Posted on 08/29/2015 7:34:15 PM PDT by WilliamIII
Republican presidential candidates. who have had to seek contributions from a handful of wealthy contributors, want to cut Social Security. Average Americans love the program; the superwealthy don’t.
Something strange is happening in the Republican primary — something strange, that is, besides the Trump phenomenon. For some reason, just about all the leading candidates other than The Donald have taken a deeply unpopular position, a known political loser, on a major domestic policy issue. And it’s interesting to ask why. The issue in question is the future of Social Security, which turned 80 last week. The retirement program is, of course, both extremely popular and a long-term target of conservatives, who want to kill it precisely because its popularity helps legitimize government action in general. As the right-wing activist Stephen Moore (now chief economist of the Heritage Foundation) once declared, Social Security is “the soft underbelly of the welfare state”; “jab your spear through that” and you can undermine the whole thing. But that was a decade ago, during former President George W. Bush’s attempt to privatize the program, and what Bush learned was that the underbelly wasn’t that soft after all. Despite the political momentum from the GOP’s victory in the 2004 election, despite support from much of the media establishment, the assault on Social Security crashed and burned. Voters, it turns out, like Social Security as it is and don’t want it cut.
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
Wouldn’t affect SS much, but would tremendously reduce state and local taxes, which have gone up MUCH FASTER than federal taxes. And don’t you love how you never see the costs for those gold-plated pensions broken out separately in budgets. All you see a ‘personnel’ cost.
“ALL income taxes are thievery, IMHO. Welcome to the real world. You could always start a cash business and not report. Otherwise, you’re going to have to deal with it.”
No they aren’t. It’s only when they start social engineering that it becomes thievery.
I’m not arguing taxes, I’m trying to get folks to accept the fact that they are taking other peoples money when they cash their SS checks.
That’s a tough nut, especially amongst conservatives who don’t realize they are actually “big government” types when it comes to social security.
If you are for social security in it’s current form, you aren’t a conservative. You may not like hearing it, but it’s a fundamental truth.
They are gradually being exposed. Just this year, the agency that audits all the local governmental agencies here in Louisiana has included a requirement that the head of each entity (Mayor, Sheriff, Clerk of Court, etc) do a line item entry that breaks down salary, retirement, medical, expense account, etc.
It’s eye-opening. Sheriffs here in Louisiana make $150K to $175K. Every one of them.
Damn, that is a lot of money for Louisiana’s cost of living.
Oh, well. Life just ain’t fair, is it?
Think in terms of ledger entries. my electronic ledger at SS shows a negative balance because some time back, the contributions I made were reduced by payments to others producing a deficit balance. those funds are being replaced by contributions to my account that reduces the deficit.
If I live a long time, I may actually have more paid out than was originally paid in because I was fortunate to live and the today’s pay outs are inflated.
It might be a problem unless as it seems likely many living obese unhealthy life styles don’t make it to 65 . those that die young will not miss the payouts to me
“Oh, well. Life just ain’t fair, is it?”
No, but you can always be honest and admit you are taking other peoples money, regardless of the unfairness of it, rather than commenting openly about how much you deserve it.
“If I live a long time, I may actually have more paid out than was originally paid in because I was fortunate to live and the today’s pay outs are inflated.”
You are making an actuarial argument, fair enough, it’s not unreasonable.
Even with that - SS and Medicare pays out far far more than you will ever have contributed, regardless of how long you or anyone else (or population) lives.
I don’t agree. But that’s what makes a marketplace of ideas.
“I don’t agree. But that’s what makes a marketplace of ideas.”
Fair enough. Sometimes it takes an inevitable financial conclusion to change peoples minds. There is no way Social Security will be politically changed - because too many people like getting the money. It will be a financial event that changes it where politicians can pretend they had nothing to do with it.
Or a 65 year old airline pilot or brain surgeon with arthritis and high blood pressure
It’s fine with us if you decline to take social security ( which also means you can’t use Medicare since they are linked ) and convince as many 60+ citizens to just walk away and live on whatever else they managed to save
Reduces demand
I am going by memory, but I am pretty sure it was 2% of SS tax paid. At the time I thought it was such a minuscule amount for the left to be going apoplectic over.
Which of course clearly illustrated their opposition to anything that hinted of freedom.
You must be talking about state or local government
I don’t know anyone who gets “ free medical care for life”
Including retired military who were recruited with that promise
“It’s fine with us...”
Who is this “us”? Deluded supposed “conservatives” who happily take other peoples money under the dishonest assumption that it is actually “their” money?
Or were you referring to a different “us”?
State retirees here in Louisiana pay about $150/month for medical/dental/eyes/drugs. That is damn near free compared to what civilians pay.
Yep, us deluded conservatives who paid 50 years into a government forced savings plan and are now collecting the annuities ( which I am not but spouse just started at age 70 plus is still working and still paying into the system)
But I applaud your decision to not take social security or Medicare for yourself and encourage you to convince as many 6o+ age citizens to do the same
Additionally, if you are a retired government deadhead of any kind - local, state, or federal - you pay NO STATE INCOME TAX in Louisiana on that income.
That’s a lot cheaper than what I pay as retired military with “free healthcare for life”
Back 50 years ago people didn’t reckon that if they wanted a cushy nest for life the way to get it was to get into local or state government
No moves, no one trying to kill you , no family separations
Well geez, take that up with Bobby, not me
We pay like everyone else in my state
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