Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That being said, there definitely is a huge amount of abuse of these programs. But the answer is not to cut the funding. The answer is to tighten up eligibility - count assets in determination, even look at lifestyle (gasp!).
When people with Medicaid are driving up to the doctor's office in their Lexus SUVs, something is wrong. When people with Medicaid are flying home to Pakistan every year, with a stop off pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on the way, something is wrong.
The quickest way to end the fraud would be to have well-staffed reporting phone and email lines, for anonymous reporters, and an army of investigators.
I am sorry if this offends anyone, but there is a difference between someone getting money back that they personally have set aside (through paycheck deductions) and someone getting a charity handout. I am not saying that we should not help the unfortunate, but just that the circumstances are completely different.
Look, I know that many people get WAY more back from Social Security than they put into it, but all I am saying that it is only fair and right, imo, that we get back as much as we put into it with reasonable interest. If someone were just to give me a check for the balance (plus interest) of what I paid into Social Security and say, "That's it -- that's all you're going to get" -- I personally would not have a problem with that; however, I do understand that many retired people counted on getting Social Security for the rest of their lives, as that is what they were promised, and I don't think it is right to renege on that.
Last edited by katharsis; 03-01-2018 at 12:36 PM..
Our excuse is that the entire political establishment is gutless, and wont' do anything about it.
The problem eventually will be solved by one of these means:
1. Inflation
2. Interest rate hikes
3. Automatic cuts to benefits
Or, you know, it could be that the boomers are now eligible for social security and Medicare. There are more of them than there were of previous generations and the silent generation is still going strong.
These become political hotbed issues based upon the various special interest groups; when many of these problems boil down to very simple math equations.
Really the key questions is how much are we going to pay out today in entitlements vs. how much we borrow. Then how much unbooked liability will we incur that we have yet to fund. The future entitlement liabilities along current payouts are what we have to solve now. Unfortunately there is no political will in congress or POTUS to address the real structural problems.
You know, I don't think we've run up our lead in the international arms race enough. Let's give the DoD another $800M to lose with nothing to show for it.
Sure, start with one if the most wasteful sacred cows called the military and we can cut other stuff from there. Maybe unnecessary tax cuts next.
Heaven forbid we cut down on killing with penis shaped projectiles and foreign occupations.
The irony of complaining about debt and spending with the idiot in the Whitehouse and Congress spending like driven sailors. Hey, that war pig just farted, it needs another 50b. ****ing food stamps!
You know, I don't think we've run up our lead in the international arms race enough. Let's give the DoD another $800M to lose with nothing to show for it.
Let's tax the rich, cut back on military and stop funding useless wars. After we do those things we can talk about it!
The rich already pay way more than their fair share of taxes and that will continue with Trump's new tax policy. Military spending is less than half of what it was 50 years ago as a percentage of GDP. Which useless war do you want to stop funding?
Let me know when you want to talk about the hundreds of thousands if not millions of people who are able-bodied, do not work, and continue to rely on the government (read: taxpayers).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
