. We, the people, are the solution to our problems.
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 10:40 # -
There is a web site for I.O.U.S.A. that has updated segments of the film and more about the situation. They are keeping it going and it's a good source of data very well presented. Google it up!
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 11:12 # -
please provide the link.
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 12:01 # -
Just watched this on Netflix, you can stream it if you have a subscription.
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 16:47 # -
I don't.
By the way, Eric, has Obama called off his ban on hate speech?
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 17:41 # -
Mr. Spatny, I am not certain which of my facts you say are not facts.
please provide a link for a different set of information. I believe that the fact that Social Security is going into the red this year has been widely reported in the last few days. I believe that the fact that it is five years earlier than projected was also widely reported.
Be more clear about what you think is inaccurate and provide better information and perhaps I might agree with you.
Posted Saturday Jan 29, 2011 20:21 #
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