The facts prove that we must gut entitlement programs if we are to survive

[Avatar4321]

Social Security currently has a $2.7 trillion surplus and doesn't cost the government one penny - and is okay until 2033 even without any changes. Sooo, what's the problem?

Cut defense in Half.

The fact that there is no money in Social security. Your leaders spent it decades ago. IOUs are not a surplus. They never were. And they never will be.

 

[Lakhota]

Social Security currently has a $2.7 trillion surplus and doesn't cost the government one penny - and is okay until 2033 even without any changes. Sooo, what's the problem?

Cut defense in Half.

The fact that there is no money in Social security. Your leaders spent it decades ago. IOUs are not a surplus. They never were. And they never will be.

Tell that to the Chinese and all the other foreign countries holding U.S. debt.

 

[Lakhota]

Who Owns Most of the US National Debt

 

[Claudette]

Social Security currently has a $2.7 trillion surplus and doesn't cost the government one penny - and is okay until 2033 even without any changes. Sooo, what's the problem?

Cut defense in Half.

The fact that there is no money in Social security. Your leaders spent it decades ago. IOUs are not a surplus. They never were. And they never will be.

The minute LBJ, a Dem, put SS in the General Fund it was doomed. Those Clowns have been stealing it ever since.

Of course the Clowns don't put anything into SS. They have their own fund which they don't rob blind.

If anyone thinks they give a shit about your SS your living in la la land.

Personally I'd like every dime I have in both SS and Medicare. I can take better care of my money than some asshole in DC.

Those programs never, ever should have been implemented. Another case of no one looking at the big picture and unintended consequences.

Two more gifts courtesey of the asshole Democrats. Funny how all those entitlements are forced on us by the Dems.

 

[Mac1958]

.

"We must gut entitlement programs if we are to survive".

I suppose this depends on one's definition of the word "survive".

If it means "to exist as a country", that's certainly not true. If it means "remain as we are, with significant wealth concentration and an incredible quality of life for some", then that's a different story.

My guess is that we'll see higher overall income taxes, especially at the top end, within a few years. The combination of higher taxation and the drag it will have on the economy will reduce the standard of living for many -- fewer toys -- but quality of life overall? Not so sure.

We've passed the tipping point, gang. We've been borrowing too much money for decades now, we've been living an artificial lifestyle on credit cards, and it's time to pay up. Does anyone ever wonder why we never hear about "interest that must be paid on the debt" when there's a discussion on our budget and deficit? It's because both parties have had their hands in the cookie jar and no one's going to fess up.

We'll exist, possibly just fine, but it's not going to look like it has.

.

 

[LoneLaugher]

"Unfunded liabilities" are a scare tactic.

SS does not contribute to the deficit.

Medicare is cost effective.

The OP is a failure.

 

[ba1614]

Let's take from the poor and give to the rich, the theme of this thread and a motto long held by the Callous Conservatives, a set devoid of empathy and kindness -- dirtbags all.

"Let's take from the useful and give it to the healthy useless"

There fixed it for you.

 

[midcan5]

I love when the pessimists look out 75 years and see doom and gloom. For one thing almost everyone reading this doom and gloom forecast will be dead. One has to wonder if deep inside every negative prognosticator is a Mayan priest. Since today is the end what the heck should we worry about the future?

Whatever happened to the American can do spirit? The right wing is a sad bunch of whining children. Instead of whining why don't children of the right support America. Do I have to tell you how to do that?

http://www.usmessageboard.com/gener...ult-of-selfishness-on-the-american-right.html


"Something is profoundly wrong with the way we live today. For thirty years we have made a virtue out of the pursuit of material self-interest: indeed, this very pursuit now constitutes whatever remains of our sense of collective purpose. We know what things cost but have no idea what they are worth. We no longer ask of a judicial ruling or a legislative act: is it good? Is it fair? Is it just? Is it right? Will it help bring about a better society or a better world? Those used to be the political questions, even if they invited no easy answers. We must learn once again to pose them." Tony Judt 'Ill Fares the Land'

 

[Seawytch]

While it is true that we need some reform, that reform shouldn't look like anything the GOP wants to do with it. They don't want to "save" SS and Medicare. They want to destroy it because their corporate masters want to get their hands on all that cash.

It can be fixed without hurting our most vulnerable citizens.

Democrats Release "The Peoples Budget"

 

[007]

It'll be cold day in hell before this happens too, but, what our government SHOULD do, is sit down with a COMPLETE list of EVERY government agency there is, ALL of them, and start closing the ones that aren't ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I know that would be ESPECIALLY painful for obama, since he's grown the government more than any another president in history. Then cut the tit off to all this pork barrel spending, NO MORE. No more millions here and millions there going for the study of the reproductive courtship of a fucking NEWT. The WASTE and SIZE of government is out of control. We should shrink our government by HALF. Millions add up to billions, and billions add up to trillions. We need to save money EVERYWHERE, even if it's "ONLY" thousands. It ALL adds up.

Then we can talk about TERM LIMTS for ALL publicly elected officials. NO MORE senators and congressman spending 50+ years in office. That is ANOTHER huge reason why Washington is BROKE, the GOOD OLE BOYS CLUB. Bull shit, and no more LIFE appointments to the Supreme Court either. Term limits there also, and no more LOBBYISTS. Make that ILLEGAL!

There are MANY "reasonable" things that can be done to get this country back on track. We just don't seem able to do them, since we've got the fox guarding the hen house and an electorate that's too stupid and/or lazy to vote them out.

 

[ilia25]

The numbers don't lie....

No, but some people make a full use of the fact that you are FUCKING BRAIN DEAD!

Over the next 75 years, Social Security will owe an estimated $11.3 trillion... To make up the difference, Social Security will need “massive annual injections of funding

Simply divide $11.3 trillion by those fucking 75 years. Already you will end up with 150 billions, or "massive" 5% of annual government spending.

And it will be much less than 5% if you do the math properly -- more like a 0.25% increase annually.

Junk 'em.

Ya can't fix it, fuck it.

Too stupid to learn how to add, aren't we?

 

[LoneLaugher]

It'll be cold day in hell before this happens too, but, what our government SHOULD do, is sit down with a COMPLETE list of EVERY government agency there is, ALL of them, and start closing the ones that aren't ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I know that would be ESPECIALLY painful for obama, since he's grown the government more than any another president in history. Then cut the tit off to all this pork barrel spending, NO MORE. No more millions here and millions there going for the study of the reproductive courtship of a fucking NEWT. The WASTE and SIZE of government is out of control. We should shrink our government by HALF. Millions add up to billions, and billions add up to trillions. We need to save money EVERYWHERE, even if it's "ONLY" thousands. It ALL adds up.

Then we can talk about TERM LIMTS for ALL publicly elected officials. NO MORE senators and congressman spending 50+ years in office. That is ANOTHER huge reason why Washington is BROKE, the GOOD OLE BOYS CLUB. Bull shit, and no more LIFE appointments to the Supreme Court either. Term limits there also, and no more LOBBYISTS. Make that ILLEGAL!

There are MANY "reasonable" things that can be done to get this country back on track. We just don't seem able to do them, since we've got the fox guarding the hen house and an electorate that's too stupid and/or lazy to vote them out.

Please prove that statement. Thanks.

 

[NYcarbineer]

All we have to do is gut the military budget and most of the problem in entitlements disappears.

Yeah. Lots of dead people do tend to fix financial problems for states. But who is really that heartless?

Who's going to die if we dramatically cut our military budget? Specifically.

The Europeans? because we won't be defending them for free anymore? The South Koreans? The Japanese? The Afghans?

 

[NYcarbineer]

Social Security currently has a $2.7 trillion surplus and doesn't cost the government one penny - and is okay until 2033 even without any changes. Sooo, what's the problem?

Cut defense in Half.

The fact that there is no money in Social security. Your leaders spent it decades ago. IOUs are not a surplus. They never were. And they never will be.

The minute LBJ, a Dem, put SS in the General Fund it was doomed. Those Clowns have been stealing it ever since.

Of course the Clowns don't put anything into SS. They have their own fund which they don't rob blind.

If anyone thinks they give a shit about your SS your living in la la land.

Personally I'd like every dime I have in both SS and Medicare. I can take better care of my money than some asshole in DC.

Those programs never, ever should have been implemented. Another case of no one looking at the big picture and unintended consequences.

Two more gifts courtesey of the asshole Democrats. Funny how all those entitlements are forced on us by the Dems.

SS have always been invested in government securities. SS is a lender, not a borrower. It's the unfunded wars and profligate military spending that have made our debt a problem. Social Security recipients, past present and future, are paying their way. It's not their job to bail out the general fund and its fiscal problems.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Over the next 75 years, Social Security will owe an estimated $11.3 trillion more in benefits than it will receive in payroll taxes. It has been running deficits since 2010, according to the Social Security Administration.

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The latter is simply not true.



Redemption of trust fund assets from the General Fund of the Treasury will provide the resources needed to offset the annual cash-flow deficits. Since these redemptions will be less than interest earnings through 2020, nominal trust fund balances will continue to grow.

Do you need that explained to you, and explained to you why it proves your claim wasn't true?
Trustees Report Summary

 

[RandallFlagg]

What do you want to see done to SS and medicare?

Its relatively simple. Slowly begin raising the age of retirement. Instead of 67 (for example) make anyone under the age of 55 unable to collect before 68 (or whatever age is chosen).

Studies of shown that SS would then be solvent for another 50 years. Same thing with Medicare.

There. Problem solved.

 

[ba1614]

What do you want to see done to SS and medicare?

Its relatively simple. Slowly begin raising the age of retirement. Instead of 67 (for example) make anyone under the age of 55 unable to collect before 68 (or whatever age is chosen).

Studies of shown that SS would then be solvent for another 50 years. Same thing with Medicare.

There. Problem solved.

That's what they just did in Canada to their equivalent. Took it from 65 to 67 for anyone currently under 55. Of course they are currently more Conservative than America is at the moment, hence their lowest corporate tax and best performance in the G8 over the last 5-6yrs or so.

 

[Goodoledays]

All we have to do is gut the military budget and most of the problem in entitlements disappears.

Yep...most of those problems disappear...and out security goes down the toilet.

 

[LilOlLady]

The problem isn not entitlements but the way the government hand them out and that problem lies with those businesses and private entities charge these programs.

Case in point; a private owned senior complex subsidized by HUD contract a studio apartment for $763. HUD pays them $553 and the tenant pays $210 and the place is a “shit hole.” A medical supply business charge Medicare $10,000 for a power chair and it can be purchased over the internet for $3,000. Business replace the battery with used reconditions batteries for $375 and can be bought new locally for $115. A routine 10 minute doctors visit charge Medicare $350. Hell, doctors are not leaving Medicare and Medicaid with payments like this. Halliburton charge $12 for a paper plate, etc. $763 for a studio apartment that is a “shit hole” is theft. This is the spending problem.

For $763 I expect a penthouse.

 

[Truthmatters]

how is it you people were talked into cutting the military by 10%?


Its a great thing for this country and you hate great things for the country