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As we all should know, SS was only supposed to be a supplement to a person's savings. Somehow over the years it became the sole source for those grasshoppers who could never save. But, lucky them the Feds has upped the amount each month that most can live on it.
Oh, and recent studies have shown that Cola is bad for your health. It causes obesity, Diabetes and tooth decay!!!
As we all should know, SS was only supposed to be a supplement to a person's savings. Somehow over the years it became the sole source for those grasshoppers who could never save. But, lucky them the Feds has upped the amount each month that most can live on it.
Oh, and recent studies have shown that Cola is bad for your health. It causes obesity, Diabetes and tooth decay!!!
Actually, the only purpose of the original Social Security Act was to help keep the laborers (and their family) from becoming impoverished when they could no longer work. This was understandable given that the Act was passed during the Great Depression. "Security against the hazards and vicissitudes of life" and because "Fear and worry based on unknown danger contribute to social unrest and economic demoralization". FDR
The Supreme Court decisions regarding the constitutionality of the Social Security Act, particularly the two authored by Judge Cardozo discussing the public welfare, are a pleasure to read. Well, o.k., maybe not for everyone.
However, I agree that Cola, in excess, can cause obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
Just to clarify, my previous post was full of sarcastic comedy, meant to entertain, while pointing out my opinion of the current SS situation, and the futility of suggesting there are obvious solutions, as if we, common citizens that have no direct access to the workings of SS, are somehow more qualified to make decisions than those who have worked at that level within SS.
I disagree with this attitude -- you and I have no clue what's good for you and me, while some un-elected bureaucrat does.
I agree with other folks here that said SSI was supposed to be a safety net, not pension.
I would propose to transition / roll-up SSI into Welfare for those earning less than X. Housing vouchers, Section 8, food stamps, cash assistance, heating, Obama Phone, etc. Same for Medicare. No more medicare. Medicaid, or Obamacare for everybody. You wanted it? Now you got it.
So no more, "I paid into the system, now it's my turn to take it out." You pay taxes for a Safety Net, but only take out if you really need it.
The only difference between a senior and a non-senior would be that there would be no work-requirement for seniors.
I would also let states manage this, along with other welfare programs. They would provide more meaningful limits, COLA increases etc.
I addition, since Bernie Sanders loves Sweden, let's do Sweden. Let's privatize delivery of Welfare too. Private Benefit Administrator firms, privatize state-run agencies, hospitals. For profit. Let's do it the Democrat-Socialist way.
Personally, I don't mind not getting a SS raise this year. I got a reduction in my Suplemental Insurance and in my RX plan. That amounted to more than a COL raise would have, so things evened out for me.
Last edited by Miss Blue; 10-18-2015 at 07:22 AM..
I disagree with this attitude -- you and I have no clue what's good for you and me, while some un-elected bureaucrat does.
I agree with other folks here that said SSI was supposed to be a safety net, not pension.
I would propose to transition / roll-up SSI into Welfare for those earning less than X. Housing vouchers, Section 8, food stamps, cash assistance, heating, Obama Phone, etc. Same for Medicare. No more medicare. Medicaid, or Obamacare for everybody. You wanted it? Now you got it.
So no more, "I paid into the system, now it's my turn to take it out." You pay taxes for a Safety Net, but only take out if you really need it.
The only difference between a senior and a non-senior would be that there would be no work-requirement for seniors.
I would also let states manage this, along with other welfare programs. They would provide more meaningful limits, COLA increases etc.
I addition, since Bernie Sanders loves Sweden, let's do Sweden. Let's privatize delivery of Welfare too. Private Benefit Administrator firms, privatize state-run agencies, hospitals. For profit. Let's do it the Democrat-Socialist way.
Sanders cited Denmark. And no, Denmark does not privatize the delivery of health care. Furthermore, it is worth keeping in mind that the major reason the SS Act came to pass was because many of the states were NOT providing for the general welfare of their citizens. Certainly there is no reason to believe this mindset has changed.
Sanders cited Denmark. And no, Denmark does not privatize the delivery of health care.
Why pick and choose? Besides Denmark's "Age-Integrated Society" model of SS is less appealing to Social Democrats because it can't get the senior votes.
As King of Holland said last year -- "Era of Welfare is over. Prepare thyself."
We're rushing to become like Scandinavian states, yet they're leaving that state behind. Except Norway of course, which gets almost 1/3 of GDP from (gasp!!) fossil fuels. Even Norway can no longer afford to give out candy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lenora
Furthermore, it is worth keeping in mind that the major reason the SS Act came to pass was because many of the states were NOT providing for the general welfare of their citizens. Certainly there is no reason to believe this mindset has changed.
That was over 80 years ago. Now, all states have welfare. For those states who don't really have Medicaid, you have Obamacare. So there you go.
Regressives (who like Bernie Sanders, call themselves Progressives, Social Democrats, etc) have killed the European societies. These societies are dying, literally and irreversibly.
These societies are exporting seniors to Eastern Europe and Far Asia, because they can't afford to take care of them in their own country.
And this is a time when we American Taxpayers pay for the defense. What will happen when one day we can no longer provide for their defense, and they're going to pay for their own? What will happen to that welfare then? Seniors will be the first on the chopping block.
As we all should know, SS was only supposed to be a supplement to a person's savings. Somehow over the years it became the sole source for those grasshoppers who could never save. But, lucky them the Feds has upped the amount each month that most can live on it.
Oh, and recent studies have shown that Cola is bad for your health. It causes obesity, Diabetes and tooth decay!!!
And we all should know that somehow over the years the company PENSIONS that were in place when SSI was created vaporized to be replaced by..........nothing.
I remember when my pension was axed in favor of profits, it was mid 2000. When I went to work for the company we had a pension, profit sharing, ESOP program, access to a 401k with 20% match and short/long term disability insurance paid by the company along with decent healthcare and tuition reimbursement.
That was a great reason I went to work for said company, they really took care of the employees.
Unfortunately (for greedy people) they were only growing profits at 10% per year and that was not enough for the stockholders/BOD who wanted much MORE.
I went from having all of that to only having a 401k (no match) and paying much more for healthcare. Now the good part (for investors) was profits jumped significantly and the new CEO (who was brought in to replace the CEO and company founder) made millions in bonus.
Oh, it's not like the employees got any kind of raise after losing all of that and in fact the CEO cut staffing by about 1/3 so I was doing the jobs done previously by 4 people.
So much for having any shot at retirement savings unless my family ate nothing but pasta and peanut butter 4 days a week.
So, one little thing that could save millions of workers a poor fate and return SSI to a income supplement would be to just bring back company funded pensions or maybe a 50% match 401k.
Regressives (who like Bernie Sanders, call themselves Progressives, Social Democrats, etc) have killed the European societies. These societies are dying, literally and irreversibly.
These societies are exporting seniors to Eastern Europe and Far Asia, because they can't afford to takecare of them in their own country.
And this is a time when we American Taxpayers pay for the defense. What will happen when one day we can no longer provide for their defense, and they're going to pay for their own? What will happen to that welfare then? Seniors will be the first on the chopping block.
Yet, this is the model we want to copy?
Whatever happened to the concept of people taking care of themselves?
Besides, just because some European countries have made modest adjustments to their welfare states doesn't mean those countries have thrown seniors to the dogs.
Yes, there is economic malaise world-wide in first world countries, partly due to demographic changes (lower birth rates). But that is not the same as those societies "dying". The world is severely over-populated, and it will be well worth the necessary adjustments if population can be reduced.
OK I'll Help out.. HIRE ME this is a No Brainer.. Return EVERY DIME every president and or congress ever "borrowed" from SS.. ( Take it out of the Worlds LARGEST Military Budget ) Put every Dr. or CEO CFO in PRISON for 5 years who HAS ever defrauded MC.. Done Deal 99.9999 of the issues would be G O N E.....
I think it was back around 1980 that I read an in-depth article that showed SS was cash rich at the time and capable of funding itself indefinitely, with no need for contribution hikes, ever. And I remember, not too long after that article was published, Congress trying to get approval to tap the SS funds to help pay for some debt-loaded "necessity" they wanted to pour money into.
There was a lot of angry people who said they feared that loan would never be paid back. But our politicians promised the loan would be paid back, and with interest. Then they went ahead and approved the loan.
It wasn't long before we started hearing reports SS was going broke.
Our biggest problem has always been the people we elect to represent us.
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