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Posted on 10/04/2025 8:57:23 AM PDT by dwilkins
It seems like the Total Fertility Rate collapse is a mega-trend that is not being incorporated into conservative expectations. In addition to the economic problem of a system historically based on perpetual growth, we are going to have to come up with a practical answer to entitlements like Social Security. I don't think our present system can accommodate this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2GeVG0XYTc
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Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Yes some charities are not charitable. And some have terrible agendas.
At least he is doing what he wants with a portion of his own money.
“ That doesn’t mean they won’t be blamed for its problems.”
Yeah. You missed my point
I am not for any retroactive dismantling but the whole program is an incredibly huge social engineering debacle designed to force dependency and make it the norm for us all.
I do not oppose states having basic barracks like housing for law abiding homeless and indigent with food and plumbing and climate control.
I did factor in “luck”. I said most of the wealthy get there and stay there with very good behavior. Not all.
Those who worked hard, delayed gratification, avoided drug abuse and promiscuity, kept the law, and innovated should not have to subsidize those who partied.
For those who got terrible diseases or were in airline accidents or whatever, victims of terrible crimes, I do not oppose a basic safety net. We all play the hand we are dealt. Those you perceive of as lucky may have any manner of hardships you don’t even know about.
Look you need to accept the fact that a good proportion of the population is irresponsible and not very bright. They will continue to spend all their money and save little or none of it and the government will be stuck providing for these people when they become elderly. At least with them contributing to SS they will be contributing at least a portion to their retirement which is better than nothing which would be the case without SS.
Sure clean and moral living will help one along the path to success. But you could also have the decent soul who does everything right yet still barely manages to get by because they maybe are not very intelligent or perhaps have a mental or physical disability. Or just really bad luck. Having principles is great but when dealing with people and the human condition you have to take these things into account.
I would say about half of the population lives hand-to-mouth. It’s why they don’t pay income taxes.
Yes I would agree that’s the case.
“enact some sort of means testing for Social Security. “
Sooo... you’re a Communist. Good to know.
If your uncle paid into SS during his lifetime, and put in the required number of quarters, HE GETS TO KEEP THE MONEY!
There are many multimillionaires on FR — two that I know of. Why should they work their asses off for 50 years, create their successes, and let others who didn’t work as hard steal from them?
OMG! He donates to charities. What a terrible human being.
In fact, that’s how the system is supposed to work. Charities and churches are supposed to take care of the less fortunate. So when wealthy people donate to charities and/or churches they trust, they’re more certain it will be used for good.
(I assume you’re not in his Will...?)
Well I could explain things in more detail to justify my position but I think you’d be too ignorant to understand anyway so I won’t bother. Have a nice day.
“$4k a month is nothing to these wealthier people and they can easily absorb such a minor hit to their finances.”
And these people reply, “It’s none of your business.”
“Well he played the game and it worked out quite well for him.”
Working hard and being successful is “playing the game”? It’s called “The American Dream”.
“Most charities spend 90% of collected funds on administrative expenses... and only 10% go to what the charity is ostensibly supporting.”
Choose better charities. It’s easy to research the best charities via organizations like Charity Navigator. Even better, donate to your local church and specify which Budget line item should receive it. (We choose Life Choices - an anti-abortion group.)
“(I assume you’re not in his Will...?)”
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He sends me a check for $1k every Christmas and since he has no dependents I’m assuming he’ll leave me at least something since I am one of the few relatives he’s close to. But he seems to assume I’m some sort of eccentric white trash who would quickly blow any inheritance so anything left to me would probably be in the form of a trust fund with strict spending requirements. He mentioned to me that there’s a $50k trust fund for whoever takes care of his dog but since he knows I’m now an anti-vaxxer he might not want to leave her to me. He’s an insane vaxtard. In any event with my current investments I expect to be financially set regardless of what he decides to do.
It can still be mandatory for businesses to take that money out if the pay, but instead of going to a ss slush fund, it goes directly to that person’s retirement fund.
I feel a lot more secure about that than a giant slush fund that government has been dipping into for years. It is predicted to be insolvent by 2034. That is a scary prospect for people about to retire in 10 or so years.
So the government, as in taxpayers, WILL be paying for SS that will be underwater in under a decade. And will keep paying, more and more, until there is a tipping point anyway and it becomes untenable. The only way to fix it is to ohase out this Ponzi scheme and privatize.
Grok is wrong. I looked at my actual SS contributions since 1975. I’m currently 65 (yes first paycheck at 15). When you appropriately count the employer match (part of my compensation) I contributed $464k through 2024. If I had invested at 7%, I’d have about $2M which at a conservative 4%, is a $10k monthly annuity to age 90. Something SS will never deliver.
Here is the Chilean model
I think I took these things into account.
You can’t steal from people. It’s their money.
You can’t justify Communism. Well, maybe YOU can, but most on this thread are horrified at the thought of distribution of wealth.
Well, it’s good to know you’ll be OK no matter what. I hope you ARE in his Will. And I hope the doggie is cared for.
My niece is in our Will to assume care of whatever cats are alive when we aren’t, and she’ll be well compensated.
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