Social Security Changes

[LadyFitz...]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

Yes I am ready to make sacrifices. The ones that immediately come to mind are to eliminate HHS, all welfare programs, all perks to politicians, etc. One cannot consider reducing SS benefits to those who are and have been paying into the program, that would not be a sacrifice it would be a crime. SS contributees (both individuals and employers) do so in good faith, why should they be penalized for a failing program that was plundered by politicians?

[VanDiemen23]

You guys are illustrating the problem very well. Cut ALL the government you hate (e.g. all the welfare, ag subsidies, foreign aid, yada, yada, yada) heck, while you are at it, cut DoD 50%.

That's only 30% of the budget, and what you would have left, is chaos.

There's no way out of this mess without cutting budgets, raising taxes, and reducing benefits in both SS and Medicare. No Way.

We got lucky a couple of times back - with bubble driven economies that generated a TON of revenue (tech bubble, real-estate bubble, etc) but there's no "next big thing" on the horizon, except maybe wind, solar, and natural gas - and unlike those other bubbles, the investments in the energy sector take SERIOUS money and have huge regulatory issues. Everything else is slooooooow growth.

Adapt or die.

I figure in the next couple of years the government is going to extend my service required before I can go out the door and change from a top 3 to a top 5 average. We've already had COLAs frozen for the last two years and likely will for another two.

Does it matter really, if you give up social security income if you are well above the poverty level if the other choice is to watch 15% inflation eat it all away?

[1stCougar]

O.M.G. we would not have to change SS or WF if there weren't
all the freeloaders this is the land of the free NOT the land
of the freeloaders that it has become.

[Rubix cube]

Quite simply, nothing will happen in responsibly reconciling the budget (changing spending or income) until the Senate Majority leader decides to allow discussion on Budget bills forwarded to it from the House of Representatives; or creates its own budget for the House to comment on.

Otherwise, all of the ideas here on Social Security are wishful thinking and only serves the purpose to let off steam. (moderator edit)

If this seems wrong to you, I urge you to find out who your two Senators are, and tell them to put pressure on (moderator edit)

U.S. Senate: Senators Home

[Perry White]

I wonder how the Blind guy from China and his family are going to survive here in the good old USA. Wonder who's paying for this. Can't even speak English. What's up with that?

Put them on the SS rolls. Bend over backwards for aliens and then they bend us over forward.

[cdat]

Originally Posted by Rubix cube

Quite simply, nothing will happen in responsibly reconciling the budget (changing spending or income) until the Senate Majority leader decides to allow discussion on Budget bills forwarded to it from the House of Representatives; or creates its own budget for the House to comment on.

Otherwise, all of the ideas here on Social Security are wishful thinking and only serves the purpose to let off steam. (moderator edit)

If this seems wrong to you, I urge you to find out who your two Senators are, and tell them to put pressure (moderator edit)

U.S. Senate: Senators Home

HOW about the Squeaker of the House quits sending "gotcha" budgets, quits threatening to shut down the US Govt just to gets his way, and he and his little buddies quit playing politics with the economy.
Should you guys wish to talk about all the "freeloaders, deadbeats, welfare queens" etc, how about if you're not willing to put your life on the line for this country, you pay double for the right to be here!?
I'm a "deadbeat" retired forcibly at 55 for medical reasons from the US Army, collecting SSD, and a medical retirement from the Military.
I earned every GD penny of it, less then 10% of the population served in the Military, as far as I'm concerned, if you're not willing to risk you life for this country,(moderator edit)

[Lindsay Richards]

Nobody ever said you were a deadbeat. The facts are there are a lot of deadbeats who are collecting SSDI and welfare, I see people in the checkout line all the time with EDT card that appear to be able bodied and have all sorts of items like cell phone, $60 nail jobs and hair jobs and are buying beer and smokes after we buy their steak and lobsters. There is a large amount of absue and that is undenyable.

[mick]

CDAT, do you think u are the only one? And to set the record staaight, less than 1% of the population of America serves or has ever served in the military.

What does that have to do with the question of are you willing to sacrifice part or some of your SS?

[Rubix cube]

Hey, thanks for your service cdat.

I may be wrong, but don't recall anyone calling you a "deadbeat". I suspect most here support our retired military. In my opinion calling you a deadbeat would be way off base.

I served, on a volunteer basis, from 1973 to 1976. I maintain everyone should have their 1st amendment rights.

If you disagree with my posts, I would ask you keep your response respectful.

[cdat]

Originally Posted by Lindsay Richards

Nobody ever said you were a deadbeat. The facts are there are a lot of deadbeats who are collecting SSDI and welfare, I see people in the checkout line all the time with EDT card that appear to be able bodied and have all sorts of items like cell phone, $60 nail jobs and hair jobs and are buying beer and smokes after we buy their steak and lobsters. There is a large amount of absue and that is undenyable.

I know vets and non-vets that are on SSDI and don't appear to be disabled, yet have very serious medical issues, many of them are also on welfare. While I know that there is abuse of the system, one should be awful careful about judging others unless you know the truth about them. 40% of homeless males are veterans, maybe instead of sitting around bitching and complaining about all the deadbeats you should go volunteer at a shelter or the VA. I'm 100% disabled, yet I can find ways to help at the VA, even if its just helping people find their way around.
BTW, I have a cellphone, can't drink more then one beer a nite due to the meds, I do enjoy a steak now and then, lobster - not so much. I earned my money in ways you can't even begin to imagine.

[steelheadbluesman]

I served in a small country in southeast Asia, but I'm not gonna tell those that didn't serve in the military that they don't have the right to speak up. We're all citizens here. And information is a good thing to share.... I'm runnin' low on popcorn, back in a jiffy

[Rubix cube]

Aristotle once said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." yeah, and some of us have harder battles than others. It's a relative thing though. None of us has it as bad as most people in Bangladesh.

I still maintain that charity is best given at a local level. It is much less likely to be abused when the recipient knows the donor and vice versa. I don't like being told how much I'll be giving to charity by the government, especially when I don't think it is being used efficiently. Not to mention it is not in the constitution, while a common defense is.

[Senior Chief]

Originally Posted by cdat

HOW about the Squeaker of the House quits sending "gotcha" budgets, quits threatening to shut down the US Govt just to gets his way, and he and his little buddies quit playing politics with the economy.
(moderator edit)

Respectfully, sir, why did the Democrat Leader of the Senate not pass or even review a budget in the years 2008-2010 when the the "Squeaker" of the House was (moderator edit)

There is no filibustering allowed on a budget, so they were free to pass any (moderator edit) budget they pleased, yet....nothing.

(moderator edit)

Please explain this for us.

(moderator edit)

But perhaps you will explain why they no longer have to abide by the law in this respect.

[wildtoad]

If we go down the political path "They" just might close this thread....