GOP finger pointing begins(Rinos blame conservatives)

The Hill ^ | 4-26-05 | Bob Cusak

[ScreamingFist]

Excellent point. I know people laugh at me, but I'm a strong believer in gold and silver, always have been. Need to have some absolutes in life even in the financial sphere :)

Those people won't be laughing when you're buying their land for pennies of the dollar because they all defaulted on loans, like in the Great Depression. Regardless of what many believe, the stock market IS a gamble, just read the disclosures on every prospectus. But then, you already knew that....;)

[whd23]

The long term growth is irrelevant if I am, say 74 years old and cannot work, and for WHATEVER reason, my pension drops in value by several hundred dollars from one year to the next. I can't look at long term growths or the history of the market at that point, can I?

It's simplistic to think you'd maintain the same investment ratio of stocks to bonds when you're 74 as you did when you were 20. As you get older, you would be adjusting your stocks/bond ratio towards more bonds (more stable investment, lower yields). The day you retire you could buy an annuity with your savings and then you would KNOW how much you would be getting every month.

Check out some of the 529-plan offerings from Fidelity or Vanguard (I'm sure there are others) which have investment ratios based on the age of the beneficiary. My 11 month-old son's account is invest more heavily in stocks than my 13 year-old stepdaughter's account. It's done automatically for us, we just chose the option and sent them our money. It's reasonable to assume that similar types of funds would be available for retirement accounts.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hmmmm!

Clashes Growing Between Bush and GOP Moderates

[VRWCmember]

First off, you cannot assume that I or the vast majority of Americans have any really useful understanding of the market and investments.

We figured that out from your posts lauding the social security program.

The bottom line is that the stock market is inherently too volatile to tie to pensions at any point.

That is why any investment plan should include a diversified portfolio rather than investing in one particular stock. A retirement investment plan that does not include any investment in diversified portfolio equity funds is unlikely to provide returns that will do anything more than keeping up with inflation.

And that perhaps, is the greatest flaw in the President's plan as the average American understands this.

The average American doesn't understand squat, but demogogues anxious to preserve the status quo are ready to provide plenty of misinformation and you are swallowing it hook, line, and sinker. Social security is a loser of a retirement program. If you are relying on SS to take care of you I hope you have wealthy (and generous and compassionate) children who will be willing and able to take care of you. Otherwise, that is just more of my tax money that will be required to support people who were unwilling to do anything to provide for themselves and their families.

[Gipper08]

WASHINGTON — As he nears the end of a 60-day cross-country campaign, President Bush appears to be further from achieving his signature goal of transforming Social Security than when he began.



Support for Bush's vision of individual investment accounts has ebbed; a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken this month shows nearly twice as many Americans oppose the idea as support it. The public's sense of urgency on Social Security has slipped a bit. Not a single Senate Democrat has come out in support of Bush's plan.

And Republicans are divided. Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who convenes hearings on Social Security on Tuesday, is open to putting individual accounts aside and focusing on the system's long-term solvency. But some conservatives, including Reps. Mike Pence of Indiana and John Shadegg of Arizona, members of the House leadership, want a showdown on accounts.....

[zerosix]

Let's get all of the names of the "Weasly Wepublicans," who usually prefer to get a few RINOs from mostly liberal states, to be the face of the "Republicans who say that Conservatives and Conservative Lobbying Groups" and "preventing" them from coming up with a bill that some Democrats and liberal MSM will smile upon, so that we, their homeguys and gals can put heat on them (JoAnn Emerson, MO comes to mind).

We have supported them with our time and money, then they stab us in the back when they sip the Beltway Water.

[LibertarianInExile]

You reek of troll because of this statement:

"However, my SS benefit had actually gone UP a bit as my earnings had increased during the same period."

If you think that Social Security receipts should stay in the government trough to be fed on by the hordes of pork barrel politicians, instead of the stock market, that is the height of foolishness. If you choose the former over the latter, you are just the kind of sucker the Rats want.

I might prefer to just have the money outright, but Rats are playing divide-and-conquer, and I'll take the incremental change of the President's proposal over the all-or-nothing NOTHING we'll get trying to get Social Security ended. And I sure won't back add-ons, which are just government controlled 401Ks.

[Just A Nobody]

Support for Bush's vision of individual investment accounts has ebbed; a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken this month shows...

Rule #1: NEVER trust a poll

Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa...is open to putting individual accounts aside and focusing on the system's long-term solvency...

Rule #2: Not okay. This is what the demonRATS said from the first day. NO COMPROMISE! Both can be accomplished. If you are not up to the task, then resign.

But some conservatives, including Reps. Mike Pence of Indiana and John Shadegg of Arizona, members of the House leadership, want a showdown on accounts.....

Rule #3: Support those that have a backbone! Go Pence!

[Just A Nobody]

I'd have to pick Soc Sec at this point because it is more reliable - at least I can plan around it.

ROTFLOL...you are kidding...right????? Unless you are about 64 that is the funniest thing I've seen or heard all day.

Sorry, I just couldn't let this one go by.

[EternalVigilance]

“Rove thinks he’s been beatified by the last election,” Ferrara added.

I know Rove, and I know Ferrara.

Have to go with Ferrara on this one...

[BransonRevival]

Mike Pence is leading the fight against add-ons. Mike Pence stands on principle and not party. We need Mike Pence as our president in 2008!

[Chris Dickson]

Leadership Shake-Up Spurred Policy Shift: Pence Hangs Tough !!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/16/AR2005101601055_pf.html