Dow in positive territory for the year

[jreeves]

The stock marekt responds to all kinds of input.

While certainly the regime in power might have an effect on it, other factors certainly play their role in what happens, too.

I did not credit Clinton for the markets rise, neither do I blame Bush II for its decline.

I'm with TORO here, trying to make political hay out of the DOW is foolish and misinformed.

I'm with Terral you can't keep spending trillions of dollars with no backing and expect the outcome to be good.

Oh, but I agree that you cannot keep spending trillions of dollars without serious reprecusions.

But that is a far cry from saying there is going to be 79 billion percent inflation. Inflation is coming, maybe 5% or 10%, but not 79,000,000,000%

Context people. Context.

You know what Toro, do I know exactly what the inflation rate will be? No, but this guy was warning about government spending way back.

David Walker on CBS 60 Minutes

 

[Paulie]

I'll give you some context....The looming demographic train wreck, viz. entitlement spending.

That's why we should raise the rate of retirement for social security and medicare to 72. Most of those liabilities will melt away just by changing the age at which entitlements are given.

We should also start investing social security like a real pension fund, like other countries around the world do. SS should invest in other securities other than US bonds. The compounding effect of earning 7% instead of 4% is astounding.

The sad thing about that though, is that the people who are 65 and would then have to wait another 7 years to get their benefits are getting screwed.

As much as I disagree with the out of control entitlement spending, it's pretty sad to see someone in their old age have to be left high and dry, and be counted on to hopefully kick the bucket before they ever start receiving benefits.

I do agree with you about SS, though.

 

[jreeves]

I'll give you some context....The looming demographic train wreck, viz. entitlement spending.

That's why we should raise the rate of retirement for social security and medicare to 72. Most of those liabilities will melt away just by changing the age at which entitlements are given.

We should also start investing social security like a real pension fund, like other countries around the world do. SS should invest in other securities other than US bonds. The compounding effect of earning 7% instead of 4% is astounding.

The sad thing about that though, is that the people who are 65 and would then have to wait another 7 years to get their benefits are getting screwed.

As much as I disagree with the out of control entitlement spending, it's pretty sad to see someone in their old age have to be left high and dry, and be counted on to hopefully kick the bucket before they ever start receiving benefits.

I do agree with you about SS, though.

Now what to do with Medicare and Medicaid? What do we do with the ballooning National Debt because the more money we borrow the more interest needs to paid. This should be priority #1 before anything else, by about 2032 our country will only have enough money to pay for entitlements and interest on the National Debt.

 

[Paulie]

That's why we should raise the rate of retirement for social security and medicare to 72. Most of those liabilities will melt away just by changing the age at which entitlements are given.

We should also start investing social security like a real pension fund, like other countries around the world do. SS should invest in other securities other than US bonds. The compounding effect of earning 7% instead of 4% is astounding.

The sad thing about that though, is that the people who are 65 and would then have to wait another 7 years to get their benefits are getting screwed.

As much as I disagree with the out of control entitlement spending, it's pretty sad to see someone in their old age have to be left high and dry, and be counted on to hopefully kick the bucket before they ever start receiving benefits.

I do agree with you about SS, though.

Now what to do with Medicare and Medicaid? What do we do with the ballooning National Debt because the more money we borrow the more interest needs to paid. This should be priority #1 before anything else, by about 2032 our country will only have enough money to pay for entitlements and interest on the National Debt.

It's obvious they aren't going anywhere. When they were created, the creators KNEW they'd be there forever, because how do we just pull that safety net out from under all those citizens?

My idea would be to cut people off from medicare and SS at age 40 and under, or at least let them opt out and let them establish their own retirement plan with more of their income in their pockets. If you've made it past 40 by the time the change goes into effect, lucky you. As for medicaid, I don't think anyone without kids should be entitled to it PERIOD.

Now what to do about the money the 40 and unders have already paid in? Stimulus rebates? I don't know. At least it would be a one-time payout, and then we can start fresh.

Whatever we do, no matter what, it's going to hurt SOMEONE. The sooner we take our medicine, the easier it'll be to recover from.

 

[jreeves]

The sad thing about that though, is that the people who are 65 and would then have to wait another 7 years to get their benefits are getting screwed.

As much as I disagree with the out of control entitlement spending, it's pretty sad to see someone in their old age have to be left high and dry, and be counted on to hopefully kick the bucket before they ever start receiving benefits.

I do agree with you about SS, though.

Now what to do with Medicare and Medicaid? What do we do with the ballooning National Debt because the more money we borrow the more interest needs to paid. This should be priority #1 before anything else, by about 2032 our country will only have enough money to pay for entitlements and interest on the National Debt.

It's obvious they aren't going anywhere. When they were created, the creators KNEW they'd be there forever, because how do we just pull that safety net out from under all those citizens?

My idea would be to cut people off from medicare and SS at age 40 and under, or at least let them opt out and let them establish their own retirement plan with more of their income in their pockets. If you've made it past 40 by the time the change goes into effect, lucky you. As for medicaid, I don't think anyone without kids should be entitled to it PERIOD.

Now what to do about the money the 40 and unders have already paid in? Stimulus rebates? I don't know. At least it would be a one-time payout, and then we can start fresh.

Whatever we do, no matter what, it's going to hurt SOMEONE. The sooner we take our medicine, the easier it'll be to recover from.

Good ideas, seriously. But I believe there is enough baby boomers already cued in for SS and Medicare to bankrupt both programs. It would be nice though if our representatives tried something at least.

 

[wimpy77]

invent some way to make health insurance affordable and you probably wouldn't need medicare.

 

[Oddball]

Define "affordable" in no uncertain terms and we're halfway there.

 

[wimpy77]

Define "affordable" in no uncertain terms and we're halfway there.

well most medicare receiptants on SS get between 790 and just over 1000 a month. start there. what percentage of that monthly income can they afford for insurance? but i agree with your statement