Why will baby boomers get social security?

[Ming]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Social Security is the most successful anti-poverty program the government has.

While this is true... It is also really scarey considering how badly it's managed. It could be so much better.

[Drake Tungsten]

Social Security is the most successful anti-poverty program the government has.

I wouldn't have such a problem with Social Security if they actully limited it to those elderly people who are in need. They don't, however, so I think that claiming that Social Security is a anti-poverty program is a little misleading. It's a forced savings system that isn't guaranteed to pay anyone in my generation back for what we put in. I'd rather keep the money and take care of my own folks, not pay for some well off retiree to get a check every month.

Anyone who even thinks of doing away with Social Security is an evil, rotten, spoiled, selfish brat.

Great tactic. Claim that everyone who disagrees with you is evil. Critical Theory at its best... (sigh)

[chequita guevara]

Do you honestly think yhat your children and grandchildren will allow the government to stop making payments on Social Security? Not only is it the most successful anti-poverty program (so broekn it reduced elderly pverty by half ) but it is also the single most popular government program. Unless the US government falls (or we institute a society like that in Logran's Run), Social Security will always be there. No politician is stupid enough to ever let Social Security go down.

[Drake Tungsten]

I never said that Social Security will be ended. Of course it won't. It won't ever be reformed, either. The elderly are far too potent a voting bloc and too easily scared about SS for any politician to ever buck their opinion and actually make the program workable. Also, the Social Security "trust fund" provides easy access to billions of dollars for politicians to spend on pork and other pet projects. Social Security isn't going anywhere.

A man can dream though...

[mactbone]

Well, there is a 401K, or to get your kids started early, a Ross IRA (I'm pretty sure I screwed that up....).

Anyways, there are alternatives to SS.

Also, there's a cap on SS, so if you're making a couple thousand a year, you will hit that cap, and never pay SS again, and end up with a decent amount for retirement. This provides two points - one, you won't be paying a whole hell of a lot to millionares (comparitively), two you caould always just crank out the big bucjs and get it over over with early

[chequita guevara]

The cap is $65K in a per year. You pay on your income up to that point, but not over. If were removed the cap, it would go a long way to ensuring the solvence of SS.

[Ming]

The only thing that pisses me off is that if I had invested all the money I have put in to SS, I would have over a million dollars available when I retire. Instead, they will send me those measily checks.

But what the heck, it's all one big pyramid scheme anyway, so I just have to keep paying and hope the house of cards doesn't come falling down before I die

[Drake Tungsten]

The only thing that pisses me off is that if I had invested all the money I have put in to SS, I would have over a million dollars available when I retire. Instead, they will send me those measily checks.

Hell, I'll consider myself lucky if I get measley checks sent to me when I'm old. Right now, I'm assuming that I'll get nothing out of SS when I retire.

[chequita guevara]

You're assuming the US government will collapse? Dude, I don't even assume that, and I'm dedicated to overthrowing it.

[Drake Tungsten]

Why would the US government collapse? I'm more worried about Social Security becoming insolvent decades before I reach retirment age. Unless major reforms occur, it's only a matter of time...

[chequita guevara]

As I said, Social Security cannot become insolvent. The government will never allow it to happen. They will find the money to pay everyone what they are owed, because the politicians will all lose their jobs otherwise. The only way Social Security won't be paid is if the government itself becomes insolvent.

[Drake Tungsten]

Oh, that's great. So I can pay even more into SS to make sure the mass of baby boomers are completely covered? Will I get more in SS benefits when I retire then? Not bloody likely.

God, I really hate socialism...

[chequita guevara]

Welfare capitalism isn't socialism. It is to prevent socialism. The whol purpose is to keep the working classes from becoming so mired in poverty and misery that they no longer support the system and try and abolish it.

There are two ways to try and stop us commies. You can buy the working class off with welfare or you can beat the crap out of them with a police state (or some mixture of the two). In the long run, a welfare state is cheaper and less intrusive compared to a police state or a revolution.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Can I just say here that I really love the fact that a guy with a Malcolm X avatar is whining about baby boomers? Yes, if only the boomers had been more like their parents! Then white folks could have just lynched Malcolm while the law turned a blind eye to the whole thing -- that is, if Malcolm hadn't just remained a numbers runner because there was no climate in which for him to speak to begin with.

[Drake Tungsten]

I don't really consider you commies to be much of a threat anymore, quite frankly. The fact that your ideology has suffered a complete failure worldwide makes me doubt that the proletariart will be rising up against anyone in the future. I think most working class folks prefer unfair capitalism to unfair and repressive communism. Your movement is dead...