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Tap into the Social Security Trust Fund as if it were the federal oil reserve(best read of the day)
history.com ^ | 7/14/11 | KCPete

Posted on 07/14/2011 7:11:01 AM PDT by bestintxas

President Obama said yesterday, "I cannot guarantee that [Social Security] checks go out on August 3rd, if we haven't resolved this [debt ceiling] issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it."

We've been told by Democrats and liberal economists that the Social Security Trust Fund exists.

The official Social Security Administration website claims, "By law, income to the trust funds must be invested, on a daily basis, in securities guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the Federal government," and, "Far from being 'worthless IOUs,' the investments held by the trust funds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U. S. Government."

Let's ignore, for the moment, the president's many options, such as cutting payments to his cronies and government bureaucrats. Instead of starving grandma, why doesn't President Obama just tap into the Social Security Trust Fund like he recently tapped into the oil reserves?

You mean to tell me, the Social Security Trust Fund doesn't really exist? I'm shocked!

(Excerpt) Read more at community.history.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: oil; socialsecurity
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To: bestintxas

Yep. It is tapped out. That is why Obama is willing to put it on the table. They can no longer use it as a slush fund.


21 posted on 07/14/2011 8:04:56 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (Socialism...Easier said than done.)
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To: Voter#537

The media suffers from Irrational Obama Exuberance.


22 posted on 07/14/2011 8:07:11 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (Socialism...Easier said than done.)
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To: Voter#537
Collapse of America is immanent.
23 posted on 07/14/2011 8:08:17 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (Socialism...Easier said than done.)
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To: ngat
The problem is that the only way to redeem the Special Issue bonds used for the SS "trust fund" is from surplus budgetary funds (which would be an overtaxation) or by issuing Treasury bonds at auction (borrowing money) to redeem the obligation. Under either scenario, even though real money was taken from workers to "buy" the bonds, more real money will have to be taken from workers to redeem them in order to give the original money back to the people.

It would be as if you wrote yourself an IOU for $1 million and then went to a bank looking to use that IOU as security for a loan. It's actual value is $0.00

24 posted on 07/14/2011 8:18:57 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
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To: ml/nj; bestintxas

The Promise (1964)

http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssa/usa1964-2.html

Self-Supporting

“The program is designed so that contributions plus interest on the investments of the social security trust funds will be sufficient to meet all of the costs of benefits and administration, now and into the indefinite future—without any subsidy from the general funds of the Government. Both the Congress and the Executive Branch, regardless of political party in power, have scrupulously provided in advance for full financing of all liberalizations in the program.”

And here is where YOUR money really went. Read and weep.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html#n4


25 posted on 07/14/2011 8:18:57 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Click my name. See my home page, if you dare! NEW PHOTOS!)
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To: Triple

“Everyone else that lends money to the US Government gets paid a higher interest rate than the SS trust. And they (all other lenders) get marketable securities.”

Still don’t understand why those two statements mean that there is necessarily a problem (with the SS system). The higher the interest rate the riskier the investment. So, if the SS Trust Fund gets low interest on the loan, but the borrower has the power to tax (via the payroll tax) to pay the loan back, the low interest rate should not be a problem. And it follows that the SS Trust fund would then not want to sell a security that is so absolutely safe anyway.


26 posted on 07/14/2011 8:26:45 AM PDT by ngat
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To: sickoflibs

ping


27 posted on 07/14/2011 8:28:55 AM PDT by GOPJ (Honk if I'm paying for your car, your mortgage, and your big, fat Greek bailout - mewzilla)
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To: Triple

“Everyone else that lends money to the US Government gets paid a higher interest rate than the SS trust. And they (all other lenders) get marketable securities.”

Still don’t understand why those two statements mean that there is necessarily a problem (with the SS system). The higher the interest rate the riskier the investment. So, if the SS Trust Fund gets low interest on the loan, but the borrower has the power to tax (via the payroll tax) to pay the loan back, the low interest rate should not be a problem. And it follows that the SS Trust fund would then not want to sell a security that is so absolutely safe anyway.


28 posted on 07/14/2011 8:32:16 AM PDT by ngat
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To: ngat

“The higher the interest rate the riskier the investment.” - in a free market, yes

But the US government pays the chinese people (through their government) a higher rate of interest (with the same guarantee) than it pays the US citizens for their loan to the US government through the SS trust.

Why give the the Chinese people a better deal? (same guarantee, higher interest rate)

Sinking in?


29 posted on 07/14/2011 8:56:31 AM PDT by Triple (Socialism denies people the right to the fruits of their labor, and is as abhorrent as slavery)
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To: bestintxas; GOPJ; Revel; penelopesire; dools0007world; Impy; silverleaf; ml/nj; Linda Frances; ...
RE :”The official Social Security Administration website claims, “By law, income to the trust funds must be invested, on a daily basis, in securities guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the Federal government,” and, “Far from being ‘worthless IOUs,’ the investments held by the trust funds are backed by the full faith and credit of the U. S. Government.” Let's ignore, for the moment, the president's many options, such as cutting payments to his cronies and government bureaucrats. Instead of starving grandma, why doesn't President Obama just tap into the Social Security Trust Fund like he recently tapped into the oil reserves?

YES !!! , I beat this author to the theme above, but I love it anyway. Just use the SS trust fund assets that Dems swear are there to pay for SS.
Democrats and the Social Security Trust Fund Lie Exposed today

Unfortunately congressional Republicans won't call Democrats out on this lie, I point out why at that link above.

30 posted on 07/14/2011 8:57:58 AM PDT by sickoflibs (If you pay zero Federal income taxes, don't say you are paying your 'fair share')
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To: Sir Napsalot
I wouldn’t put too much trust in the gold stash the gubmint supposedly stored at Fort Knox either.

Of course there is gold in Fort Knox. There are, quite literally, tons of it there. You're missing the most important question though, which is, who owns the gold stored there? I'll give you a hint, it ain't the U.S. government. Carter sold off the last of the actual gold reserve during his administration, a process that had begun under Nixon.

I've actually seen, with my own two eyes the treasury documents stating same. It's one of those things that I really wish I'd kept a copy of.

31 posted on 07/14/2011 9:00:56 AM PDT by zeugma (The only thing in the social security trust fund is your children and grandchildren's sweat.)
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To: bestintxas

Boehner could pass a bill today guaranteeing Social Security checks go out. Would Democrats in the House vote against it? Could Reid refuse to bring it to the floor? Would Obama refuse to sign it?


32 posted on 07/14/2011 9:19:41 AM PDT by newzjunkey (hat tip Newt)
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To: ngat
But if they are backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government, what is the problem?

LOL

I have little faith in the Federal Gubermint and give them no credit whatsoever.

33 posted on 07/14/2011 9:22:25 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (From her lips to the voters' ears: Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "We own the economy" June 15, 2011)
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To: Triple

I would not agree that there is the same guarantee.


34 posted on 07/14/2011 9:25:58 AM PDT by ngat
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To: Linda Frances

It’s bad and when I hear people say “I paid in” I just cringe.Yep we all did and they spent it on every folly they wanted to.We hve some very bad decades ahead f us.


35 posted on 07/14/2011 9:25:58 AM PDT by chris_bdba
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To: Voter#537

WE all paid in but it has to end because we are broke.All entitlements have to end.


36 posted on 07/14/2011 9:29:04 AM PDT by chris_bdba
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To: bestintxas
President Obama said yesterday, "I cannot guarantee that [Social Security] checks go out on August 3rd, if we haven't resolved this [debt ceiling] issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it."

Given that there is enough revenue coming in each month to service the debt, pay Social Security, fund Medicare, and a bunch of other stuff, they should consider that when Obama says there may not be money in the coffers to do it it means he's planning on using Social Security money for some other spending scheme--in other words, he's planning to continue what the Democrats have always done: spend other people's money and then blame the Republicans.
37 posted on 07/14/2011 9:30:13 AM PDT by aruanan
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To: ngat

T-bills are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US government. - as far as guarantees go - it does not get any stronger.


38 posted on 07/14/2011 9:34:35 AM PDT by Triple (Socialism denies people the right to the fruits of their labor, and is as abhorrent as slavery)
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To: NonValueAdded

I have faith that I will be taxed and and I will comply, therefore; they don’t really need me to give them any credit.


39 posted on 07/14/2011 9:37:07 AM PDT by ngat
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To: Triple
T-bills are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the US government. - as far as guarantees go - it does not get any stronger.

I think my tagline says it all. 

I really like the idea of the article. Someone needs to call the scam what it is.

40 posted on 07/14/2011 9:49:23 AM PDT by zeugma (The only thing in the social security trust fund is your children and grandchildren's sweat.)
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