Democrat: Gov't Has No Contractual Obligation to Pay Social Security Benefits

Cybercast News Service ^ | 9/14/11 | Matt Cover

[Nachum]

Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) said that most Americans do not understand that federal entitlements are not “bank account” programs that hold their money, adding that Social Security is not even a legal guarantee -- "Legally, they're not even promises." Cooper, asked about potential reforms to Medicare and Medicaid, said that the core problem was that the public does not understand the true nature of entitlements. “Many Americans don’t really realize that Medicare is a government program,” Cooper said at a press conference with fellow Blue Dogs on Wednesday.

[KarlInOhio]

repealsed -> repealed

[USS Alaska]

I strongly suggest that the Congressman is in error.

I strongly suggest that you know not what about which you suggest.

The government legally owes you {and me } nothing.

The congress can pass, and the President can sign a law that ends social security today.

We could sue and scream and revolt, but the feds would owe you nothing.

[VanDeKoik]

Wait...is this guy a racist teabagger terrorist?!?!?!

Only those people would say something like that!!!

[shield]

Then stop taking money out of paychecks for a non contractual program.

[Reagan Man]

FICA is a tax. Like ALL taxes to the feds, it goes into one revenue pool and is spent through Congressional appropriations and as the President sees fit.

There is no SocSec lock box. SocSec is not a right that can not be found in the Constitution. The govt owes you nothing.

[Bookwoman]

No. You have to be 66 to get the max you are “entitled” to.

[dragnet2]

Any Congress and POTUS can end SS with one enactment and signature.

Millions in the private sector literally live off SS, what the government confiscated from them over the course of their work histories...

This happens and I suggest the politicians campaign in armored cars, substantially beef up their security and consider walling off D.C.

[TomGuy]

Congress could propose a law today stating: "The Social Security Act and all of its amendments are hereby repealsed." 218 Representatives, 51 Senators and the President could vote for it or sign it respectively and tomorrow there would be no more Social Security.

That would abrogate the 'full faith and credit' of the US Government.

It won't happen. Not now, not ever. Congress will -- eventually -- get around to fixing the most current problem(s) with SS/Medicare, even if just short term.

SS/Medicare makes a good scare-tactic weapon that has been used in elections for the last 4 decades.

[nascarnation]

Actually it keeps going up to age 70.
66 is called the “Full Retirement Age” for boomer age folks.

[Sergio]

bkmk

[BooBoo1000]

And to think, this Idiot is in Congress, Have Mercy..

[Will88]

Government does have a legal obligation to comply with the laws it has passed, SS being among those. Of course it can change laws, but until it does it is obligated to comply.

Contract has a very specific legal meaning. Not sure what this clown thinks he’s accomplished by speaking about SS in terms of contracts. Government does enter some contracts, but it’s not contractually obligated to carry on any of its basic functions. It’s not contractually obligated to maintain an armed forces, and the armed forces have varied greatly in size over the history of the US.

[MarkL]

in other words... It's just ANOTHER TAX then!!!

I've had this conversation with a number of people in foreign countries who claim that American workers are taxed so minimally, we have nothing to complain about. When I mentioned that in addition to the federal, state, and local income taxes, we pay an additional 15% into FICA and Medicare, they all claimed, "well that doesn't count, because that's your retirement account."

No matter what I said, they refused to believe that this was nothing more than an additional tax going directly into the general fund, to be spent by the government, and there wasn't a penny with my name on it.

Unfortunately, too many Americans believe that too. I've been paying into this scam for 36 years now, and I don't believe that I'll ever see a penny of it back.

Mark

[Rumplemeyer]

Technical question: how do you change the fonts in your posts.

[Fledermaus]

Cooper has been a boil on our states butt for way too many years.

There is talk the state legislature is going to chop up his safe district.

He’s about as “Blue Dog” as Blues Clues and couldn’t find his brain if he shot himself in the head.

[Huck]

Of course it is. I say eliminate the separate tax altogether, which only promotes a fiction, and fund it through general revenues, which is what happens anyway.

ELIMINATE THE SEPARATE WITHHOLDING.

[PMAS]

I wonder if Warren Buffet collects Social Security - now that would make some headlines.

[Chode]

i expect to get zilch also...

[Scotsman will be Free]

Ponzi scheme, pyramid scheme, chain letter, whatever. It’s legalized theft.

[gwilhelm56]

** ... lumber and nails delivered down there on the mall. We’re having a party!!**

Will we need lots of ROPE or just LONG NAILS??