Trivial? The so-called entitlement programs are driving our indebtedness and represent an unfunded liability of over $60 trillion over a 75 year period. Take a look at these figures for the FY-2010 federal budget.
Posted on 07/03/2011 4:03:53 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
One of my earliest memories of revulsion against war came from seeing a photograph from the First World War when I was a teenager. It was nothing gory. Just a picture of a military officer, in an impressive uniform, talking to a puzzled and forlorn-looking old peasant woman with a cloth wrapped around her head.
He said simply: “Don’t you understand, madam? The village is not there any more.”
To many such people of that era, the village was the only world they knew. And to say that it had been destroyed in the carnage of war was to say that there was no way for them to go back home, that their whole world was gone.
Recently that image came back, in a wholly different context, while seeing pictures of American seniors carrying signs that read “Hands off my Social Security” and “Hands off my Medicare.”
They want their Social Security and their Medicare to stay the way they are — and their anger is directed against those who want to change the financial arrangements that pay for these benefits.
Their anger should be directed instead against those politicians who were irresponsible enough to set up these costly programs without putting aside enough money to pay for the promises that were made — promises that now cannot be kept, regardless of which political party controls the government.
Someone needs to say to those who want Social Security and Medicare to continue on unchanged: “Don’t you understand? The money is not there any more.”
(Excerpt) Read more at newhampshire.com ...
I wonder if people would feel like it was wrong if we just “settled” for getting back all that we paid in, possibly adjusted for inflation.
It may be impossible, but would it be wrong for that to happen?
It may be impossible, but would it be wrong for that to happen?
But in reality, the money isn’t there. It WOULD be wrong for the government to borrow to pay you what you think you’re owed.
Trivial? The so-called entitlement programs are driving our indebtedness and represent an unfunded liability of over $60 trillion over a 75 year period. Take a look at these figures for the FY-2010 federal budget.
Politicians have been saying SS is “fixed” since Jimmy Carter. They ALL knew it was a lie but they got re-elected and most of them got a great retirement. But not from SS. They had their own retirement program.
There are two parts to the question. I simply asked the moral part, would it be wrong?
.
That you ducked answering that question is not surprising.
Possums, not so much.
Based on how I feel each morning when I wake up (and am surprised), I can understand that.
OP
Twinkie, I could have not said it any better. Thank you.....
You are not alone.
I have gone from telling my wife, “good night, I love you” to “just in case... good night, I love you”.
Oh to be young again......
“Don’t you understand? The money is not there any more.”
It’s there to pay as long as i’m going to be alive, don’t screw with it!
“It WOULD be wrong for the government to borrow to pay you what you think you’re owed.”
The government won’t have to borrow until i’m dead so just keep paying into the system sucker!
The government won’t have to borrow until I’m dead so just keep paying into the system sucker!
You will gladly bankrupt the future as long as you don’t have the consequences during our life.
Means Test all entitlements (SS, Medicare, State Pensions, Corporate Pensions, etc.)
That’s the fix we need. Like all taxes, SS and Medicare is a tax, not a trustfund. If someone needs help, we should help.
Problem fixed immediately.. and our economy will be powerful and competitive for the long term..
It’s there to pay as long as i’m going to be alive, don’t screw with it!
“You will gladly bankrupt the future as long as you don’t have the consequences during our life.”
Seeing the sewer this country was headed for 50 years ago we decided not to have childern that would have to live through it.
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
And many would say back - “Don’t you understand. It is what I planned on living on after I can no longer physically and mentally work.”
Social Security is a ponzi scheme. I thought everyone already knew that.
Remember when ‘Excise Tax’ was 100% and there were no other categories?
Bah!
$60 trillion over a 75 year period?
That's not even $1 trillion per year.
There's a hole nearly three times that size in THIS YEAR'S budget.
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