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Why We Bleed from Greed
The American Thinker ^ | February 22, 2011 | Jeff T. Allen

Posted on 02/22/2011 3:09:50 AM PST by Scanian

We are wounded today, bleeding red ink, and everyone knows who is guilty. Our suffering is the fault of a small group of people, here and abroad: they are the greedy.

You know them. We all can point them out. Greedy people gobble up unfair amounts of precious resources, keeping vast sums for themselves and sticking it to the rest of us. The greedy are pushing us to the brink. If we had the courage to stand up to them we could solve so many problems. It is time we put a stop to all the damage such selfishness causes our great country. It may take a fight, but we can tackle the problem on principle.

An 80 year old man confirmed this to me in a McDonald's restaurant just yesterday. He said it was time. We have to take a stand against greedy politicians. "What's this country coming to?" he exhorted his coffee pals around him. Then he got more specific.

"I don't care if they're Republican or Democrat," said the man. "I worked since I was 15 years old in 1945 at the spring factory down the block. I paid into Social Security for 50 years, and any of those greedy bastards who wants to take my check is in for a fist fight."

He knows lots of old people who are dependent on these checks to live. "What are they going to do without them, at 80 years old? It isn't fair." Everyone around him concurred, no matter their age.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: entitlements; moochers; politicians; selfishness

1 posted on 02/22/2011 3:09:55 AM PST by Scanian
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To: Scanian

Lucky guy. At least he will get his Social Security checks. Those of us who are 40 or under won’t get a single penny of benefits even though we’ve paid a ton of money into the ponzi scheme.


2 posted on 02/22/2011 3:12:23 AM PST by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: Scanian

Some responsibility has to be pinned upon the people who just nodded and winked, or just nodded off, every November while governments were purporting to do things with money that watch dogs all over said were just plain arithmetically impossible. If people danced for the Pied Piper they shouldn’t complain too much when it comes time to pay him for the performance.


3 posted on 02/22/2011 3:13:41 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Hawk)
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To: Scanian
A lot of freepers need to read this. It seems that whenever the topic of Social Security comes up, a lot of "solid Conservatives" here pipe up and say "Don't cut that! I paid into it! I want what's coming to me!"

But they don't see how much of the problem they are.

4 posted on 02/22/2011 3:17:43 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: ClearCase_guy
It seems that whenever the topic of Social Security comes up, a lot of "solid Conservatives" here pipe up and say "Don't cut that! I paid into it! I want what's coming to me!"

Unfortunately your statement describes far too many "conservatives." They're conservative on everything other than their favorite public service. You'd be amazed at how often "conservatives" here defend the public school system as well.

As I noted above, those of us in Generation X or after need to accept that we will never receive a single penny in Social Security benefits. The math just doesn't pan out to allow for this. I'd support trading these fake benefits away in exchange for no longer having to pay into Social Security.

5 posted on 02/22/2011 3:26:58 AM PST by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: ClearCase_guy

I’ve fought that battle many times here.

It is very disappointing to say the least.

The same can be said of those who think it is fine to walk away from their mortgage because it isn’t to their advantage to continue with it - never mind the cost to others and the moral hazards it raises.

Many “conservatives” have lost their way.

I don’t post much here anymore.


6 posted on 02/22/2011 3:46:56 AM PST by DB
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To: DB
Many “conservatives” have lost their way.

I don’t post much here anymore.


Well, maybe it's better that you do post here, if only to add to the "sane" voices. You have to keep in mind that, in addition to those who are only marginally conservative, there is always a cadre of people who sole purpose here is to undermine conservatives and conservative thought.
7 posted on 02/22/2011 3:54:21 AM PST by fr_freak
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To: ClearCase_guy

People tell me they just want “their money back”. But it was spent a long time ago on a bridge to nowhere or some other “investment”. My answer (at age 48) is to offer to pay more income tax to wind down the system: pay the current retirees and those near retirement and phase it out for the younger crowd.


8 posted on 02/22/2011 3:57:32 AM PST by palmer (Cooperating with Obama = helping him extend the depression and implement socialism.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

“But they don’t see how much of the problem they are....”

“The Problem” is the law...not the individual. And”Society” i.e.”We the People” has yet to ensure that the law that is bankrupting the country, is yet to be removed from the books.

It is an issue for “We the People”

Its pretty mathematically certain that continuing to fund SS is NOT a good use of monies meant for retirement, when the kleptocracy has helped themselves to the cash..and then some.


9 posted on 02/22/2011 3:58:01 AM PST by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you do not, no explanation is possible")
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To: Scanian

LBJ and the thieving democrat congress started the theft of SS funds. Seize his estate and all his assets. Sell them off to pay SS recepients. Then move on to the next thief in congress and do the same. We can probably pick up over a trillion dollars. I’d guess the Kennedy compound plus assets is worth over $100 million. Kerry is worth several hundred million.

After all the thieves pay their debt, start selling off all property owned by the federal government. That’s another trillion. Once that property is in the hands of entrepreneurs, start energy exploration and mining.

That’s a trillion dollar shot in the arm. Energy and mineral extraction is a wealth multiplier that would generate trillions more in economic activity.

We do have solutions.


10 posted on 02/22/2011 4:24:42 AM PST by sergeantdave (The democrat party is a seditious organization and must be outlawed)
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To: sergeantdave

Now, now, just last month I heard both Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich guaranteee SS “trust fund” solvency for the next 35 years! /s


11 posted on 02/22/2011 4:36:03 AM PST by Scanian
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To: palmer

That is the answer.

Pay more income tax.

What a wonderful idea.

And the millions who have lost their jobs, tell them to pay more income tax too. Oh wait, they have NO income.


12 posted on 02/22/2011 4:43:43 AM PST by Carley (WISCONSIN STREET NO DIFFERENT THAN THE ARAB STREET. UGLY AND VIOLENT)
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To: Scanian
Greedy people gobble up unfair amounts of precious resources, keeping vast sums for themselves and sticking it to the rest of us. The greedy are pushing us to the brink.

"Greed" isn't the problem, dishonesty and perverse incentives are. Almost everyone is greedy. Greed within an honest system is what makes economics work, and it makes things better for anyone who is willing to make an effort. People who are criticized as "greedy" are almost always dishonest, and it's the dishonesty that causes the problems.

13 posted on 02/22/2011 4:45:58 AM PST by 3niner (When Obama succeeds, America fails.)
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To: Scanian

Strong stuff.

Actually, the politicians have had their sticky fingers in the Social Security pot since the first contribution was made in 193?. There is no Social Security fund, any more than the Federal Reserve has a reserve, or is Federal.

It’s not even borrowing from China that’s so questionable. It’s the fact that the Fed just prints more green certificates (fiat money), inflating our currency some more and thus adding yet another tax to us.

(See “The Creature From Jekyll Island” by G. Edward Griffin)

This book is the first one that made me understand the real cause of the Civil War. Follow the money.


14 posted on 02/22/2011 5:23:44 AM PST by RoadTest (Organized religion is no substitute for the relationship the living God wants with you.)
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To: pnh102

I hear a lot of younger people on this site lambasting us older ones about “our right to social security” benefits.

I’m 64 and have worked since I was 9. During all of those years I have been forced to pay Social Security taxes (yes they are really taxes...not contributions)based upon my gross pay...not adjusted gross pay. In addition to that, the politicians hid the other half I paid by making the employer pay the other 50% and hid that from view by simply not posting that other amount anywhere on my income slip or pay slip. In reality, the government took 100% more from me than they stated on my pay slip. That’s money taken from my earnings no matter how you slice it.

Now, with all of that in mind, through all of those years, if I had the right to invest every penny confiscated from me by the Social Security ponzi scheme, I would have had a very nice retirement account in place with enough to live on in a very comfortable style.

We don’t expect to live a grand lifestyle on Social Security, we only want what is due (and it’s due) from the money taken from us that prevented us from freely investing it ourselves. Many forget the value of a dollar in 1955 was much greater that a dollar today, and those dollars taken back then (and over time) would certainly be worth one hell of a bunch more that those of today.

We worked our entire lives, being forced to piss our money off in the Social Security scam and we are justified in trying to at least recover some of it.

Think of it as “SENIOR REPARATIONS!”


15 posted on 02/22/2011 5:45:38 AM PST by DH (The Second Amendment is the only protection for the First Amendment)
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To: DH

I agree that as someone who has had more of his funds stolen over time to pay for this ponzi scheme, you should be able to collect some of the benefit. However, it just won’t happen for those of us who are younger. The money just simply won’t be there.


16 posted on 02/22/2011 7:12:00 AM PST by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: sergeantdave; Scanian

***LBJ and the thieving democrat congress started the theft of SS funds.***

Aw come on, don’t you have faith in the promises of the US Government? Here is what was promised back in 1964 about Social Security!

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 her is whre your “Contribution” goes...Read and weep!

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

I just love posting these two SS web sites!


17 posted on 02/22/2011 7:52:15 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Visit the TOMMY FRANKS MILITARY MUSEUM in HOBART, OK. I did, well worth it!)
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