RINO Romney Calls for Tax Hikes, Raising Retirement Age

[mystery-ak]

RINO Romney Calls for Tax Hikes, Raising Retirement Age

John Nolte19 Dec 2025542

Former U.S. Senator Mitt Romney renewed his RINO license in the far-left New York Times on Friday by calling for tax hikes and the raising of the retirement age.

What is he doing, exactly?

It’s all so strange.

“If, as projected, the Social Security Trust Fund runs out in the 2034 fiscal year, benefits will be cut by about 23 percent. The government will need trillions of dollars to make up the shortfall,” he writes, and then recommends the following…

“Social Security and Medicare benefits for future retirees should be means-tested — need-based, that is to say — and the starting age for entitlement payments should be linked to American life expectancy.”

“Means-tested” means that even if you paid into Social Security and Medicare your entire working life, the government can decide you have too much money and deny you both—even though we’ve been told this is our money for our retirement.

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https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/12/19/nolte-rino-romney-calls-for-tax-hikes-raising-retirement-age/

[Timber Rattler]

That guy is like a bad rash on the butt...he just won't go away.

[Kamaji]

Social security should be means tested.  If someone was lucky enough or skillful enough to retire with a good private pension or 401(k) nestegg that affords them a good solid retirement, then they have all the retirement security they need, and they don’t need supplementation from the government. 

The threshold can be set reasonably high - I’m not talking about being miserly -  but it should be there.

[cato potatoe]

DC missed their opportunity to fix the system 20 years ago.  At this point, the most reasonable solution is a broad Social Security tax hike of 1-2% combined with a 1-2 year delay in full benefits.  But AOC will probably just ignore the secondary effects, eliminate the FICA cap, and rig the formula so the retired professionals get zero return.

[libertybele]

Who cares.  Romney is irrelevant.

[cato potatoe]

Who cares.  Romney is irrelevant.

He has a good point 47% of the time.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Isn't he sitting on a Delaware beach getting a nap with his bestie Brandon?

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Social security should be means tested.  If someone was lucky enough or skillful enough to retire with a good private pension or 401(k) nestegg that affords them a good solid retirement, then they have all the retirement security they need, and they don’t need supplementation from the government. 

The threshold can be set reasonably high - I’m not talking about being miserly -  but it should be there.

Next you will be saying sales taxes should be means tested with those having higher earnings paying higher rates.

Where do you think it will end?

Oh, BTW, this is not 'supplementation from the government'.  The government contributes nothing.

It is all borne by current payors into SS

[Wingnut]

There are 100 million Boomers will revolt against any party that lets the SS benny's be reduced in 2035.  Better hope we all die off by then.  Not to mention, Gen X is in the mix in 2035.
Gen Z better gird there loins and get a job and start having baby's.

[berdie]

Social security should be means tested.  If someone was lucky enough or skillful enough to retire with a good private pension or 401(k) nestegg that affords them a good solid retirement, then they have all the retirement security they need, and they don’t need supplementation from the government. 

The threshold can be set reasonably high - I’m not talking about being miserly -  but it should be there.

Sorry, but I disagree. The rich paid into the system. They are entitled to the benefit. I would much prefer that the "cap" on the SS deduction be raised.

[berdie]

I'm trying to figure out how Romney gets any press time...or why anyone cares what he says.

[libertybele]

There are 100 million Boomers will revolt against any party that lets the SS benny's be reduced in 2035.  Better hope we all die off by then.  Not to mention, Gen X is in the mix in 2035.
Gen Z better gird there loins and get a job and start having baby's.

  

[libertybele]

I'm trying to figure out how Romney gets any press time...or why anyone cares what he says.

Perhaps he's thinking of running in '28 against Vance.   

[Kamaji]

Sorry, but I disagree. The rich paid into the system. They are entitled to the benefit. I would much prefer that the "cap" on the SS deduction be raised.

Do they have a binding annuity contract with a private annuity company?

No, they don’t.  And they didn’t “pay into” anything.  They paid an additional income tax, which took a two-step process to end up in the general treasury kitty, where it’s already been spent.

And they have a welfare benefit that will be paid to them simply because they hit the magic retirement age.

Geez.  You get your panties all in a twist demanding that we cut a subsidy for poor people on health insurance, but you want to keep giving welfare benefits to rich people because you bought Roosevelt’s socialist lies that social security was an investment program in which all supposedly made an investment t that will be returned to them with interest when they retire? 

Good God.  Use the brains He gave you instead of continuing to vomit up the socialist lies of Roosevelt.

[berdie]

Do they have a binding annuity contract with a private annuity company?

No, they don’t.  And they didn’t “pay into” anything.  They paid an additional income tax, which took a two-step process to end up in the general treasury kitty, where it’s already been spent.

And they have a welfare benefit that will be paid to them simply because they hit the magic retirement age.

Geez.  You get your panties all in a twist demanding that we cut a subsidy for poor people on health insurance, but you want to keep giving welfare benefits to rich people because you bought Roosevelt’s socialist lies that social security was an investment program in which all supposedly made an investment t that will be returned to them with interest when they retire? 

Good God.  Use the brains He gave you instead of continuing to vomit up the socialist lies of Roosevelt.

I think you might have me confused with another poster. And just for the record, my panties seldom get twisted.

I stand by my post. If it was paid in...it is due. So sorry that FDR pushed this thru. But he did. It doesn't matter what you or I believe should have happened or should be. It is what it is.
 

[Kamaji]

I think you might have me confused with another poster. And just for the record, my panties seldom get twisted.

I stand by my post. If it was paid in...it is due. So sorry that FDR pushed this thru. But he did. It doesn't matter what you or I believe should have happened or should be. It is what it is.
 

You keep saying it was "paid in" - what was it paid into?  Show me the binding legal contract that gives you a binding legal entitlement to receive an annuity for the rest of your life once you hit retirement age.

No excuses, no bullshit.  Show me that God-damned contract, or STFU about "paid in".

[mystery-ak]

Come on now...be nice.

[Hoodat]

Social security should be means tested.  If someone was lucky enough or skillful enough to retire with a good private pension or 401(k) nestegg that affords them a good solid retirement  .  .  .

Everyone could have a good solid retirement if they didn't have to pay Social Security taxes.

[DB]

So, I paid 12+ percent of my income or the maximum limit over the entirety of my life for it to come down to "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs".

Correction there was nearly five years out of about the last 50 years that I was an employee and only pad half of it...

[Kamaji]

Everyone could have a good solid retirement if they didn't have to pay Social Security taxes.

Maybe so, maybe not.  If that money was collected and invested in a series of trusts, with actual entitlements based on contractual rights, and the funds were invested under fiduciary principles, then they'd be better off than now.

[Kamaji]

So, I paid 12+ percent of my income or the maximum limit over the entirety of my life for it to come down to "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs".

Good Lord.  You paid a whole lot more than that in overall income tax.

Just because you paid the regular income tax (in addition to the misnamed "FICA" income tax surcharge), do you have an entitlement to those funds as well, with an investment premium on top?

Honestly, there is absolutely no difference between you and the libs when it comes to ginning up "entitlement" to getting paid from government funds.

You paid a f**king income tax surcharge, misleadingly labeled "federal insurance contributions act", and it went into the general funds, like all other income tax revenues do, and it got spent by your progressive brethren, and then some.

Show me your f*cking annuity contract, or STFU about what you "paid into".

[Hoodat]

Maybe so, maybe not.  If that money was collected and invested in a series of trusts, with actual entitlements based on contractual rights, and the funds were invested under fiduciary principles, then they'd be better off than now.

Which is exactly what we could have.  Government could still mandate the 14% withholding.  Except instead of handing that money over to the US Treasury to be spent on government excess the moment it arrives, the government could mandate that those funds be deposited into a government-approved fiduciary IRA.

[Hoodat]

So, I paid 12+ percent of my income or the maximum limit over the entirety of my life for it to come down to "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs".

Exactly.  Those of us who sacrificed to take care of our families in the latter years and build up an inheritance for our descendants get screwed in favor of the irresponsibles.

[Kamaji]

Which is exactly what we could have.  Government could still mandate the 14% withholding.  Except instead of handing that money over to the US Treasury to be spent on government excess the moment it arrives, the government could mandate that those funds be deposited into a government-approved fiduciary IRA.

Agreed.  It could also be put into bigger pools - to capture some of the economies of scale that come from larger investment pools - which are then parceled out to qualified investment managers/advisers who have agreed to undertake fiduciary duties with respect to the investments.

[Hoodat]

Just because you paid the regular income tax (in addition to the misnamed "FICA" income tax surcharge), do you have an entitlement to those funds as well, with an investment premium on top?

Have you ever considered that the people entitled to those funds are the people who worked their asses off for them?  It's my damn money!  I earned it.  If anyone has an entitlement to it, it is me.  Government isn't entitled to jack.

[Kamaji]

Have you ever considered that the people entitled to those funds are the people who worked their asses off for them?  It's my damn money!  I earned it.  If anyone has an entitlement to it, it is me.  Government isn't entitled to jack.

It's a tax.  Once it's collected from you you have exactly bupkis as entitlement to it.  That is how taxation works.  If you don't like it, form your own country.

[Bigun]

Next you will be saying sales taxes should be means tested with those having higher earnings paying higher rates.

Where do you think it will end?

Oh, BTW, this is not 'supplementation from the government'.  The government contributes nothing.

It is all borne by current payors into SS

  Absolutely correct!

[Hoodat]

It's a tax.  Once it's collected from you you have exactly bupkis as entitlement to it.  That is how taxation works.  If you don't like it, form your own country.

I know it's a tax.  Probably the worst tax we have.  It guarantees cyclical poverty is repeated generation after generation after generation.  If any private company did what our government does with Social Security, the entire board would be facing 40 years in prison.

As for forming my own country, that's been tried already.  History has proven that our government has zero tolerance for that.  Anyone doing so will find a federal army crossing the Potomac to put said country back under the bondage you describe above.

[Hoodat]

Next you will be saying sales taxes should be means tested with those having higher earnings paying higher rates.

Where do you think it will end?

Isn't that what Democrats do?  Oh, wait .  .  .

[Bigun]

It's a tax.  Once it's collected from you you have exactly bupkis as entitlement to it.  That is how taxation works.

Unfortunately, you are correct which is exactly why we need to rid ourselves of the Marxist income tax system and go back to taxes on articles of consumption only.

[Bigun]

I know it's a tax.  Probably the worst tax we have.  It guarantees cyclical poverty is repeated generation after generation after generation.  If any private company did what our government does with Social Security, the entire board would be facing 40 years in prison.

As for forming my own country, that's been tried already.  History has proven that our government has zero tolerance for that.  Anyone doing so will find a federal army crossing the Potomac to put said country back under the bondage you describe above.

Many people, most recently Bernie Madoff, have gone to prison for doing exactly the same thing the government does. Ponzi schemes all end the same way.

[libertybele]

I think you might have me confused with another poster. And just for the record, my panties seldom get twisted.

I stand by my post. If it was paid in...it is due. So sorry that FDR pushed this thru. But he did. It doesn't matter what you or I believe should have happened or should be. It is what it is.

Good to know @berdie that you don't let your knickers get in a twist. 

As for the rest of your post -- I completely agree!

[IsailedawayfromFR]

It's a tax.  Once it's collected from you you have exactly bupkis as entitlement to it.

It's a Ponzi Scheme disguised as a tax.

[DB]

Good Lord.  You paid a whole lot more than that in overall income tax.

Just because you paid the regular income tax (in addition to the misnamed "FICA" income tax surcharge), do you have an entitlement to those funds as well, with an investment premium on top?

Honestly, there is absolutely no difference between you and the libs when it comes to ginning up "entitlement" to getting paid from government funds.

You paid a f**king income tax surcharge, misleadingly labeled "federal insurance contributions act", and it went into the general funds, like all other income tax revenues do, and it got spent by your progressive brethren, and then some.

Show me your f*cking annuity contract, or STFU about what you "paid into".

You really are a piece of work... I wasn't rude to you.

I never asked for an "investment premium".

I was told by the government at the point of a gun that I was going to get at least a significant amount of the money I paid into SS if I lived long enough.

And now you and Romney want to change the rules after the fact based on my abilities and other's needs. The hard left's position.

You and Romney can go F'off.