Fox Host On Social Security: Stop Giving People Money ‘Just Because They’re Old’

[KamaAina]

Not The Onion!

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/08/11/fox-host-on-social-security-stop-giving-people-money-just-because-theyre-old-video/

Michelle Fields was picked up by Fox News for her ability to contribute to intelligent discussions look pretty on camera for old white men who watch garbage. A Pepperdine graduate, Fields had what looked like a promising career ahead of her as a conservative political pundit until she traded any credibility she had for a minute and a half with Matt Damon, who made a complete fool of her for being totally clueless.

Now a regular panelist on Fox, Fields doesn’t need help being clueless; she seems to have a handle on it. In a recent segment of Eric Bolling’s program Cashin’ In, social security was the hot topic. Bolling turned the stink tank over to Fields, who reminded us just how an education can be wasted when she said:

“I think we should completely eliminate Social Security. I think it’s unfair to young people, they’re taking money from young people who are poor, who could invest and buy a home, and giving it to a lot of people who don’t actually need Social Security…We shouldn’t simply give money to people because they are old.”

Everyone knows old people don’t need money. Old people saved their whole lives. None of them lived an entire existence at or near the poverty level, and certainly none had their savings wiped out when Bush tanked the economy as they were about to retire. If we just let those lazy, no good old people fend for themselves, vibrant and pretty young folk will have more to spend on houses and hip new jeans.

[Warpy]

1. Ah, the immortaility of extreme youth and inexperience.

Little Michelle is going to be real surprised when she hits 55 and she's not rich enough to live the rest of her life in the lap of luxury, the big bucks having ended by her 35th birthday because a younger, fresher face has replaced her on camera.

I almost feel sorry for her future self.

Almost.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Wish granted.

Oh, wait. We don't give social security to people because they are old. We give it to them because they earned it.

[Sherman A1]

4. +1000

[restorefreedom]

9. damn straight. nt

[historian]

10. ah senor liberal

How right you are, but conservatives like to ignore little facts like those. Conservatives are so desperately against anyone who earns less than a million a year, that they cant sleep nights wondering whether those free loaders, who have worked all their lives, are sleeping in comfortable beds instead of on the street! Touch of sarcasm there.

[gratuitous]

3. Brilliant idea, Ms. Fields

You should pitch it to T Rump, urge him to make it part of his platform.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Oh gee, I was under the impression that people f**ing paid into that their whole lives

to insure that they would actually have some GD SECURITY when they got too old to hold down a job that wasn't there for them anyway. Silly me. I had no idea what shameless moochers these people were. They just need to move to a state with voluntary euthanasia and off themselves.

Do I need this -

[KamaAina]

7. There is no state with voluntary euthanasia. Yet.

Only physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill, which is an entirely different (though still morally complicated) animal.

[smirkymonkey]

12. It was kind of a joke.

Sometimes, though, I wish we did have voluntary euthanasia. It would be a lot more humane than the way a lot of us are forced to live.

[daredtowork]

6. Logic Fail. Without Social Security, Young People would have to pay for their parents

It would be a lot harder for young people to support their elderly parents out of their salaries than it would be to allow their parents to be supported out of a social spread funding plus interest on investment on *their own savings* over time.

So what Michelle Fields is talking about would actually be a transfer fiscal responsibility *onto* young people - an incredible burden that would make it very hard for them to get on in life. She ought to look at Asian countries for the outcome of that model. Children may benefit from their elders having an interest in giving them some extra help in buying their first house - but the expectation is they pay it back through out their lives through gifts for all their relatives and total support for their parents in their elder years. Hello, dreaded live-in Mother-in-law!

[avaistheone1]

8. k&r

[Pakhet]

14. This is what I'm dealing with now

My mom has retired, gets about $300 pension and almost $1000 in ss. I don't make enough to pay for everything for both of us and it's a continual struggle. we're usually happy if we have $7 between us to last until the next payday. I'm so tired of working 12 hour days and still not having enough money to buy groceries AND gas AND prescriptions...I'm just tired

[daredtowork]

15. Your rent/mortgage must be hell

What your mom is getting actually sounds pretty average for Social Security, so must people are getting by on that without much help from their children (but living in poverty). Imagine what would happen if "the young" voted to take that away! It would instantly burden them with ALL their parents needs.

[historian]

17. not sure if this is the right spot for this answer

But after traveled extensively in Europe for 7wks staying mostly at airbnb places I might help if you were to post your address and offer a room etc...Bear in mind it will depend a great deal on where you live as to how much you can charge or whether there will be any takers. I have a friend in chicago who offers a room, shower and some kitchen use for 110 a night and she is flooded with requests. She doesn't work much any more - no need to since she is earning approx 3000 monthly simply by doing that. Of course if you live in Warthog Mississippi you probably wont get many requests but its worth a try. Good luck.

[daredtowork]

19. I advocate strongly against the airbnb economy here

Rent has spiked sharply because of speculation, so at the individual level I see how market forces are chasing people toward AirBNB. However, our City government needs to come up with stronger policy interventions to support people on fixed incomes to deal with this problem. Suggesting AirBNB is like suggesting people deal drugs or turn to prostitution (or for women to get married) to solve their problems. Market forces may indeed force people toward that position, but there are greater social consequences nd harms.

AirBNB exacerbates the problem it purports to address around here. Units that would have gone into the regular rental market get reserved for quick-killing, rent-control-dodging AirBNB. This adds more pressure to the housing market, so rents spike higher. General property values go up with the high rents and value-added AirBNB: cashing out landlords dislodge old renters. The idea some tenants are making money on AirBNB outrages landlords, which becomes an argument against giving anyone rent control.

Furthermore, this is a university town: since students will often take rooms without kitchens, those are precisely the "useless" rooms going to AirBNB. If you look at the 1000 AirBNB listings (all of which were illegal until recently) you could see condos owned by foreign corporations, cottages built expressly as backyard mini bed and breakfasts at the height of the housing crisis, moguls vontrolling dozens of rooms/units...

So your suggestion for a way "out" of the problem is a terrible one for any community currently dealing with out-of-control speculation. If you are hard up for rent money, I hope you take a look at the housing pressure in your current community and resist the temptation if AirBNB will only cause harm.

[Pakhet]

20. thank you

that is something to look into.

[Pakhet]

21. rent is roughly 55% of my total income

And my son just moved in with us and has appropriated some of the expenses and the heavy work. I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't single and willing to help us out. My mom thinks it's awful that he should move in with us, but it's helping him too. And really, how long ago was it that several generations lived together before nuclear families took over?

[historian]

18. depending on where you live

you might want to list your home with airbnb. If you aren't sure how they work or what is involved go to their site and you will find all the info you need. Good luck

[eridani]

11. How about because we've paid into it for all our lives, you stupid sociopathic POS?? n/t

[hifiguy]

13. Come on, just say it, lady.

You KNOW you want to!

GAS THE GEEZERS!!!! (at least the poor ones)

[daredtowork]

16. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

A few months ago when Rahm Emmanuel's over-privileged sociopathic brother was proposing that everyone who wasn't a genius off themselves at age 75 because they weren't worth the financial burden they were placing on the world, I recommended an interesting dystopian novel call The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist.

In short, this book is about what happens when "useless" people (like writers and artists) have to consent to be organ donors in exchange for a safety net of senior housing.-