Neat and to the Point: Social Security

[Totally Committed]

TC

[Totally Committed]

1. Come on... it's anonymous, and all of us are going to be due to receive it

sooner or later!

TC

[rzemanfl]

3. My Dad got one check, died and collected $255.00 towards

his funeral. What people don't understand is that it's insurance-not a savings plan.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Technically, I believe it is a pension.

Fwiw.

[rzemanfl]

16. Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance. Remember that

when it started life expectancy was considerably less than it is now, it was insuring people against living to a old age and being broke.

[SharonAnn]

17. The balance has been stolen by the GOP to run government on reduced taxes.

The wealthy and corporations had their taxes reduced but still have government because Social Security surplus money is paying for it. That, and the debt they're incurring.

The only reason there's the "looming economic catastrophe" is that corporations and the wealthy aren't paying their fair share of taxes to fund the government. Fix that problem and the rest is minor adjustments.

[rzemanfl]

2. It needs some changes. One thing that really pisses me off is

rich fucks who take second or third trophy wives in late middle age, have some kids with them and then either die or go on Social Security, either way their children get benefits until they are 18, while other kids lack essentials. That really sucks.

[Totally Committed]

5. So you are for needs-based SS?

I agree with you about second and third spouses, btw.

TC

[rzemanfl]

8. It's not really that simple. I am against people gaming the

system. I don't have a lot of answers.

[Totally Committed]

9. A lot of people are with you on this... me included.

Gaming the system is what is bringing down a lot of the safety nets needed by the poor and the aged.

TC

[rfranklin]

10. The system was bankrupted by spending the money collected...

from us on B-1 bombers and missile defense shields and all the other unneeded military junk that enriches people like the Bush family and the rest of the oligarchy. Enough money has been collected (remember when they raised the rates under Reagan?) to keep it going for the next 200 years--but they fucking stole it and spent it! There is nothing wrong with social security. The SS tax should be collected on every dollar of income. Then there will be no problem.

[mikehiggins]

11. huh?

I doubt anyone takes a second or third "trophy wife" with SocSec in mind.

"gaming the system"? THat's a new one to me and probably, if I might say so, not backed up by any facts I know of. I'm due to start collecting SocSec this year and it seems to me they are pretty much "game"-proof unless you figure living long enough to collect it, or having your surviving kids helped out after you spent a lifetime paying into the plan and then died, is some sort of a game.

Dying in order to beat the system doesn't seem very positive to me.

[Skink]

4. The cap needs to be raised.

[Totally Committed]

6. Which cap? Age or income?

TC

[Totally Committed]

7. kick

TC

[glowing]

12. Social security should be paid out to the retired persons at the time

of retirement, and not be given in monthly checks. When the money is given, it should not be taxed monies.... Once you receive the amount you paid in, you can invest it, use it sparingly, or whatever you like.

Now, in cases where people become disabled or are unable to fufill a lifetime of work, social security should not be the fall back (especially since it won't pay out much anyway the way the system is now). This instance should be put under a medical situation. Insurance on the perchance something like this would happen should be part of the universal healthcare plan, this way it would cover the few out of millions who would need access to essentials of living. How much? However much you decide to pay into a disability insurance..

[Bitwit1234]

13. With all the money bush has wasted on the Iraq War

Social Security, Education System, Roads, Bridges and other projects could have been upgraded, repaired and rebuilt.

[leaninglib]

15. Other

I would let them keep what they have taken if they would just let me go my own way.

I hate being scammed!