Posted on 02/20/2005 4:08:45 AM PST by Born Conservative
During forum, the congressman says Bush should focus on balancing the budget instead.
Special to the Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE (PA) -- President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security would put the country in further debt and could cut the amount current seniors get for Social Security, said U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski during a spirited forum he held Saturday.
Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, said there is no “Social Security crisis” and said the president should focus on balancing the federal budget instead of privatizing Social Security.
“In order to get their way, they tend to call things ‘a crisis,’” said Kanjorski to about 25 people in the Wilkes University Student Center. “We’re in a war today because they call it ‘a crisis.’ I would classify Social Security as ‘a problem.’”
He said the country will end 2005 with a federal debt of $8 trillion.
Kanjorski said the country is fighting a war it can’t afford, and having people place their own money into private accounts for Social Security will take even more funds out of a federal budget that would still be responsible for paying current seniors Social Security.
“Some people like to fight a war. It’s fun to fight a war,” Kanjorski said facetiously. “But you have to charge it on the next generation.”
The United States government would have to borrow about $4.9 trillion during the first 20 years of Social Security privatization to make up for the money that would be going into private accounts instead of the federal trust fund, Kanjorski said.
“If we do nothing, we’ll be sound until 2052,” Kanjorski said. “No one over 55 will be at risk. But if we create private accounts … if you’re 55 now, when you’re 61, Social Security could be cut. Privatization of Social Security will be an absolute disaster in this country.”
Ambrose Meletsky, 88, of Wilkes-Barre, challenged Kanjorski and other congressmen to create ways to crack down on illegal immigrants and outsourcing. He said illegal immigrants and American companies that outsource jobs to other countries avoid funding Social Security.
“Has Congress given this any thought and, if so, what do you plan on doing about it?” Meletsky asked.
Fred Murray, of Jackson Township, said people should stop relying so much on Social Security. The 75-year-old said people should save money for their retirement.
“My wife and I get $22,000 a year in Social Security and we have never spent one penny of that $220,000 (over 10 years) for a loaf of bread or milk,” said Murray, a retired American Airlines pilot. “It’s my fun money. You can do the same, guys. Everyone looks at the government for help.”
Kanjorski said Murray is in the minority. Most seniors depend on Social Security, he said.
“You are blessed, my friend,” Kanjorski said. “You represent 1 percent of people who collect Social Security in Luzerne County.”
Bob Martin of Shavertown said Social Security is a “false crisis” and Bush should “fix Medicare first.”
Robert Furedi of Slocum Township said the Social Security program “should stay where it is.”
If it doesn’t, he said he’s concerned that his first grandchild, who will soon be born, won’t have enough money to retire with.
Paul Kanjorski(S) Nanticoke...another socialist weighs in.
I used to vote for him back in the 1990's, based on his "A" rating from the NRA. However, ever since he aligned himself with Slick Willy (he was at the White House "Pep Rally" after the impeachment), he has not gotten a vote from me (and never will). He was also involved in obtaining multi-million dollar contracts from the Navy for a local firm. It just so happened that the owner of the firm was his nephew. This ALMOST cost him his last election. Unfortunately, many in this area are too STOOPID to see that this guy is a socialist scheister.
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON ON
SOCIAL SECURITY CRISIS
Democrat Leaders Ignore Crisis
President Clinton Was Aware Of In 1990s
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Liberal Democrats may deny the fact that Social Security lacks the resources needed to pay benefits to younger works, but Bill Clinton's comments show he realized years ago that the system faces a crisis, which 90 percent of Americans agree with today. Clinton also understood that the problem must be solved before it is too late, but Democrats are more focused on partisan gain than preserving Social Security.” - Brian Jones, RNC Spokesperson
IN 1990s, PRESIDENT CLINTON RECOGNIZED THERE WAS A “CRISIS” IN SOCIAL SECURITY
President Clinton: “This Fiscal Crisis In Social Security Affects Every Generation.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “[F]irst, And Above All, We Must Save Social Security For The 21st Century.” (President Bill Clinton, State Of The Union, 1/19/99)
President Clinton: “So That All Of These Achievements – The Economic Achievements – Our Increasing Social Coherence And Cohesion, Our Increasing Efforts To Reduce Poverty Among Our Youngest Children – All Of Them Are Threatened By The Looming Fiscal Crisis In Social Security.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “Now Is The Time To Strengthen Social Security For The Future. … We Can And Must Accomplish This Critical Goal For The American People.” (The White House, “Presidential Statement On Social Security,” Press Release, 4/23/99)
President Clinton: “But Because A Higher Percentage Of Our People Will Be Both Older And Retired, Perhaps Our Greatest Opportunity And Our Greatest Obligation At This Moment Is To Save Social Security.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To A National Forum On Social Security, Kansas City, MO, 4/7/98)
President Clinton: “[I]f You Don’t Do Anything, One Of Two Things Will Happen. Either It Will Go Broke And You Won’t Ever Get It, Or If We Wait Too Long To Fix It, The Burden On Society … Of Taking Care Of Our Generation’s Social Security Obligations Will Lower Your Income And Lower Your Ability To Take Care Of Your Children To A Degree That Most Of Us Who Are You Parents Think Would Be Horribly Wrong And Unfair To You And Unfair To The Future Prospects Of The United States.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At Georgetown University On Social Security, Washington, DC, 2/9/98)
President Clinton: “And Above All, To My Fellow Baby Boomers, Let Me Say That None Of Us Wants Our Own Retirement To Be A Burden To Our Children And To Their Efforts To Raise Our Grandchildren. It Would Be Unconscionable If We Failed To Act, And Act Now, As One Nation Renewing The Ties That Bind Us Across The Generations.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks To A National Forum On Social Security, Kansas City, MO, 4/7/98)
TODAY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL SECURITY CRISIS DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IGNORE
The Latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll Shows 90% Of Americans Think The Social Security System Is Either In Crisis Or In Trouble. (NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll, 1,007 Adults, Conducted 1/13-17/05, Margin Of Error +/- 3.1%)
A Recent Gallup Poll, Showed That 71% Of Americans Believe Social Security Is In A “State Of Crisis” Or “Has Major Problems.” (USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll, 1,008 Adults, Conducted 1/7-9/05, Margin Of Error +/- 3%)
There's another thread on the deficit and in answer to whether SS is in trouble or not, how will spending billions to "fix" something help the program if it bankrupts the government?
Stop all unnecessary spending. Stop taking from the SS account and it wouldn't be in "trouble". take the money you would be "investing" in private accounts and charge the people who go with this program a fee for administering the program.
Look at senate and congress retirement benefits and cut that down. Can someone say third rail?
People have contributed 20-30-40- years into the program for a time when they are 70 and cant work anymore, infants get SSDI when they are born premature, their parents collect on that not the infant, think they spend it on the baby? All the "disabled" drug addicts should not be on SSDI, we could go on and on about SS which bringing this thread up again and again just inflames people and does nothing to "fix" anything.
This pitting young against old and than spending billions to fix something just doesn't make any sense. If you have billions to fix something in the first place than you have billions to pay the people who contributed for over 40 years and not cut their benefits!
Makes sense to wait before fixing something till you can afford it. We need to have the foundation of our home fixed, it will cost thousands to "fix" we don't want to borrow at the moment to "fix" the problem so we will wait and save and make our house payments, maybe I should cut the house payment so I can "fix" the problem??
I could care less what the dims or ANY politicians say, have common sense and stop making this all into a they said we said or its a dim thing or its a Republican thing, it's a Citizen who contributed for many years and expects a return thing who is the loser here.
Not republican or democrat "thing" it's a math thing. Any plan that can be paid into for 40-45 years and then not get ANYTHING back if you die before collecting benefits sucks and is downright theft.
Agree that we should slash spending in a huge way. I keep voting for the R's, but the switch is broken.
I was surprised at the questions that he got. This guy is one small town crook, his family is getting mega bucks because of him being in office. The area that he covers has not made any progress in years, PA has the 2nd largest senior population in the country. The only thing growing in that area is nursing homes, must be one on every corner.
What other "investment" would require contributions to a "company" which, after 60 years in business, has no retained earnings, pays no dividends, has zero market value and, if any of its "stockholders" die prior to payout, retains the stock by default? Oh, and only if you live to age 77 is your return 2%-sheesh.
Who is this sick, twisted, f@@k? He or it needs to be impeached immediately. This statement is beyond the pale, entirely.
How can there be a Social Security crisis? Didn't Bill Clinton fix it?
So a "problem" is no problem?
These lib boomers haven't caught on yet - they slaughtered over 40 million babies that would've grown up and had twice as many kids that would be entering the job market now, along with thier parents, and having their kids (x's an average of 2 ) to make some 160-200 million workers paying into the system - 200 million people that will never be because of abortion on demand.
They killed off the future generations - and THAT is the largest reason social security wont be there in the near future.
Hey, libs, do the math. Well, that was assuming they don't know the truth. They do. They just don't want republicans to get credit for fixing it. They'd sink the country six ways to Sunday with that formula
Another idiot signs in.
Obviously, with a firm grasp of what war is...
Just think of all the money that could have been saved throughout history if cultures and countries had said, when evil appears...
No thank you...
We can't afford it!"
Spirited forum?
The way I read the article, this Kanjorski guy was out trying to demagogue Social Security, and half the people there told him to go pound sand.
They are all weighing in, that's why I don't think jack will be done.
Crisis will be in 2052 if the trends stay the same way over the 47 years. This is awesome power of prediction - imagine how many things happened in 47 years from 1913 to 1960:
Introduction of personal income tax, FED,
World War Oone,
Democratic/pro-Western revolution in Russia and resulting Bolshevik Revolution,
the collapse of imperial Germany and Austro-Hungary,
Great Depression, National Socialists taking power in Germany,
New Deal,
World War Two,
atom bomb,
Communist takovover of Eastern Europe,
creation of Israel
independence of India, Communist takovover of China,
French losing in Algeria and Vietnam, US starting involvment in Vietnam,
And many, many more events. So much to do so little time - we must act now - let Wall Street takes care of SS money!
And funeral homes...
LOL, yes, I am from the area, and they have good pizza up there too.
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