Talismen
Lady Templar & Kafir
At the time of this writing, I am exactly 1 week into my 43rd year on this earth. And because I was raised by my parents, my maternal grandmother and great-grand parents, I knew 20 years ago that the possibility of social security not being there for me at retirement, was quite high. They saw it coming back then, and made sure they didn't blow sunshine up my backside, with regards to what was to come.
Today, we learned just how high that possibility really is:
Link: Social Security fund slides into permanent deficit
(snip)
Keep in mind, FDR (remember he was liberal too) never intended for the SS program to look as it does today, nor did he ever intend for SS to be the only means of retirement income for ANY worker in this country. Check your history, and you'll find that out fast.
Social Security is the "canary" in the economic "coal mine". It's been withering away for more than a few decades, and now, is finally at the point of no return without massive intervention and modification.
Why? Many reasons, not the least of which is the sustained high unemployement numbers, and the fact that more people are "sucking" from the government "teet", rather than making their own way in the world.
So, how do we fix it? Raise the retirement age? Maybe, but, there are those of us who are about 20yrs away from retirement at the current age limit, who'd love to see this not happen.
Ok so....What else? How about offering incentives for folks who are over a certain income level NOT to take their SS funds? Of course, that would mean that a change would have to be made to the law which allows folks to opt-out of the existing mandatory participation/receipt of those funds.
Ahh but....So much needs to be done with the budget, it can become quite overwhelming when one thinks about it.
I'll tell you who has a good start on just what needs to be done to the budget....Rand Paul.
See here:
Link: A detailed look at the Rand Paul spending bill
(snip)
Associated link:
http://www.randpaul2010.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Overview-500-billion-cuts-2.pdf
Now, does this have a snow ball's chance in hell of passing, even on a partial level?
Prolly not. But damn...He ain't foolin'! Good on him!
How's about a Paul/Christie ticket in 2012? WOOHOO!
Today, we learned just how high that possibility really is:
Link: Social Security fund slides into permanent deficit
(snip)
(Read the rest at the link above....)By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Thu Jan 27, 11:18 am ET
WASHINGTON Social Security's finances are getting worse as the economy struggles to recover and millions of baby boomers stand at the brink of retirement.
New congressional projections show Social Security running deficits every year until its trust funds are eventually drained in about 2037.
This year alone, Social Security is projected to collect $45 billion less in payroll taxes than it pays out in retirement, disability and survivor benefits, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. That figure swells to $130 billion when a new one-year cut in payroll taxes is included, though Congress has promised to repay any lost revenue from the tax cut.
The massive retirement program has been feeling the effects of a struggling economy for several years. The program first went into deficit last year the first deficit since it was last overhauled in the 1980s. But CBO said last year that Social Security would post surpluses for a few more years before permanently slipping into deficits in 2016.
Keep in mind, FDR (remember he was liberal too) never intended for the SS program to look as it does today, nor did he ever intend for SS to be the only means of retirement income for ANY worker in this country. Check your history, and you'll find that out fast.
Social Security is the "canary" in the economic "coal mine". It's been withering away for more than a few decades, and now, is finally at the point of no return without massive intervention and modification.
Why? Many reasons, not the least of which is the sustained high unemployement numbers, and the fact that more people are "sucking" from the government "teet", rather than making their own way in the world.
So, how do we fix it? Raise the retirement age? Maybe, but, there are those of us who are about 20yrs away from retirement at the current age limit, who'd love to see this not happen.
Ok so....What else? How about offering incentives for folks who are over a certain income level NOT to take their SS funds? Of course, that would mean that a change would have to be made to the law which allows folks to opt-out of the existing mandatory participation/receipt of those funds.
Ahh but....So much needs to be done with the budget, it can become quite overwhelming when one thinks about it.
I'll tell you who has a good start on just what needs to be done to the budget....Rand Paul.
See here:
Link: A detailed look at the Rand Paul spending bill
(snip)
Read the rest at the 2nd link above....Of course, even this bill would only cut this year's record deficit by one-third. But if you can bring discretionary spending down a notch with something like it, then cut Defense further as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq wind down, you've gotten to the point where you can look Americans in the eye and tell them you've done everything you can, and it's time to do something about Social Security and Medicare to save the nation from long-term financial collapse.
I've copied down the short version of what gets cut from each agency or department, and the percentage cut. Paul offers a more complete explanation of each item here.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH...............................$1,283,000,000. (23%)
Notes: The Government Printing Office is abolished.
JUDICIAL BRANCH......................................$2,434,000,000. (32%)
AGRICULTURE............................................$42,542,000,000. (30%)
The Agriculture Research Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Resources Conservation Service, and Foreign Agricultural Service are abolished. The Forest Service gets a $1.2 billion haircut.
COMMERCE...................................................$5,322,000,000. (54%)
National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is cut by $857,000,000.
DEFENSE.......................................................$47,500,000,000. (6.5%)
EDUCATION..................................................$78,000,000,000 (83%)
Only the Pell grant program survives.
ENERGY............................................................$44,200,000,000 (100%)
The Defense Department takes over all of Energy's remaining functions (nuclear waste, for example) and about $18 billion of its budget.
Associated link:
http://www.randpaul2010.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Overview-500-billion-cuts-2.pdf
Now, does this have a snow ball's chance in hell of passing, even on a partial level?
Prolly not. But damn...He ain't foolin'! Good on him!
How's about a Paul/Christie ticket in 2012? WOOHOO!