| DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? | |
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+6lyntx Abe F. March alj joefrank dkchristi alice 10 posters |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:34 am | |
| Now that the rich have their tax break? Do you want SS benefits cut to balance the budget? Just curious, as usual. |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:17 am | |
| During an economic slump when so many people have had to fall back on Social Security because there are no jobs for people 62 years of age and older is not the time to cut the one source of income that allows them to participate in the economy and pay for housing and food and medical care (that's all it covers; bare necessities with a lifestyle downsize generally). Social Security needs refinements; this is just not the time to mess with it. Leave it alone. The majority of the people receiving Social Security worked a lifetime and paid their premium costs. Others receiving benefits as spouses or disabled persons or children of dead recipients would have no other source of income if they are messed with and burden other social services. At least the receipt of Social Security does not destroy one's dignity. In the future, when the economy is humming along and people think more rationally, some changes should occur. Two changes that could occur without reducing benefits would be to collect premium payments from day one of employment until the last day of employment with no cutoff at a specific income point. However, a means test could also be applied where recipients of Social Security could not have a net worth of over $5 million. That would still leave a considerable number of wealthy people able to suck out their last drop of their "contribution" to taxes. Other than those two items that would not harm the current and immediate future recipients, LEAVE SOCIAL SECURITY ALONE. I heard a radio dialogue regarding raising the retirement age further to save money (it's already past 65, depending on birth year and 70 for maxium benefits). One stupid statement was that the increased health of the elderly in the U.S. made it possible for them to find and retain employment well into their 70's. Yes, in an economy with jobs, that may be true. Have they looked for a job as a man or woman over 55 lately? LEAVE SOCIAL SECURITY ALONE UNTIL THERE ARE JOBS THAT WILL HIRE THE ELDERLY. Of course, I wonder how many years we are supposed to work full-time in this lifetime. I have already worked 51 years full-time and more part-time. There should be opportunities to scale down from full-time to part-time. I have often believed work should be in cycles so that we could move in and out of full-time employment to have time for family needs, elder care, education, travel, etc. At least other developed countries have shorter, standard work weeks and longer annual vacations. No wonder we are the most productive country in the world. We live to work instead of work to live. |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:25 am | |
| DK,
Very good thoughts. Thanks!
We work longer because we are the military for the world. Maybe we should charge a fee or engage our military less.
Last edited by alice on Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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joefrank Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8210 Registration date : 2008-11-04 Age : 75 Location : Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:30 pm | |
| 1/27/2011
Alice..
NO WAY ! I've worked 45 years...They should give at least a 10% increase, we haven't had one for two years, yet politicians get increases, the majority of people on SS live on it ! Don't get me started on this, I'm already pissed at the Govt., they are a bunch of phonies both parties...
DK...................Great Post !
Cheers..Joe |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:50 pm | |
| How on earth do people live on Social Security benefits? Maybe the politicians could show us how to do it. Before one penny is cut, let them try it for 6 monthes. They would change their minds. |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:29 pm | |
| Honestly, Alice, I think you're onto something. I feel pretty certain that I would have much less compassion if I were still living the same lifestyle I did during the first half of my life. Going through the working single parent thing from the time my kids were 6, 8, and 10 had some tight moments. I had already learned to simplify my life by the time I retired. I don't know if I would see things as I do if it had not been for the struggles I dealt with a few years back.
Ann |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:50 pm | |
| Ann,
I was the opposite. Mom would not spend money because she was freaked by the depression.
Dave and I would laugh and tell her the depression was long over. I loved to spend.
I voted mostly Republican for years. Now all of a sudden, I have changed. I don't like excess and feel for those who have little or nothing. Strange change! I like the way I think now. |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:58 am | |
| What DK, Ann and Alice said. |
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lyntx Three Star Member
Number of posts : 141 Registration date : 2010-10-27
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:28 pm | |
| Wait a minute, something's really screwy here. My folks are a few years away from benafits and their worried it won't be there. Dad says the politicians borrowed when their was extra money, so now that it's in trouble, the politicians want to stick it to the people who paid in all there lives? Why not lower there salaries and perks to put the money back in. Why should the people have to pay the consequences of the govts actions? |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:14 pm | |
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Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:37 pm | |
| Dear Lyntx, I think it is because we the people put them there to represent our views. It does not work out for most of us, just the rich and that was the plan. Love, Betty |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:28 pm | |
| First, who can leave their present jobs to run for political office? I mean, take the time off to run? Spend the money to run? Raise the money to run? Risk losing and still have a job to which they can return?
Next, who among us has the perfect home life and no skeletons in the closet that will be pulled out and aired to the entire world if possible by the opposition?
Who is charismatic enough for all the public speaking to get people to believe the hogwash that polls tell politicians they must say in order to be elected?
Then, of course, there are the litmus tests that are basic to running for any political office such as birth place, age, residence, etc.
Those questions alone narrow the field to a few wealthy attorneys who can leave their practices because the notoriety will actually help bring clients to their firm. It also allows for a limited few CEO's who are ready to leave their business anyway since they already made their $millions.
And that's representation? I think not. Where are the educators? the skilled workers? the nurses? the physicians? (there are a few physicians) the CPA's? the CEO's for non-profit organizations (there has been one of which I am aware)? the small businessman? and the list goes on.
It's no wonder the legislation is impossible for the common man to read and understand. It's purposefully written that way so we have to elect lawyers to interpret it for us.
I went to the IRS today to see if I could file my taxes myself. Since I have two small businesses running from my home, several odd sources of income, carry-over losses, etc., she advised me to have a CPA continue preparing my taxes.
Why should the tax system be so complicated that we have to pay a CPA to do our taxes? Sure, if you have a simple life, you can do it yourself online (maybe, if you are also computer literate). Otherwise, get help or be at risk.
Why should health care be so complicated? We don't need insurance, we need affordable health care and medicines. I went with my mom to try an decide which medicare provider best met her needs. I was confused; imagine my mom's confusion. We finally threw a dart...
Imagine, disabled people hire lawyers to help them through the Social Security morass. That doesn't make sense either.
Huge malpractice insurance costs for physicians doesn't make sense either.
Huge settlements for malpractice cases don't make sense either. If it is, in fact, malpractice. The appropriate settlement is actual costs and loss of life for which there are statistical tables. Someone knows how much you and I are worth today, what the financial loss is to our loved ones if we drop dead. That should not be an adversarial process with huge law firms raking in the dough from class action suits.
It all makes sense though when you see who is elected - |
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joefrank Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8210 Registration date : 2008-11-04 Age : 75 Location : Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:47 pm | |
| 2/1/2011
Diane..
I hope you don't mind if I call you Diane ? I agree with you 1000% the whole system is screwed up !
Cheers..Joe |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:25 pm | |
| Actually, I prefer DK - just hardly use my first name anymore. Since D.K. Christi is my legal alias as well as my pen name, I tend to use it more and more for simplicity. However, feel free, Joe, to call me anything you like while we are in agreement on a political issue :-) |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:10 am | |
| DK or brilliant Diane. Okay, we're in agreement on your post. You have a way of getting the facts down with clarity. Your writing ability is evident.
I heard that the US courts are declaring the healthcare program, unconstitutional. Unconstutional? What about the part of the constitution that is dedicated to the welfare of its citizens? People claim the right to own a gun as being constitutional. I think they may regret that when the citizens resort to using the gun. There may be some that will use the gun to eleviate suffering when they can't get healthcare, or turn it on the people who denied them the right to affordable care. |
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dmondeo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1485 Registration date : 2009-02-15 Age : 69 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 5:49 am | |
| Social security is not really security at all! People spend their working lives paying into it and get penalised when they need to use it. That reminds me of the way insurance companies treat many of those who claim on their policies.
The rich have always gotten rich on the plight of the poor. That is a fact that will always be with us. Companies give to charity to offset Tax liabilities, Personalities become charitable for the good publicity it generates and the big bucks that result from the popularity involved with being charitable. It's good for their career and the bank balance. So it follows that if you remove the support of benefits you generate a rise in poverty and a rise in shady business opportunities. Riots and anarchy may result and herald a new age of depression. Black marketeer's and organised crime will rise to the challenge that's the way it has always been.
The shameful truth is that you need the poor because they can generate a good economy through cheap labour. |
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LC Five Star Member
Number of posts : 5044 Registration date : 2009-03-28
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:16 am | |
| - Quote :
- It's no wonder the legislation is impossible for the common man to read and understand. It's purposefully written that way so we have to elect lawyers to interpret it for us.
The weekend 1/29-1/30 WSJ had a great article on page C2 called "Soaking the Wealthy: An American Tradition" that described the evolution of our current tax code. At one time JUST the wealthy were taxed, with a marginal rate of 94% under Roosevelt's "New Deal" tax regime! From the article: "Lawmakers were able to blunt the effect of high statutory rates by handing out tax preferences to their friends, constituents and contributors. Steep rates preserved the appearance of progressivity while supplying politicians with their stock in trade: favors." Scott Adams of Dilbert fame has a funny accompanying piece called "How to Tax the Rich" (of which he admits he is one). He suggests that recipients of social services write letters of gratitude to the rich, and that the rich get to park in handicapped spots (since there aren't many, this wouldn't be a big problem) and drive in the carpool lane in return for their higher tax rates. LOL. |
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LC Five Star Member
Number of posts : 5044 Registration date : 2009-03-28
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:21 am | |
| - Quote :
- The rich have always gotten rich on the plight of the poor. ...
The shameful truth is that you need the poor because they can generate a good economy through cheap labour. This is some serious class warfare rhetoric. I'd suggest the opposite: that the rich get rich by taking risks and working hard, and when they're successful, raise the poor up via jobs. |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 2:39 pm | |
| LC,
Why am I not surprised? Believe it or not, some poor people take risks and work hard too and get nothing except poorer. |
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LC Five Star Member
Number of posts : 5044 Registration date : 2009-03-28
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 3:43 pm | |
| - Quote :
- Believe it or not, some poor people take risks and work hard too and get nothing except poorer.
Sure. So does that mean the ones who took risks and got richer automatically exploited them? I'm not seeing the connection. |
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Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 4:36 pm | |
| But you think that everyone who self-publishes should achieve the same result. When the truth is that, although the majority will make very little money, some self-published authors will make a great deal of money. Some risk takers self-publish as well as participating in all other kinds of risk-takiing activities. |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:48 pm | |
| - LC wrote:
-
- Quote :
- Believe it or not, some poor people take risks and work hard too and get nothing except poorer.
Sure. So does that mean the ones who took risks and got richer automatically exploited them? I'm not seeing the connection.
No! It means don't generalize. Not all rich people are good and not all poor people are bad. Not all rich people work hard and not all poor people are lazy--that's all! |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:53 pm | |
| - Abe F. March wrote:
- DK or brilliant Diane.
Okay, we're in agreement on your post. You have a way of getting the facts down with clarity. Your writing ability is evident.
I heard that the US courts are declaring the healthcare program, unconstitutional. Unconstutional? What about the part of the constitution that is dedicated to the welfare of its citizens? People claim the right to own a gun as being constitutional. I think they may regret that when the citizens resort to using the gun. There may be some that will use the gun to eleviate suffering when they can't get healthcare, or turn it on the people who denied them the right to affordable care. Abe, I hope it doesn't come to that! |
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LC Five Star Member
Number of posts : 5044 Registration date : 2009-03-28
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:01 pm | |
| - Quote :
- But you think that everyone who self-publishes should achieve the same result.
? No, I've just said that there aren't a whole lot of examples of successful self-publishers. I'm not sure what this has to do with Social Security. |
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Shelagh Admin
Number of posts : 12662 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:41 am | |
| It has little to do with social security but a lot to do with risk-taking -- which was your point. Risk-takers, according to you, have a beneficial effect by raising the poor up via jobs. The self-publishing industry is no different to any other. The successful self-published authors help in providing income for those employed in the self-publishing industry more than the unsuccessful (pro rata). You take a different attitude to the few successful self-published authors than to the few successful businessmen in any other industry. Your advise is not to self-publish because only a few make a subsantial amount of money. But human behaviour shows that people like to do things even when the chance of gaining a great deal of money is slight (lottery, amateur sports competitions, small businesses that stay small etc.). |
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| DO YOU THINK SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD BE REDUCED? | |
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