Ted Rall for August 20, 2012

First comes the disenfranchiesment of millions of voters mostly in Pennsylvania but also Florida, Ohio, and at least 3 other states

Ted, I believe this was brought up a while ago. For people my age the future consists of the words “Soylent green”

It’s almost funny to see R/R hitting the President for his savings on Medicare, the same savings in place in the Ryan plan. The difference is simple: defined benefits (Medicare as it is now) under President Obama, or defined contribution (under R/R). Under defined benefits, you receive the specific benefits no matter the cost. Under defined contribution, you receive a specific amount of money, even if your actual insurance costs thousands more.

There wouldn’t be a problem with funding SSN if Congress (BOTH parties) hadn’t been stealing from it for decades…

it is time that we had a vp that actually knows what he is talking about and has possible solutions – though hard ones – rather than one whose head is in the sand and just says words rather than actually thinking before he speaks or even being able to think

The Ryan plan offers “opt out”, which is akin to having a choice on whether to wear a parachute when skydiving. The “economics” says, “don’t invest in one” according to Ryan.

The federal FERS system put employees into SS, and offered “thrift savings” to augment SS upon retirement. Those opting for “aggressive” investment strategies, have seen those funds yo-yo, and have ended up only matching, or below (if they tried to “play” the market",)the standard government bond investment. The “new” was supposed to be “better” than the old CSRS, and “cheaper”. It’s actually costing more, and providing LESS for retirement! It’s Congress playing “Bernie Madoff” with retiree benefits.

BTW, if those “vouchers” only end up covering 10-20% of the cost of health insurance as you grow older, or get “ill”, where IS the rest of the money coming from, and where IS your “benefit”????

Right, everyone working at Mickey D’s, or in the corporate mail room, WILL become a member of the top 1% of income receivers, it’s a MItt/Ryan GUARANTEE of the “American dream”, for every single person. Right.

“Then I go back to what I said 1st, earn and invest your own money, do not rely on mommy governments cradle to grave solution whether it is Obamacare or Ryans.”My mother and her husband invest their own money in addition to a sound retirement plan. Their combined stock portfolio lost nearly $100,000 in value when economy tanked. I can just imagine what would happen if everyone managed their own retirement accounts. I don’t want to imagine what would happen if the Republicans got their desired deregulation to boot.

If Ryan’s plan is so great, why not offer that ‘option’ to everyone, not just those under 55?-I guess 54 year olds must be really looking forward to those vouchers, eh?

So harley, hop into your time machine and go back to the 50s & 60s and let us all know thw when the time comes to retire, the SS funds would be snatched away just before any of us go to collect what we paid for.

If you are under 55 you will not have Medicare, Lyan will make sure of that.

That is a LIE, any one under 55 has an option to take the new plan OR traditional medicare as it exists today. Get your facts straight Bub.

Once Romney-Ryan manage to turn Medicare into an underfunded voucher for everyone under 55, how long before they start cutting standard Medicare for those still in the plan?

The “Bush boondoggle” cost us around 100K on stocks and IRA decline. We’ve made back most of it since Obama came in, and the economy HAS recovered, please note the numbers on the Dow. It still ain’t great, because Republicans won’t cooperate on any sound re-regulation of “industries”, and those bankers are sitting on the money they got from the government, and loaning it BACK to the government at higher interest than they’re paying, but that IS “the system” “conservatives” in congress pushed through some time ago, and won’t change.

In my state the found 3 cases of voter fraud in 12 years. Oh is that ever a rampant problem. Why don’t you read something not put out by fox on how many actual cases there are?

“So, you want to give Obama 4 more years so he can further deplete your parents stock portfolio?”That happened before Obama was even sworn into office.

Check out the film Logan’s Run… this may be how it started.

If I were you, I would stop thinking about the 1%. You will never be there and when one falls out another moves in. There will always be a 1% no matter how you feel about it, so get over it.

Workers pay has been stagnant and back sliding as well as hours reduced , due to the current administration.

Maybe you should spend more time at your job and wife than in here? Might be better for you, cuz all you do is complain and whine.

I’m just saying…

I think it strange that people can view the same set of circumstances and come up with different observations and conclusions.Ryan on Congressional Budget Office.In response to remarks by Javier (sorry, I don’t know his last name or office) and referring to the CBO, Ryan says: “I’m not questioning the quality of their scoring, I’m questioning the reality of their scoring.” (about 23 minutes into the clip)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teEpm9_TJdQ&feature=youtu.be.Does anyone want to argue that this remark is not hedging and squirming to get out of a tight spot?

Ima, no, our (spouse mostly, and mine) investments only grew under CLINTON YEARS! The companies she invested in tanked under Bush (disastrously), and yes, Bain capital also didn’t help, a bit!