right on! this is the kind of thing that needs more exposure.. i know i will never see a dime of social(ist) security.. i just wish they would be honest about it...

The "surplus" is deposited in the Bank of Smoke and Mirrors along with the real value of the fiat currency commonly referred to as FeRNs (Federal Reserve Notes).

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

Bumpzilla.

People should send this out to their local papers (I just did), especially if those papers rely on the dreck reported by AP on this subject (which mine does).

our distinguished politicians in both parties are, in the main, either liars or just plain ignorant.

Decisions, Decisions. I'll have to get back to you on this.

G. Will said something about this a couple of weeks ago, the government has been useing money from SS since day one.

Since the "end of welfare as we know it" beginning in 1995, combined with the huge influx of 'undocumented' workers in America, increased the total number of employed, the FICA taxes collected by our government.has hugely increased. This increase was not factored into previous budgets because (a) the Clinton regime did not appreciate that 'welfare mothers' would actually begin to be productive workers, and (b) no one wants to acknowledge openly that many employers submit FICA taxes on employees whose Social Security numbers may be bogus. These employees consider that the withheld tax is not part of their remuneration. They are willing to work for the net paycheck. But everybody in Washington knows about this sweet addition to the Revenue side of the budget.

How I love to see the truth here! Thank you!

our distinguished politicians in both parties are, in the main, either liars or just plain ignorant.

About this I think they are not ignorant. Its something else.

THERE NEVER WAS A SURPLUS ... Never, ever, ever!

And you did not have to go to Havard math school to figure it out.

The Debt To the Penny Current
08/28/2001 $5,806,456,471,521.95
Current Month Amount
08/27/2001 $5,803,353,287,714.99
08/24/2001 $5,804,791,970,827.93
08/23/2001 $5,804,540,124,890.75
08/22/2001 $5,779,164,972,811.46
08/21/2001 $5,780,199,767,937.07
08/20/2001 $5,776,826,279,419.73
08/17/2001 $5,777,555,753,469.15
08/16/2001 $5,776,340,437,396.11
Prior Months
07/31/2001 $5,718,303,095,621.12
06/29/2001 $5,726,814,835,287.17
05/31/2001 $5,656,181,958,605.26
04/30/2001 $5,661,347,798,002.65
03/30/2001 $5,773,739,949,951.53
Prior Fiscal Years
09/29/2000 $5,674,178,209,886.86
09/30/1999 $5,656,270,901,615.43
09/30/1998 $5,526,193,008,897.62
09/30/1997 $5,413,146,011,397.34
09/30/1996 $5,224,810,939,135.73
SOURCE: BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT
Thats your surplus

The TRUTH is hard for the digestion...

Simply GREAT post...

MUST be "spread around"......

But how??????!?!?!?!?!?!?

Gee I don't know I good case could be made on the dumb side. :-)

Finally, someone in the "media" with the chutzpah to write the truth. Nothing in this column needs to be corrected, as far as I can see.

Thanks for posting it, kat.

Thanks !

Too bad Amercans are more interested in the NFL injury report than the lies shoved down their willing open throats.

medianews bump
CCRM bump

Maybe The New York Times should stick to reporting on Art, Science and Fashion, and leave the hard reporting to those willing to do some legwork. On second thought, considering their 50 million year "melted North polar ice cap", maybe they should stick to Art and Fashion. ;-)

Just so you know...that is more symbolic than precise. As a concept citing those numbers is great. As an actual accounting, it's preposterous to think that one can state the number with more than 4 significant digits.

It be gub'ment numbers not mine I just cut and paste.

It be gub'ment numbers not mine I just cut and paste.

No problem. It's just that the government sum figures are really only accurate to about the nearest $10 billion.

I hate when numbers are abused... :)