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1. 

   Michael wme said, over 1 year 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, over 1 year 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, over 1 year 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, over 1 year 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, over 1 year 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, over 1 year ago

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

   Respectful Troll said, over 1 year 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. 

   Ransom D Stone said, over 1 year ago

   @Respectful Troll

   Well said CD.
9. 

   PlainBill said, over 1 year 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.
10. 

    antiquetracman said, over 1 year 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.
11. 

    DavidGBA said, over 1 year ago

    Need immigrants to pay, just like in last century.
12. 

    D PB said, over 1 year ago

    @TheTrustedMechanic

    But this it somewhat typical of you, you make a sweeping statement and claim it as common knowledge or something of the like, and then rarely support your hyperbole with any facts.
    
    You were challenged to provide a single instance, it wouldn’t be that hard if it were true, but instead you show you’re either lazy or have no proof to support your statement.
    
    For a little while there you moved away from your typical left wing rants to a more balanced and pragmatic response, you’re falling off the wagon I see.
13. 

    M Ster said, over 1 year ago

    The Federal gov’t borrowed $2.6 trillion from the Social Security trust fund, most of that in the last 25 years (the borrowing ramped up dramatically beginning in 1987). Using very simple math, the amount borrowed averaged $100 billion (with a “B”) per year, every year for 25 years.
    *
    That source of borrowing is starting to dry up, so until we balance our budget, we will need to find other sources to borrow that $100 billion per year from, domestic and/or foreign.
    *
    It is not likely to come from China. As this link shows, China actually owns $105 billion LESS of our debt than they did a year ago (http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Documents/mfh.txt).
    *
    SO WHAT DO THE “LEADERS” OF THE GOP PROPOSE AS PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM?
    *
    “FIX SOCIAL SECURITY”
    *
    Say what? Social Security is in much better shape financially than the Federal gov’t is. How about leaving Social Security alone for a few years and FIXING THE FEDERAL GOV’T.
14. 

    lbalch said, over 1 year ago

    @Michael wme

    SS pays out an average of three checks for everyone who contributes
15. 

    Uncle Joe said, over 1 year ago

    @onguard

    “A Hight percentage of Social Security payouts go to individuals that never paid into the system”
    
    You mean people like Paul Ryan? If a man works, while his wife stays home & raises the family, should benefits be cut when he dies? She didn’t pay into SS, so I guess you want to throw her in the street.
    
    More heartless conservatism.
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