[CLICK photo so you can READ signs] Posted on 03/29/2012 1:52:40 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich stressed his desire to return the country to its religious values and reform social security Wednesday.
Gingrich’s talk in Gaston Hall sparked a protest on Copley Lawn that drew about 20 students chanting and holding signs.
At the lecture, Gingrich introduced a proposal to partially privatize social security. Under his plan, taxpayers would manage a private savings account with funds drawn from their paychecks. Contributions from employers would continue to fund the social security trust.
“It turns out, according to the official actuary for social security, if we had adopted in 1983 a personal social security savings account model, we would today have over $16 trillion in savings accounts,” Gingrich said.
Opponents of Gingrich’s plan argue that the 2008 financial crisis would have destroyed private social security accounts, had his plan already been implemented. Gingrich, however, defended his plan.
“If you look at what happened to the stock market in 2008 and 2009, a person, even after the decline of the stock market, would have dramatically more money than they would have gotten out of the traditional system,” he said…..
[CLICK photo so you can READ signs]
…….“We support civil discourse and understand its importance, but there is nothing civil about Newt’s anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-equality speech. Excluding the 99 percent since 1989 is most uncivil,” English professor and protest attendee Jennifer Fink said.
In his lecture, Gingrich asserted that the American work ethic stemmed from deep-seeded religious values.
“We’re the only society where power comes from God to each one of you personally,” Gingrich said. “You are personally sovereign. You loan power to the state. The state does not loan power to you.”
In an interview with campus media, Gingrich expressed discontent with the Obama administration’s mandate requiring universities and hospitals, including those with religious affiliations, to provide contraceptive coverage in their employees and students’ health care plans.
“I don't understand why [anyone] would suggest that religious universities should be forced by a civil government to violate their religious beliefs,” he said. “It's pretty simple, are we a country founded on religious liberty or not? If we are, then who is the government to define that liberty?” he said……. Full text
“I think it’s really important for candidates like him to come to campus because it really gets people interested and informed about the actual campaign process, even if they are not interested in voting for him,” Erin Clark, Vice President of College Republicans, said.
The event, put together by the student organization College Republicans, is open to both students and the surrounding community and will last approximately one hour. There is no admission cost or fee for parking on campus that day.
The people involved in bringing Gingrich to campus are not sure exactly what he will talk about, but they say that he will strongly promote his campaign views."......
>> Opponents of Gingrich’s plan argue that the 2008 financial crisis would have destroyed private social security accounts,
What a joke. So the govt magically resuscitated the banks with money fallen from trees...
Thank you! An AP photo of Newt Gingrich in focus and fairly well framed (they think by emphasizing the stained glass windows and making Newt look small they’ve making 2 political points but it goes well with Newt’s points).
Their liberal arts professors probably didn't tell them Social Security was already bankrupt, and their best hope for retirement was an IRA or 401K. Who is John Galt?
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
-- James Madison
LLS
ROFL
Doubt the oldest is 25. Social Security or “Social welfare” Is flat broke.
Retirement age for these kids will be 80+ if the live that long.
“...Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”
Your quote does not seem to apply; how is Congress “expending” anything at all when all it does is require an individual to lay aside money for their own old age so that they do not become a public charge when they are too old to work?
Anyone who thinks that Social Security constitutes the "laying aside" of anything at this point in history is naive beyond words.
It is not a "trust fund" or a savings account. The money is taken from the people forcefully, put into the treasury, and promptly spent on current programs.
But, having said that, where is the Enumerated Power in the Constitution to force anyone to lay aside anything? Because, even after reading the Constitution many, many times, I just can't lay my finger on such a power.
Reread the comment. It was not referring to our present social security system or enumerated powers - it simply pointed out your mistake trying to use the words of James Madison, when they don’t apply.
But they do apply. Perfectly.
"Entitlement" programs like Social Security are benevolence, by definition.
benevolence
n
1. inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity
2. an act of kindness
3. (Historical Terms) (in the Middle Ages) a forced loan or contribution exacted by English kings from their nobility and subjects
-- James Madison
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