AARP 'dead set against' Bush's Social Security plan

USA TODAY via Yahoo! ^ | January 25, 2005 | William M. Welch

[Brilliant]

[Gannett allows headline and link only]

[Polyxene]

I have asked my parents this very question, but they just laugh and say that they are entitled, since they did pay into the system. They also remind me that my grandparents never paid a penny into SS, but they got their checks. My parents will receive two to three times what they ever paid into the system. Great scheme if you are on the receiving end now. Can you tell I am more than a little ticked off??

[Jack of Diamonds]

Hey, It isn't like they have contributed to the program a large part of their income for more than fifty years. What right do retired people have to expect that the government will honor its pledge. /Sarcasm off

You people make me want to puke.

[Dysfunctional]

I personally would not join the AARP.

But I don't care if most of 'em are commies, really.

The issues of SS are not issues between the elderly and the rest of us... that's what the thieving politicians (who ripped us off) want us to think.

I vote Republican because of gun rights and affirmative action.

When it comes to political spending I see no party difference at all.

They oink away the money and then want us to start hating our own elderly because of it. I would rather see some old blue hair get free heart medicine than pay for a new study of the life cycle of a turtle in Maryland.

I see more rage against old folks around here than I ever do against the ultra-spending, excuse for conservatives we have in Washington now.

I will continue to vote pubbie solely for reasons of guns and quotas... but never because they have a handle on government spending.

In fact, I fully expect them to lead the charge to stick it to those people in their mid-fifties, where the future of Social Security is concerned. Then down the road, the hardship will hit those who could not build up money for retirement in 20 yrs (having had to work at Wal-Mart). Then what my friends. Then what.

[chiefqc]

Maybe instead of placing the blame on the "Greedy Geezers" you blame should be directed to our wonderful elected officals who have replaced the funds collected for SS with worthless IOU's

If the money collected was kept in this account and invested correctly, and not stolen, SS would be so huge that retires would be like our elected officals and get more money when they retired than when they worked.

[Dysfunctional]

Not only that...

What about the people in their mid-fifties that saved and invested, only to have some broker line the pockets of Terry McCauliff.

The politically well-connected made millions and the average folk were left to put on the Wal-Mart hairshirt after losing their real shirt.

Moreover, I never hear people complain as much about their Merk stock getting padded with Medicare money, but them ole' blue hairs is stealin' them blind.

[facedown]

We are being asked to continue to "invest" in a "company" which pays 2% return, has a huge contingent liability which exceeds total current equity, is 100% leveraged, pays zero dividends, couldn't get a loan from a bank because of fiscal irresponsibility, is in a loss position, and if any of its investors die prior to payout, retains the stock by default.

Great summary. Where do I sign up? Oh wait...

[Dysfunctional]

Fire the company management.

Or better yet, hang 'em.

Or even better than that, get a lawyer to keep 'em company.

[Teacher317]

well put

[DaGman]

"Now later generations will be getting screwed since they pay a FICA tax that has been raised thirteen times and is 500% higher."

We baby boomers had to pay higher taxes to pay for our parents' Social Security benefits and I was damn happy to do it for that generation. Now the baby boomers have to be paid for so raise FICA if and only if we need to. We paid for our parents, now it's our children's burden.

And (Wristpin, this is not directed at you) talk by some here about "old geezers that didn't plan for their future" no doubt comes from some extremely spoiled brats that were very poorly raised and never taken out of diapers. They have absolutely no respect for anyone older than them. I really wish someone would change their diapers so their disposition gets better and then restrict them from their computer so they will quit embarrassing their parents and bringing into focus their parents' lack of parenting skills. If they want to act like spoiled brat, poorly raised children then they should be treated as such.

I have NO pity, no sympathy, NO ideological problem with raising taxes so that our children have to pay for our Social Security. And, you know why? Because we are the parents and they are the children. The Bible says to respect your father and mother and God was dead serious about that.

Eventually the baby boomers will die off just as the WWII generation is for the most part gone. FICA taxes will have to go down anyway because there will be many less potential recipients than there are in the Baby Boomer generation. That is unless the spoiled brat generation X people don't demand much higher benefits from Social Security than their parents and grandparents received. Don't think that won't happen because they are the Spoiled Rotten Generation.

[Wristpin]

I'm not "Ant-Oldster" and have the greatest respect for the greatest generation but it's time to fix this turkey of a program. Raising taxes just delays the bankruptcy. Obviously you don't understand the problems with the program as higher taxation, lower benefits and higher retirement age lie in the future of the Gen Xers if the program stays in it's current form.

[DaGman]

Bottom line is Social Security is no where near going bankrupt and will be very solvent for at least the next 70 years. Talk to the contrary is simply not true. In fact, there is no real need to even raise FICA.

I looked into opting out of Social Security many years ago and found there was no way to do it. If I and many millions of others had to be in Social Security, then everyone else should have to do it too. Anything less short changes those that have contributed all these many years.

[biblewonk]

I suspect the AARP leadership will fight tooth and nail against fixing what member$ perceive is not broken. Doing so is a lot easier and less risky than attempting to persuade those member$ that it's a good plan.

Whether or not they succeed in stopping the plan, if they can convince their member$ that they're looking out for the member$' best interests, everyone will be happy. Hee hee, you said member, hee hee

[hattend]

BTTT