GET BUSY AND FIX IT. I understand the Ponzi scheme, probably as well as or maybe better than you & I AM WILLING TO DO MY PART TO FIX IT!!! NOW, TODAY!!
You make broad assertions to accuse ME of selfishness when YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW ME, refuse to answer the questions presented, such as “What are YOU doing to fix the problem??!” - and attack, attack, attack. If FDR was such a good predicter, WHY was he such an enthusiastic SOCIALIST?? Why did he not comprehend the scope of his Ponzi scheme?
Quit screaming that I’M “selfish” and stupid, and do something constructive. We’re still working. What are YOU doing? Sounds like just carping to me. (Yes! It’s gotta be FIXED! If you insist on keeping on voting for Obama, he’s just gonna keep on “spreading the wealth around”.)
Like many here, I've paid near on 40 years. I've paid the maximum for several decades, so have my employers. Last time I checked, both were a little over $200K; I'll never see that - ever. Why? It's because me (yes, still) and the young pups here will still be required to "contribute" to a systems so corrupted, raped and plundered by Congress, our President, AND an endless stream of fat asses claiming SS disability, immigrants who 'sponsor' their aged parents and get them jobs long enough for SS qualification, and immoral young women (brood mares) popping out future criminals for that 'under 18' payment [while also getting points on EITC yearly splurge checks]. It isn't 'blue haired tax paying Americans' that are stealing your money, pups. Go tell your mama and poppa they're stealing your shit and see what happens.
1. Those currently on the system stay on with benefits frozen. (inflation will lower the value over time, but other forms of assistance from the private sector, churches, etc. will make up the difference)
2. Offer a one-time incentive to those of us within striking distance of receiving benefits to opt out. This would apply to anyone within 10 years of retirement. Part of the "opt-out" agreement would include a provision that SSI and medicaid taxes would no longer be collected from our paychecks as an admission from the government that they had stolen enough from us already.
3. Those who are within 10 years of receiving benefits who do not opt out face whatever benefits remain after legislative actions to correct the problem.
4. Those workers within 20 years of receiving benefits will have their SSI and medicaid taxes cut in half, then eliminated when they reach ten years from the benefit age. In addition, the benefits themselves for this age group will be severely cut. They will have 20 years beforehand to make up the difference.
5. Anyone who is over twenty years away from receiving benefits will not be eligible to receive them. The amount of SSI taken from their paychecks will be reduced as the number of those receiving benefits declines over time. At some point, the program will simply cease to exist as the last remaining beneficiary dies.
This approach would ease the transition for everyone involved and spread the sacrifice in a fair way to all.