Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Social Security throws young Americans’ money over the cliff
New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester, NH ^ | 2011-06-23 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 07/03/2011 4:03:53 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

One of my earliest memories of revulsion against war came from seeing a photograph from the First World War when I was a teenager. It was nothing gory. Just a picture of a military officer, in an impressive uniform, talking to a puzzled and forlorn-looking old peasant woman with a cloth wrapped around her head.

He said simply: “Don’t you understand, madam? The village is not there any more.”

To many such people of that era, the village was the only world they knew. And to say that it had been destroyed in the carnage of war was to say that there was no way for them to go back home, that their whole world was gone.

Recently that image came back, in a wholly different context, while seeing pictures of American seniors carrying signs that read “Hands off my Social Security” and “Hands off my Medicare.”

They want their Social Security and their Medicare to stay the way they are — and their anger is directed against those who want to change the financial arrangements that pay for these benefits.

Their anger should be directed instead against those politicians who were irresponsible enough to set up these costly programs without putting aside enough money to pay for the promises that were made — promises that now cannot be kept, regardless of which political party controls the government.

Someone needs to say to those who want Social Security and Medicare to continue on unchanged: “Don’t you understand? The money is not there any more.”

(Excerpt) Read more at newhampshire.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: baby; biggovernment; boomers; default; economy; medicare; obamacare; ponzi; socialsecurity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last
To: Anima Mundi

I wonder if people would feel like it was wrong if we just “settled” for getting back all that we paid in, possibly adjusted for inflation.


It’s a fiscally impossible pipe dream. You may as well try to get your Enron investment back, what you originally paid.


21 posted on 07/03/2011 6:34:14 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (End the "Fiscal Fiasco" in 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Beelzebubba

It may be impossible, but would it be wrong for that to happen?


22 posted on 07/03/2011 6:39:58 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Balding_Eagle

It may be impossible, but would it be wrong for that to happen?


No more wrong than scooping and eating up skittles shat by unicorns.

But in reality, the money isn’t there. It WOULD be wrong for the government to borrow to pay you what you think you’re owed.


23 posted on 07/03/2011 6:42:04 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (End the "Fiscal Fiasco" in 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: DuncanWaring
Social Security is a trivial problem at this point.

Trivial? The so-called entitlement programs are driving our indebtedness and represent an unfunded liability of over $60 trillion over a 75 year period. Take a look at these figures for the FY-2010 federal budget.


24 posted on 07/03/2011 6:42:15 PM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Politicians have been saying SS is “fixed” since Jimmy Carter. They ALL knew it was a lie but they got re-elected and most of them got a great retirement. But not from SS. They had their own retirement program.


25 posted on 07/03/2011 6:44:28 PM PDT by Terry Mross (I'll only vote for a SECOND party.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Beelzebubba

There are two parts to the question. I simply asked the moral part, would it be wrong?
.
That you ducked answering that question is not surprising.


26 posted on 07/03/2011 6:54:02 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Gator113
Haven’t you ever heard that a “Twinkie” will last forever.

Possums, not so much.

Based on how I feel each morning when I wake up (and am surprised), I can understand that.

OP

27 posted on 07/03/2011 7:06:43 PM PDT by OldPossum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Twinkie

Twinkie, I could have not said it any better. Thank you.....


28 posted on 07/03/2011 7:17:43 PM PDT by eeriegeno (<p>)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: OldPossum

You are not alone.

I have gone from telling my wife, “good night, I love you” to “just in case... good night, I love you”.

Oh to be young again......


29 posted on 07/03/2011 7:19:48 PM PDT by Gator113 ("GAME ON." I'll be voting for Sarah Palin, Liberty, our Constitution and American Exceptionalism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

“Don’t you understand? The money is not there any more.”

It’s there to pay as long as i’m going to be alive, don’t screw with it!


30 posted on 07/03/2011 7:27:33 PM PDT by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Beelzebubba

“It WOULD be wrong for the government to borrow to pay you what you think you’re owed.”

The government won’t have to borrow until i’m dead so just keep paying into the system sucker!


31 posted on 07/03/2011 7:37:10 PM PDT by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: dalereed

The government won’t have to borrow until I’m dead so just keep paying into the system sucker!


Such a moralist!

You will gladly bankrupt the future as long as you don’t have the consequences during our life.


32 posted on 07/03/2011 7:43:04 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (End the "Fiscal Fiasco" in 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Twinkie

Means Test all entitlements (SS, Medicare, State Pensions, Corporate Pensions, etc.)

That’s the fix we need. Like all taxes, SS and Medicare is a tax, not a trustfund. If someone needs help, we should help.

Problem fixed immediately.. and our economy will be powerful and competitive for the long term..


33 posted on 07/03/2011 7:46:13 PM PDT by Count of Monte Logan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: dalereed

It’s there to pay as long as i’m going to be alive, don’t screw with it!


No it isn’t. All that remains is the dubious and evil power of the government to borrow from future taxpayers to send you a check. There is NO MONEY SAVED!


34 posted on 07/03/2011 7:46:27 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (End the "Fiscal Fiasco" in 2012!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Beelzebubba

“You will gladly bankrupt the future as long as you don’t have the consequences during our life.”

Seeing the sewer this country was headed for 50 years ago we decided not to have childern that would have to live through it.


35 posted on 07/03/2011 7:50:21 PM PDT by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385; ItsOurTimeNow; PresbyRev; Fraulein; StoneColdGOP; Clemenza; m18436572; InShanghai; ..
Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

36 posted on 07/03/2011 7:51:44 PM PDT by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

And many would say back - “Don’t you understand. It is what I planned on living on after I can no longer physically and mentally work.”


37 posted on 07/03/2011 7:52:34 PM PDT by marsh2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Social Security is a ponzi scheme. I thought everyone already knew that.


38 posted on 07/03/2011 7:56:22 PM PDT by Hoodat (Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - (Rom 8:37))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kabar

Remember when ‘Excise Tax’ was 100% and there were no other categories?


39 posted on 07/03/2011 7:57:55 PM PDT by Hoodat (Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - (Rom 8:37))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: kabar
The so-called entitlement programs are driving our indebtedness and represent an unfunded liability of over $60 trillion over a 75 year period.

Bah!

$60 trillion over a 75 year period?

That's not even $1 trillion per year.

There's a hole nearly three times that size in THIS YEAR'S budget.

40 posted on 07/03/2011 8:04:47 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson