Senators eye Social Security reforms as some in House GOP consider cuts

[Smokin Joe]

You don’t think that more applies to you?  “ I’m getting mine, so I don’t care about what it does to our debt, currency, or the economic opportunity of people who are not even old enough to vote yet.”

After all, it’s all about “me, me ME, DAMMIT!!”

Put the squeeze on the real welfare recipients who aren't contributing, and haven't.

But the way to do this is by making the transition from welfare to work more attractive.

At present, someone getting welfare payments, subsidized housing, utility assistance, Medicaid, free phones, etc. will lose those benefits with very small increments in income that just won't replace the benefits or even come close. The recipients aren't stupid, and know they can't afford what goodies they have if they go to work (Hell, I can't afford all the benefits they get.)
So they don't.
I've paid in over 50 years, most of them not at all.
They are able-bodied; me, less so with every year.
I will work as long as I can, but with my industry is complete disruption these last few years, it's getting harder to make a decent paycheck, not easier.

[berdie]

Put the squeeze on the real welfare recipients who aren't contributing, and haven't.

But the way to do this is by making the transition from welfare to work more attractive.

At present, someone getting welfare payments, subsidized housing, utility assistance, Medicaid, free phones, etc. will lose those benefits with very small increments in income that just won't replace the benefits or even come close. The recipients aren't stupid, and know they can't afford what goodies they have if they go to work (Hell, I can't afford all the benefits they get.)
So they don't.
I've paid in over 50 years, most of them not at all.
They are able-bodied; me, less so with every year.
I will work as long as I can, but with my industry is complete disruption these last few years, it's getting harder to make a decent paycheck, not easier.

QFT

[sneakypete]

I get a statement every year stating what my SS benefit will be at a certain age.  So will I be depending on SS when I retire (which will likely never happen), probably not, but most people will and how dare the government send out statements to people then decide on a whim to decrease the amount promised.

@mrpotatohead

Damn few of us over 40 really want to retire. By then we are habitial workers who look foreward to going to work,even if they hate the job.

I was that way. Worked a MINIMUM of 6 days a week with 12 hour days if I could get them.

Then,suddenly,all that came to a screaming halt and I was forced into filing for disability retirement.

Put up a workshop in the yard and filled it with tools so I could have something to do on the days I felt good enough to do anything.

Had a ball for a while,and for at least the last 6 months I only go out there to feed the shop cats.

I keep telling myself I am going to get better,but it just doesn't seem to be happening.

[sneakypete]

You don’t think that more applies to you?  “ I’m getting mine, so I don’t care about what it does to our debt, currency, or the economic opportunity of people who are not even old enough to vote yet.”

After all, it’s all about “me, me ME, DAMMIT!!”

@LMAO
 
With all DUE respect,ESAD.

[Kamaji]

[LMAO]

@LMAO
 
With all DUE respect,ESAD.

Your response is exactly what I expected. But I don’t think you understand Social Security, how it works, what it truly is, etc

It’s not your fault. You’ve just been lied to that it’s “yours,yours, yours DAMMIT!!”

[sneakypete]

Your response is exactly what I expected. But I don’t think you understand Social Security, how it works, what it truly is, etc

It’s not your fault. You’ve just been lied to that it’s “yours,yours, yours DAMMIT!!”

@LMAO

No,I do understand it. Mabye not perfectly enough to debate it with an expert,but I do know why it was created and the purpose.

There is NOTHING wrong with our SS system other than the FACT that our politicians are using it illegally as a tool to buy illegal alien votes so they can stay in office and continue to profit by either stealing from the system or by graft. They use the public money put in place by WE,THE PEOPLE" by virtually stealing it to give to illegal aliens and others who have never paid a single freaking dime into the system.

This is NOT the fault of the SS program. They are a branch of our government that is virtually being raped on a daily basis by our elected representatives.

This MUST be stopped,but you will NEVER stop it by blaming the victim (SSA) for the theft.

[LMAO]

@LMAO

No,I do understand it. Mabye not perfectly enough to debate it with an expert,but I do know why it was created and the purpose.

There is NOTHING wrong with our SS system other than the FACT that our politicians are using it illegally as a tool to buy illegal alien votes so they can stay in office and continue to profit by either stealing from the system or by graft. They use the public money put in place by WE,THE PEOPLE" by virtually stealing it to give to illegal aliens and others who have never paid a single freaking dime into the system.

This is NOT the fault of the SS program. They are a branch of our government that is virtually being raped on a daily basis by our elected representatives.

This MUST be stopped,but you will NEVER stop it by blaming the victim (SSA) for the theft.

This post demonstrates that you still don’t understand Social Security and why it’s facing the problems it is

For starters, it is a tax. It’s not a gift. It’s not money put away for people for when they retire. It is a tax as someone tried to explain to you.

Another myth, and many so called  conservatives also believe it, that if it wasn’t for the illegal  immigrants Social Security would be solvent.  The big issue is simple demographics. Too many people receiving it, and not enough paying into it. Supporting a certain government program does not negate mathematics.

Again, politicians lied to you

[Idiot]

What benefit did you pay for?  Not social security, or medicare, for that matter.  You paid income taxes to the federal government - and your employer paid an excise tax on your employment - you most certainly did not pay for an annuity or any other contractual or binding benefit.

It's painful when your favorite ox gets gored, ain't it.

  I guess I'm too nice of a guy to say what I really feel.

[LMAO]

 I don’t look down upon anybody who is receiving Social Security or Medicare. That’s not the purpose of any of my posts.

But it’s mind boggling when even conservatives don’t have any grasp of what the programs are, or what unfunded liabilities are. We cannot afford any of these programs in their present form. That’s just facts

[LMAO]

It astounds me how many people here seem to think this one particular welfare benefit - social security - isn’t just another welfare benefit, but is some sort of right they purchased, as if they’d purchased a retirement annuity from a private company on the installment plan.

I think they believe that is a “promise” from the government. Why anyone would trust any kind of promise from the federal government is beyond me

[Kamaji]

  I guess I'm too nice of a guy to say what I really feel.

Please feel free to give vent to your feelings; keeping in mind that your feelings don't change what the law itself says.

[Kamaji]

I don’t look down upon anybody who is receiving Social Security or Medicare. That’s not the purpose of any of my posts.

But it’s mind boggling when even conservatives don’t have any grasp of what the programs are, or what unfunded liabilities are. We cannot afford any of these programs in their present form. That’s just facts

Agreed.

[Hoodat]

This post demonstrates that you still don’t understand Social Security and why it’s facing the problems it is

For starters, it is a tax. It’s not a gift. It’s not money put away for people for when they retire. It is a tax as someone tried to explain to you.

Another myth, and many so called  conservatives also believe it, that if it wasn’t for the illegal  immigrants Social Security would be solvent.  The big issue is simple demographics. Too many people receiving it, and not enough paying into it. Supporting a certain government program does not negate mathematics.

Again, politicians lied to you

I don’t look down upon anybody who is receiving Social Security or Medicare. That’s not the purpose of any of my posts.

But it’s mind boggling when even conservatives don’t have any grasp of what the programs are, or what unfunded liabilities are. We cannot afford any of these programs in their present form. That’s just facts

Ditto to every word.

[Bigun]

I think they believe that is a “promise” from the government. Why anyone would trust any kind of promise from the federal government is beyond me

Ain't that the truth! 

[Hoodat]

I get a statement every year stating what my SS benefit will be at a certain age.  So will I be depending on SS when I retire (which will likely never happen), probably not, but most people will and how dare the government send out statements to people then decide on a whim to decrease the amount promised.

If you can show me an instance where government ever kept a promise, I am all ears.

[Kamaji]

If you can show me an instance where government ever kept a promise, I am all ears.

[Bigun]

If you can show me an instance where government ever kept a promise, I am all ears.

"I'll have those n*&&(%$ voting Democrat for the next two hundred years!"

Close as I can come!

[sneakypete]

This post demonstrates that you still don’t understand Social Security and why it’s facing the problems it is

For starters, it is a tax. It’s not a gift. It’s not money put away for people for when they retire. It is a tax as someone tried to explain to you.

@LMAO

Blah,blah,mindless brainfart. SO FREAKING WHAT? Grow the hell UP!

Another myth, and many so called  conservatives also believe it, that if it wasn’t for the illegal  immigrants Social Security would be solvent. 

Maybe,but I don't personally know anyone that thinks that. It has been used as a political slush fund,practically from Day One. They just weren't as obvious about it in the early days.

The big issue is simple demographics. Too many people receiving it, and not enough paying into it. Supporting a certain government program does not negate mathematics.

That is NOT the fault of the program,it is the fault of the crooked politicians that steal money from it to buy votes.

Again, politicians lied to you

Ahm shocked they would do that.

SHOCKED,AH TELLS YA!

So,what is your solution,shoot YOUR dog because your neighbors dog bit you?

[sneakypete]

I don’t look down upon anybody who is receiving Social Security or Medicare. That’s not the purpose of any of my posts.

But it’s mind boggling when even conservatives don’t have any grasp of what the programs are, or what unfunded liabilities are. We cannot afford any of these programs in their present form. That’s just facts

@LMAO

BullBush! We can NOT afford to close those programs.

We also can NOT continue to allow the graft and outright stealing for political purposes that is going on.

Your "solution" is to shoot the baby because of the dirty bathwater.

[Hoodat]

"I'll have those n*&&(%$ voting Democrat for the next two hundred years!"

Close as I can come!

Well played, sir.

[Kamaji]

@LMAO

BullBush! We can NOT afford to close those programs.

We also can NOT continue to allow the graft and outright stealing for political purposes that is going on.

Your "solution" is to shoot the baby because of the dirty bathwater.

They will shut down if nothing is done.  And if that happens, it won't be a graceful failure, where the programs are modified to save them, you will simply wake up one day and realize that you're no longer getting that SS check, and you never will again.

[sneakypete]

I think they believe that is a “promise” from the government. Why anyone would trust any kind of promise from the federal government is beyond me

@LMAO

Because we,everybody on the planet,are either governed by governments who are held responsible to the people they SERVE,or we are serfs serving masters.

Serfs are people willing to allow their neighbors and even relatives to starve to death as long as THEY have something to eat.

Free people are people who CONTROL the government instead of BEING controlled.

Flat out,they have been doing this and getting away with it because "WE,THE PEOPLE" have been ALLOWING them to get away with it.

[LMAO]

@LMAO

BullBush! We can NOT afford to close those programs.

We also can NOT continue to allow the graft and outright stealing for political purposes that is going on.

Your "solution" is to shoot the baby because of the dirty bathwater.

Every posts you make takes you further and further away from understanding

I’ve never advocated getting rid of Social Security. It’s going to need some very serious reforms and modernizing if you want that program to stay around.

You’re using emotional arguments against facts and math.

On the other hand, what argument can you make for keeping it in the hands of the same politicians that have mismanaged it?

[LMAO]

They will shut down if nothing is done.  And if that happens, it won't be a graceful failure, where the programs are modified to save them, you will simply wake up one day and realize that you're no longer getting that SS check, and you never will again.

What they’ll do is just continue printing more money to keep those checks coming. Those checks will be worthless, of course.