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Three things that will preserve Social Security as a self-sustaining entity are;I would not change existing benefits for most on the program. If you exceed a certain threshhold, then you pay more. Newbies and future folks will pay more and get less. The political parties will try to make this a win-lose situation. I am saying everyone helps and accepts change. It is easier to accept the sacrifices you make, if everyone else on your block is in the same position.
(1) Increase eligibility age to conform with life expectancy ratio.
(2) Remove the contribution "cap."
(3) Apply a means test to suspend payments to individuals whose assets disqualify their need for income supplement.
As for Medicare, two ways to significantly reduce its cost is eliminate the Part D and the Advantage components, both of which were put in place by the Bush Administration to divert a significant percentage of the overall cost to the private sector (Bush's corporate "base").
The bottom line is there is no need or reason to include the lower income brackets as targets in any economic reform program. All that is needed is to focus on undoing the redistribution of wealth resources facilitated by Reaganomics -- which also is responsible for nearly collapsing the Economy. Our system has been methodically disrupted and our treasury has been looted by deviously cunning manipulation of laws and federal policies. We need to stabilize our economic system and recover those resources by restoring the New Deal laws and policies that benefited and protected us and by reversing the manipulations.
I.e., By fighting fire with fire.
John Williams, over at Shadow Stats, compiles economic data for inflation and unemployment the way it used to be calculated pre-1990. Based on that data, the CPI inflation rate is over 10%, and the unemployment rate is over 15% (see charts). The Misery Index is the sum of the current inflation rate and the unemployment rate. If it were to be calculated using the older methods, the Index would now be over 25, a record high. It surpasses the old index high of 21.98, which occurred in June 1980, when Jimmy Carter was president. Most believe the height of the Index along with the Iranian hostage crisis is what caused Carter to lose his re-election bid.EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Shadow Stat Misery Index Highest on Record
If only we could collect taxes on the $Trillions being held in tax sheltered offshore accounts.
better would be declaring a moratorium ala Bush and have it repatriated, some milk is better than none....
End Medicaid? So you're content to live in a country where one's health is directly proportionate to one's wealth?
In a single word.... YES.
Then again you need to remember that my prefered time in history is the Feudal society of medieval Europe with its Caste system and everything that brings with it.
Do you think there should be no top end? We should just print and borrow and spend no matter how much we're in debt?
Republicans don't.
you are barking up the wrong tree.
and speaking of redundant, there are tons of gov. prgms that are duplicated and flat out money waters and yes that goes for the DOD too, however the DOD has been and is continuing to cut......how many times must that be said, yet entitlements are off the table according to the dems......
your turn.
Reality is what it is, and no amount of leftist foot-stamping and hissy fits will change it. Your refusal to accept what's right in front of you says more about you than the information.John Williams, over at Shadow Stats, compiles economic data for inflation and unemployment the way it used to be calculated pre-1990. Based on that data, the CPI inflation rate is over 10%, and the unemployment rate is over 15% (see charts). The Misery Index is the sum of the current inflation rate and the unemployment rate. If it were to be calculated using the older methods, the Index would now be over 25, a record high. It surpasses the old index high of 21.98, which occurred in June 1980, when Jimmy Carter was president. Most believe the height of the Index along with the Iranian hostage crisis is what caused Carter to lose his re-election bid.EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Shadow Stat Misery Index Highest on Record
So, now you're to the point of just making things up.
The Democrats have refused to make budget decisions for a couple of years now.Do you think there should be no top end? We should just print and borrow and spend no matter how much we're in debt?
Republicans don't.
I think you should actually make those decisions, instead of defaulting on the national debt as a way to "force" it.
This reminds of that scene from Casablanca, "I am shocked, shocked to know there is gambling going on," "Here are you winnings Captian. "Thankyou."
Repugnants had no problem voting to increase the Debt Ceiling under the shrub.
Repugnants had no problem increasing the Deficit under the shrub.
Repugnants had no problem with "Generational Debt", hell they loved it.
Do you think there should be no top end? We should just print and borrow and spend no matter how much we're in debt?
Republicans don't.
And where....oh where was all you concern with Debt Ceiling, the Budget and the Deficit under the shrub and dick(less). Where was all your concern about "Generational Debt" and putting the Interested on The Devicit on "The backs of our Children and Grand Children" when the shrub and the Repugs were all about increasing the Debt Ceiling, when the shrub and Repugs were all about increasing the Deficit?
You did nothing whatsoever.
Your words are empty and without meaning. They fly on the wings of the carion birds to the great dead places.
John Williams, over at Shadow Stats, compiles economic data for inflation and unemployment the way it used to be calculated pre-1990. Based on that data, the CPI inflation rate is over 10%, and the unemployment rate is over 15% (see charts). The Misery Index is the sum of the current inflation rate and the unemployment rate. If it were to be calculated using the older methods, the Index would now be over 25, a record high. It surpasses the old index high of 21.98, which occurred in June 1980, when Jimmy Carter was president. Most believe the height of the Index along with the Iranian hostage crisis is what caused Carter to lose his re-election bid.EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Shadow Stat Misery Index Highest on Record
So, now you're to the point of just making things up.
Your first mistake is regarding the potential yield from slashing the redundant defense budget and scrapping the counterproductive drug war as "little parts." These are massive and unnecessary expenditures.Your part of the problem Mike. Thinking that fixing a little part here or there will fix it is wrong. Until EVERYONE takes responsibility for the problem and ALL suffer in part, we are doomed. That includes Social Security and Medicare reforms. Looking to government as the cure is false as well. Though widely touted as a problem, we can't even get these jokers to stop pork barreling. America needs to wake up and start a Constitutional amendment to force a balanced budget and cast iron debt ceiling.
Your second mistake is presuming I expect those spending reductions to immediately solve the problem. Provided we can stop habitually spending the Nation into debt those reductions, alone, over time will pay down and resolve the deficit. But I'm not opposed to other spending cuts and I'm sure there are many prospects for that.
If you are determined to follow the Republican party line and go after Social Security and Medicare, considering your own parents' and/or grandparents' circumstances, specifically what kind of reforms do you have in mind?
you are barking up the wrong tree.
and speaking of redundant, there are tons of gov. prgms that are duplicated and flat out money waters and yes that goes for the DOD too, however the DOD has been and is continuing to cut......how many times must that be said, yet entitlements are off the table according to the dems......
your turn.
Reality is what it is, and no amount of leftist foot-stamping and hissy fits will change it. Your refusal to accept what's right in front of you says more about you than the information.John Williams, over at Shadow Stats, compiles economic data for inflation and unemployment the way it used to be calculated pre-1990. Based on that data, the CPI inflation rate is over 10%, and the unemployment rate is over 15% (see charts). The Misery Index is the sum of the current inflation rate and the unemployment rate. If it were to be calculated using the older methods, the Index would now be over 25, a record high. It surpasses the old index high of 21.98, which occurred in June 1980, when Jimmy Carter was president. Most believe the height of the Index along with the Iranian hostage crisis is what caused Carter to lose his re-election bid.EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Shadow Stat Misery Index Highest on Record
So, now you're to the point of just making things up.
If we were on the same board together, you would have heard me complaining about the GOP spending money like drunken Democrats. However, I continued to vote GOP because they were slightly less damaging to the nation than the Democrats.Do you think there should be no top end? We should just print and borrow and spend no matter how much we're in debt?
Republicans don't.
And where....oh where was all you concern with Debt Ceiling, the Budget and the Deficit under the shrub and dick(less). Where was all your concern about "Generational Debt" and putting the Interested on The Devicit on "The backs of our Children and Grand Children" when the shrub and the Repugs were all about increasing the Debt Ceiling, when the shrub and Repugs were all about increasing the Deficit?
You did nothing whatsoever.
Your words are empty and without meaning. They fly on the wings of the carion birds to the great dead places.
Is this you?
Republican policy created the need to raise the debt ceiling in the first place, now they want to blow up the country by refusing to do so.
John Williams, over at Shadow Stats, compiles economic data for inflation and unemployment the way it used to be calculated pre-1990. Based on that data, the CPI inflation rate is over 10%, and the unemployment rate is over 15% (see charts). The Misery Index is the sum of the current inflation rate and the unemployment rate. If it were to be calculated using the older methods, the Index would now be over 25, a record high. It surpasses the old index high of 21.98, which occurred in June 1980, when Jimmy Carter was president. Most believe the height of the Index along with the Iranian hostage crisis is what caused Carter to lose his re-election bid.EconomicPolicyJournal.com: Shadow Stat Misery Index Highest on Record
So, now you're to the point of just making things up.
Hey comon, what's wrong with the idea that President Obama looks worse if you let the rightwing propaganda machine jigger the numbers?
Source: Office of Management and BudgetYour first mistake is regarding the potential yield from slashing the redundant defense budget and scrapping the counterproductive drug war as "little parts." These are massive and unnecessary expenditures.
Your second mistake is presuming I expect those spending reductions to immediately solve the problem. Provided we can stop habitually spending the Nation into debt those reductions, alone, over time will pay down and resolve the deficit. But I'm not opposed to other spending cuts and I'm sure there are many prospects for that.
If you are determined to follow the Republican party line and go after Social Security and Medicare, considering your own parents' and/or grandparents' circumstances, specifically what kind of reforms do you have in mind?
you are barking up the wrong tree.
and speaking of redundant, there are tons of gov. prgms that are duplicated and flat out money waters and yes that goes for the DOD too, however the DOD has been and is continuing to cut......how many times must that be said, yet entitlements are off the table according to the dems......
your turn.
How can that chart predict what we'll be spending on defense in the next 10 years?
A husband caves to his nagging wife and spends the family into debt providing luxuries for their children that the mother loudly claims they deserve. The wife takes over the family finances on the pretense that the husband's irresponsible spending created the financial problem the family now finds itself in. After watching their mother run up exponentially more debt, wasting the money on practically every thing and every one, even the children come around and realize the family is in grave risk, begging their father to take back control of the finances and tell mom "no." Now that the father has control of the checkbook once again, the mother is pitching a bigger hissy fit than ever.
This, in a nutshell, is our United States Congress of the last several years.
