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Lawmakers Hear Proposals to Improve Retirement Security
PJ Media ^ | 1-3-2014 | Rodrigo SermeƱo

Posted on 01/04/2014 6:06:03 AM PST by Sir Napsalot

WASHINGTON – Experts told a Senate panel Congress should expand Social Security for the poor and encourage middle- and upper-income individuals to ramp up private savings to improve their retirement prospects.

Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Patrick Toomey (R-Pa.) recently held the first of a series of hearings focused on how to enhance retirement security for Americans.

From 1979 to 2011, the number of private workers with retirement plans covered by defined benefit pension plans fell from 62 percent to 7 percent. At the same time, the percentage participating in defined contribution plans increased from 16 percent to 66 percent. This shift to defined contribution plans as the primary retirement vehicle has transferred the responsibility and risk for capital accumulation for retirement from employers to employees.

“At a time when we’re told that we are in charge of our retirement futures, only one quarter of American workers have automatic access to a defined contribution plan,” Brown said.

(snip)

Brown said that many middle-class and low-income seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their retirement income.

“The vast majority of economic gains in the last 25-30 years have gone to those at the very top of the income distribution in this country, obviously affecting savings and retirement,” Brown said.

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: retirement
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So. Government thinks Americans who saved and have been saving for their retirement as "economic gains in the last 25-30 years have gone to those at the very top of the income distribution in this country"? This is dangerous.

Just like they have to tear down the whole American health care industry to 'protect the millions of uninsured (including non-Americans)'. I have a VERY BAD feeling about this.....

1 posted on 01/04/2014 6:06:03 AM PST by Sir Napsalot
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To: Sir Napsalot

Expand a program that is going bankrupt?

The logic of Congress.

The rest of you better save and save and save and pray to God we don’t pull a Cyprus on you...


2 posted on 01/04/2014 6:11:47 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: Sir Napsalot
Maintaining or expanding Social Security is the single most effective thing we can do to prevent poverty and economic ruin for millions of senior citizens, while promoting economic mobility for their children and grandchildren,” Brown said. (more excerpt)

So many asinine comments (and the 'thinking' process) to pick from.

3 posted on 01/04/2014 6:12:37 AM PST by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = CCCP; JournOList + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey!)
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To: Sir Napsalot

First they need to make a law that it is illegal to pilfer Social Security funds by government and a plan to repay the $13.4T that was stolen. The states that took the pork monies that came form Social Security should pay the funds back with interest. The representatives that took the money for pork should have their pensions reduced to 0 and pay fines for theft and even go to jail.


4 posted on 01/04/2014 6:14:48 AM PST by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Sir Napsalot

5 posted on 01/04/2014 6:18:18 AM PST by maddog55
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To: Sir Napsalot

I predict that the solution will be a proposal to put all 401K balances in “guaranteed” government bonds.


6 posted on 01/04/2014 6:19:33 AM PST by glorgau
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To: mountainlion

We need no more laws.. laws are why this country is in the mess it is.

We need part time legislators to be called up one or two weeks a year at best or during a non-manufactured crisis threatening the US.


7 posted on 01/04/2014 6:20:57 AM PST by maddog55
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To: Sir Napsalot
Reagan: 'The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."'
8 posted on 01/04/2014 6:22:31 AM PST by sr4402
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To: Sir Napsalot

How much you want to bet the fix will include means testing? If you saved for your retirement and/or you have a pension of any kind, you will get no SS. THAT will be their fix.


9 posted on 01/04/2014 6:22:32 AM PST by LuvFreeRepublic
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To: Sir Napsalot
Toomey said that “government policy should protect all three pillars of retirement security, recognize the strengths of the retirement system and preserve what works.”

Why do I get the sense that Toomey as being not grounded in reality either?

Statistics being paraded before the hearing says less and less middle-class saved enough for their own retirement, let alone the 'poor'. Most of these (I'll bet) may think some form of government intervention will help them one way or another.

10 posted on 01/04/2014 6:29:08 AM PST by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = CCCP; JournOList + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey!)
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To: LuvFreeRepublic

No the solution is to confiscate all 401k accounts,place the funds in the social security program to give every citizen,including illegal aliens a retirement check.That is the equality solution,it’s not fair that only the rich should have a retirement account.


11 posted on 01/04/2014 6:30:45 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: ballplayer
Ok, so they take our 401 money and then if you have a pension, savings or assets like a paid off mortgage, they will do means testing to see if you get any SS. Regardless of how you do the math, those of us who sacrificed in anticipation of needs during old age, are screwed.
12 posted on 01/04/2014 6:35:18 AM PST by LuvFreeRepublic
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To: Sir Napsalot

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

http://www.ssa.gov

Social Security Liability: $16,782,637,400,000 and counting.

Click on the link to see how much higher it has risen since I posted…

http://www.usdebtclock.org

DISMANTLE social security. DEPOPULATE socialists from the body politic.

Socialism Is Legal Plunder - Bastiat


13 posted on 01/04/2014 6:41:32 AM PST by PGalt
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To: Sir Napsalot
expand Social Security for the poor and encourage middle- and upper-income individuals to ramp up private savings

So expand Social Security for the "poor" (as defined by the government) and make everyone else save. Meanwhile everyone continues to pay into Social Security. Sounds like "free health care" all over again.

14 posted on 01/04/2014 6:42:54 AM PST by HarleyD (...one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.)
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To: Sir Napsalot

This is an excuse to steal your 401k and IRA.


15 posted on 01/04/2014 6:44:25 AM PST by G Larry
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To: Sir Napsalot

These government bow wows would do well to just butt out.


16 posted on 01/04/2014 6:45:36 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: Sir Napsalot
“The vast majority of economic gains in the last 25-30 years have gone to those at the very top of the income distribution in this country. . .

And whose fault is that??? Senators, Congressmen, Presidents and bureaucrats, both establishment Republicans and Democrats alike, in collusion with their big business benefactors. And we are supposed to believe that they will fix what they intentionally created??? Nuts. . . Tea Party types are the only hope we have left.

17 posted on 01/04/2014 6:56:01 AM PST by RatRipper (The political left are utterly evil and corrupt)
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To: LuvFreeRepublic

You got it,but don’t be upset,it’s all in the name of equality,I’m sure our dear leaders will lead by example,they will forgo their government pensions.


18 posted on 01/04/2014 6:59:52 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: Sir Napsalot

“Around thirty-million Americans between the ages of 50 and 64, one half of those nearing retirement, have no retirement savings at all.”

I can’t believe there are that many people willing to rely on a check from the government to live. I started contributing to an IRA in college after a guy I dated showed me a chart and how it grew exponentially at the end. I just made it a habit. Of course that whole rate of return thing has been shot to hell.


19 posted on 01/04/2014 7:00:27 AM PST by ToastedHead
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To: Sir Napsalot
"expand Social Security for the poor"

Translation: More free stuff for Obama's Free Stuff Army.


20 posted on 01/04/2014 7:10:45 AM PST by Iron Munro (Orwell: There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.)
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