Posted on 08/29/2011 7:22:55 AM PDT by Poundstone
I earned these 'entitlements'
I believe that most citizens do not understand what a federal entitlement program is. There are earned entitlements versus a special government entitlement that is given to an individual who needs assistance that is mandated by law.
What is a government entitlement? Note below that some are free and some are not! Why the government is lumping these programs together is beyond me: Only Congress would think this was a proper thing to do. How can a program like military retirement be linked with food stamps? The programs I am associated with should never be diminished by the federal government because they are either paid for by me and my wife or I have earned them. Most citizens believe all the federal entitlements are giveaway social programs and that is not true.
(Excerpt) Read more at redding.com ...
I'm 100% in agreement with you, up until this last part. 15 years is the absolute furthest our society is going to remain solvent if we remain on our current trajectory. 20-30 years simply isn't possible without an immediate and massive restructuring of our financial and political system.
5-10 years is probably closer to the mark. We're facing a systemic threat to our economic system, which means that as certain parts fail, they'll bring other parts down with them much faster than anyone was anticipating. It will be 'unexpected', but it is coming.
Anyone who is elderly, or planning on becoming elderly in the near future, will be alive to see it. The only people that won't are those on the tail end of being elderly.
Our mother-in-law lives with us, and I don’t know what we’d do without her to help make meals, and help with our kids.
I want to be close to my kids (and grandkids) when I’m older. Nothing wrong with that. It’s the way it should be.
Ah, now we’re down to name-calling, the inevitable end of an obstinate old coot unable to admit that he’s plain old wrong on the facts and wrong on simple decency.
We don’t have 10 years; we may not even have 5. Whatever slack we had in the system has been spent by Obama or handed over to the international banking system.
If I had to bet money, I'd say five. The reason I hedge my bets is that we're still on the tail end of the American superpower era. It's still within our power for a (seemingly) major restructuring that buys us a little more time. With the right political leadership operating under a mandate of panicked citizens, we could make some (seemingly) drastic changes within certain margins. It could become a controlled descent rather than a jarring crash.
Even under that rosy scenario, a 20-30 year decline, where senior programs and all other entitlements are fully supported, simply isn't remotely viable. It's just not. Anyone that's expecting our current system to be running past 2016 is kidding themselves as to how much trouble we're in, or how most Americans are going to react once sh!t starts getting real.
Nope, no name calling involved. Just understanding the mind set. It’s difficult to throw off the slant of teaching in the public schools. It’s an acknowledgement of the futility of breaking through that many years of indoctrination. The day you understand the level of indoctrination public school students are subjected to you might begin to break those bonds. I actually feel sorry for you.
I do believe you forgot to take your medication (that I’m paying for), old man. I understand that the ravages of age and Alzheimer’s can destroy one’s cognitive functions, hopefully you won’t have to spend too much more time in that vegetative state. (I can’t afford to support you much longer.)
If you’re self-employed and capping out on SS payments then your ripping your customers off. What gives you the right to rip off your customers when you can be fat, dumb, and happy making $50K a year?
In a private endeavor a contract is a form of an asset. If the private company of the lowly debased peon of non-federal employee or non-elected official goes bankrupt, the private contracts value is NIL. Ask the employees of many a failed company, or even some few towns.
The federal pension “contract” is not a true contract. It is merely the promise of the sovereign. And sovereigns change their mind!
Good article here
TT
***** “ 15 years is the absolute furthest our society is going to remain solvent if we remain on our current trajectory. 20-30 years simply isn’t possible without an immediate and massive restructuring of our financial and political system. “ *****
Bump
TT
Unfortunately, it’s not there. It’s been spent. This year, we pay out more than we take in as SS (FICA) taxes.
I hope you saved something over the years, because unless a miracle occurs, SS will be gone soon.
That’s not a solution. Try this: All payments and deductions cease immediately. If you are truly “owed” then a court of law will enforce your “rights”.
Have you heard nothing I have said? You don’t pay a dime for my retirement. Even if I were getting money from the Galveston County system, which if you had checked is not part of the US system; it wouldn’t be coming from you even if you lived in Galveston County. Galveston County did indeed invest those funds and is not in the shape the US system is in.
I owned a computer store and computer networking business for years and also owned a trucking company, a feed and soil testing laboratory, and a custom furniture manufacturing company. I didn’t just give those away when I retired. You do understand that a business owner pays into the SS of the employees right? Have you paid into the SS for employees or just your half of what goes in on your behalf?
So you see that public school education has left you bereft of understanding or even the propensity to check to see if you know what you are talking about.
>> I can’t afford to support you much longer.<<
Well, that would be one of many differences between you and I. You have been relying on someone else to take the risks, relying on them to give you a job.
Yeah and instead of leaving a million dollars in assets to my kids when I die...I'll donate it to the rain forest fund in South Africa..wouldn't want to offset "generational theft "...
And police, fire and military are donating time for free?
LOL I’m self-employed. I don’t depend on anyone. Save your speech for someone to whom it actually applies.
“Our mother-in-law lives with us, and I don’t know what we’d do without her to help make meals, and help with our kids.
I want to be close to my kids (and grandkids) when I’m older. Nothing wrong with that. It’s the way it should be.”
So far, that is the wisest post on this thread. Even though I would end SS today, I in no way wish to see our seasoned citizens suffer. All I can promise is to take care of my parents, my wife’s parents, and help with my fellow church members and those in my community.
Our socialist government has very cleverly used SS to tear our families apart. When did all of you Sr. Citizens start looking towards Uncle Sam as your provider instead of yourselves and your children?
When did children start deciding that Uncle Sam should care for their parents?
That’s why “Family Values” do matter....it’s not just a religious thing...it’s an economic thing too. We let government become the “family.”
Unless you made over 80,000 for the last 27 years then you could not have paid in over $350,000
I questioning your math - nothing else
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.