Republicans and Tea Partiers are an enigma. They have so many supporters that DO NOT HAVE A CLUE regarding their Leaders' true agenda. When you think about the Tea Party members, most of them are over 50. Many/most are receiving or are approaching receiving Social Security and Medicare. There are many on medicaid or on some type of support, particularly those in the South. They ARE the Working Poor, for Heaven's Sake! Most TeaParty Members have children or grandchildren in school. Most are currently or soon will be receiving the type of aid they are advocating against. Don't they know this? Don't they realize this? Are they that blind, deaf and dumb? Are they so brain-washed that they don't get it?
From my perspective, I have worked and paid taxes for over 40 years. I love our country. I believe in our country. I have paid my taxes and social security taxes all of my life. I've never asked a dime from anyone. I view social security as a paid benefit. I've paid into social security all of my life. If I live another 30 years, I may get paid back for all I've contributed. Maybe not. But I knew going in, that it was a benefit based on my contributions. I think most people, if they stop and think about it, think like I do. WE'VE PAID INTO SOCIAL SECURITY and MEDICARE ALL OF OUR LIVES!!! THIS IS A BENEFIT WHICH WE SHOULD RECEIVE BASED UPON OUR CONTRIBUTIONS!
The Republican/Tea Party Agenda DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS! They want to Eliminate Social Security and Medicare AS WE KNOW IT and change it to some type of Privatized program RUN BY BIG BUSINESS where recipients start over and contribute into some Private Program THEY develop!
So I ask you, WHY are Tea Partiers fighting AGAINST THIS? I don't get it! Social Security is PAID FOR! There is NO SHORTAGE on Social Security at this time (It is PAID for -- for 20 years). WHY STOP IT? Yet Republicans and TeaPartiers are advocating changing it to some type of Private Contribution program. In other words, allow some Big Business group to manage the program and then we ALL start Over and pay into some type of 401K program. Anyone who has ever had a 401K program knows how that goes. Give anyone access to their money (as a 401K does) and upon their 1st Emergency, withdraw funds. This is a joke! WE NEED GUARANTEED CARE FOR OUR OLD FOLKS! AND, those of us who have PAID INTO the program for 40 years, we NEED to be Paid Back!
Medicare is Another whole story. The government has allowed Healthcare providers to manage Medicare programs since its inception and even more so since the Prescription Drug Programs came into effect in 2006. The reason for the shortages in Medicare today is due to Private Healthcare Company abuses. Ask anyone who is familiar with Medicare Programs. They will tell you the same.
My wish and hope is for the Tea Party members to WAKE UP! Study! Learn the Facts! Stop living in this delusion! Give America a Chance!
Social Security ran a ~$40 billion deficit in 2010 and will be running annual deficits from now on, reaching $150 billion in 2021, the last year in the Congressional Budget Office's 10-year projection.
ReplyDeleteSo you're wrong on basic facts. Presumably you, like so many others, are fooled by all the babble about the Social Security "trust fund." But there's nothing in the fund. It's merely an accounting device, "filled" with IOUs. To collect on those IOUs, money has to come from the general treasury, either at the expense of other programs, by raising taxes, or by borrowing more.
Bad Anon,
ReplyDeleteAll your rant proves is that you believe the Bunk on Fox and Friends.
The reality is:
"Social Security has built up a $2.5 trillion surplus since the retirement program was last overhauled in the 1980s. Benefits will be safe until that money runs out. That is projected to happen in 2037 -- unless Congress acts in the meantime. At that point, Social Security would collect enough in payroll taxes to pay out about 78 percent of benefits, according to the Social Security Administration.
The $2.5 trillion surplus, however, has been borrowed over the years by the federal government and spent on other programs. In return, the Treasury Department has issued bonds to Social Security, guaranteeing repayment with interest. [Associated Press, 1/27/11] "
Bad Anon,
ReplyDeleteYou obviously have NEVER studied Economics!