Reply #25: It's part of the bigger goal of co-mingling the SS trust fund and the general budget. [View All]

[lumberjack_jeff]

Economically, it's not so bad; it puts money into the pockets of working people who will spend it. Spending IS hiring.

As policy on the other hand, it sucks. By transferring the money from the general fund into the SS trust fund, they further muddy the waters about what should be a clear distinction; the only relationship that Social Security should have to the general fund is an enforceable loaner/borrower relationship.

Look at it another way; "Social Security is in crisis" because 30 years from now, the trust fund is projected to be depleted, and retirees might look to the general fund to make up the shortfall. If that is the fundamental crisis, then why is Obama wanting to do exactly that, 30 years early?

The overriding goal from Washington is to find a way to stir the Social Security budget into the federal budget so that the rich are forever relieved from repaying the tax cuts they began borrowing from workers in 1983.