Comments (42) (Please sign in to comment)

1. 

   Michael wme said, 4 months ago

   As the NYT columnist David Brooks says, people get more back from Social Security and Medicare than they put in. It’s equivalent to getting 5% interest on the money the government took out of their paychecks. As Aristotle says, money is not a living thing, so it is immoral for it to reproduce. No one should get back any interest on the money they put away. And that includes everyone who holds any US government bonds!

   
   So, if we declare all interest payments on US government debt illegal, that cuts 6% from the budget. Now restrict Medicare and Social Security to just what people paid in, and that saves another 18%, and the budget is balanced without cutting anything from the essential defence budget. Brooks is brilliant!
2. 

   Robert Landers said, 4 months ago

   @Michael wme

   Then the interest made by any enterprise is also immoral, that includes private banks as well as governmental bonds!!

   Of course, if banks were to stop charging interest then the economies of all the world would totally collapse over night!

   Also, what is not even figured into that equation are the millions of people that collect absolutely nothing, as they die before they can even collect any benefits at all!

   Tell me, do you actually think the current generations would even begin to take up the slack and actually support in any reasonable (and even loving) way their parents and grand parents (even though as a supposedly bible believing nation, the bible tells younger people that they have an obligation to take care of their elderly parents) ?

   If you even begin to think that, then you are absolutely living in la la land!

   Besides which the elderly are not only fighting for current benefits, they are also fighting for the younger people today (who are also paying into the systems) to be able to have the same benefits when they get older also.

   And this even goes much further. Because many elderly are solvent enough through these systems, they can then (and literally millions including myself do) support their younger relatives, especially in these tough economic times.

   Sorry, but I grow VERY tired of having younger people (especially the right wing) bad mouth the elders that are actually sacrificing to help save those very younger people doing all that complaining!!

   Have I made myself at least somewhat clear here?
3. 

   Mark said, 4 months ago

   People who are reaching Social Security age now are NOT going to get back what they put in. That figure only works if you count the early qualifiers. In addition, Social Security has never added one cent to the deficit. It can’t by the wa it’s designed. This is a false issue.
4. 

   davefrompaterson said, 4 months ago

   it all depends how long we live. if they want to fix social security, the first step would be to put congressional retirees on social security, instead of that gold mine they get. the next step would be to raise the threshold to the limit when the big earners start getting tax penalties. most of us seniors don’t have enough sense or resources to retire early enough to enjoy life.
5. 

   TJDestry said, 4 months ago

   But we’ll die and then there will room for you here. Meanwhile, we paid for our share and it won’t run out while we’re still drawing. If there is less coming in because the baby boom is over, not to worry: There are fewer of you ready to move into the flow.
6. 

   Gary Williams said, 4 months ago

   Why doesn’t she show the young man pushing a tank. the defense budget gets more than anyone.
7. 

   Respectful Troll said, 4 months ago

   @Michael WME – loved the quote from Aristotle. You’re making me want to read his words again. Some have tired from my opinion that money doesn’t exist, it’s just how we trade for goods and services without guns and clubs. Would like to see how you might adjust it.
   @RobertLanders – I read in an article years ago that Muslims believe it is a sin to make money from money. If a person loans money for a business or home, they become a part owner of that business or home.
   I cannot verify the veracity of the website where I found the following information, however-
   ""Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity" (Quran 2: 276).
   Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger cursed the accepter of interest and its payer, and one who records it, and the two witnesses; and he said: They are all equal (Muslim)."
   from – http://www.soundvision.com/info/life/qandh.asp
   This is one of the reasons it is so hard for western economies to be accepted by Muslims.
   ^^
   I support the idea of a “Jubilee” as introduced by Moses. After centuries of abuses by the greedy and powerful, we need a “reboot” that puts more value on people, environment, and quality of life and less value on the value of a dollar vs a yen vs a pound sterling vs a euro etc.
   It won’t happen, but the people the cartoon depicts fought in Vietnam, Korea, and WW2. They built roads, rails, and bridges. The educated our children, doctored our ills, and served us breakfasts at restaurants.
   RUMOR HAS IT (did you like that Mechanic?) Our broken system failed to protect pensions and retirement funds, and our self serving legislators borrowed from Social Security and allowed lobbyists to insert loopholes in other government programs. (Rumor has it is my way of saying I can’t provide proof I’m right. Good song by Adele too)
   These people are our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents…accent on the Great.
   If we fail them, we are not the people the founders wanted us to be.
   Respectfully,
   C.
   and thanks to TrustedMechanic and some others who help me stay relevant – you too Howgozit. ;)
8. 

   Ms. Ima said, 4 months ago

   All ponzi schemes depend on more money coming in than being spent. Social Security beginning to fail PROVES this point.
9. 

   Ransom D Stone said, 4 months ago

   @Respectful Troll

   Well said CD.
10. 

    PlainBill said, 4 months ago

    @Ms. Ima

    Cons love to call Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and use the false association to try to destroy it. You lack the intelligence to see the falsehood.

    For the first 70+ years of it’s existence Social Security took in more than it paid out. The surplus was loaned to the US Govt, now the Republicans want to default on the loan and dishonor their promise to the American people.

    At the present rate of contributions, Social Security will burn through it’s reserve in less than 40 years. Think about what this means – by modest fixes NOW Social Security can be viable for the next century. Rather than following the lead of a few criminal Republicans we can prove that we are a people who keep our word.
11. 

    onguard said, 4 months ago

    A Hight percentage of Social Security payouts go to individuals that never paid into the system……. There is no choice to go or not to go into Medicare, There is no viable alternative…….Government created problems not seniors caught up in the system.
12. 

    TheTrustedMechanic said, 4 months ago

    @ScottPM

    I was with you until you lied. You claim republicans want to save Social Security. That could not be further from the truth. They so hate any and every social benefit program that they are willing to destroy this country in order to get rid of them. Adn even if you wish to argue with me that my statement is hyperbole, you still can’t with any honesty say that the republicans want ot save Social Security. They have railed against it since it’s inception.
13. 

    Omnius said, 4 months ago

    Social Security and Medicare are government sponsored insurance programs, not entitlements. The entitlements we need to end are the way too low tax rates for the rich and greedy, end their tax cut welfare which has only made our national debt grow by leaps and bounds.
14. 

    antiquetracman said, 4 months ago

    and lets add in the 47% who pay nothing into paying something. Get rid of earned income credit to start. The list can go on and on and on.
15. 

    dfrechet said, 4 months ago

    Is that Keith Richards in the middle?
16. Load the rest of the comments (27).