Comments on: The Social Security Situation http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/ Financial Infographics & More Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:45:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Reanie http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3808 Reanie Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:12:12 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-3808 If you really want to know how SS came into existence, what happened to the money which was extracted out of the hard working Americans paychecks, who stole it out of the account and who did not invest it -- read the BIG LIE by Allen W. Smith Ph.D. He also, wrote The Looting of Social Security. The answer to the problem is the politicians Dems. and Reps. need to stop stealing from the retirees benifits which they paid into. They need to pay back what they stole. How? By stop spending it on other programs, rediculous piggy err marks,raises for themselves in a time of economic crisis, bailouts for wealthy bankers and politicaly friends in high places, on fancy parties, jet rides to and fro catered with expensive wines, elaborate dinners and the list goes on. You know all the perks they think they are ENTITLED to because who they are (The Elite Class) and where they are (Our White House). And to add insult to injury all paid for by you and me. We are such a generous nation.:( Anything to keep our elected officials primped and perky. Generous or are we just stupid? They think so. Are we stupid, uniformed, trusting, niave? The honest answer is yes we have been. But if we stand by and let them continue we are beyond stupid we are dummer than dummer. By the way it is SS BENIFIT not SS ENTITLEMENT a term so widely used to discredit Grandma and Grandpa who earnestly paid into it for 30 to 40 years. Who mistakenly trusted our government elected officers to protect it in a so called lock box and invest it as they promised. But they did not --- they stole it to make more promises for our vote. An ENTITLEMENT is drawing from account you did not pay into -- a gift of sorts like welfare to rightly care for our poorest of poor; a BENIFIT is drawing from an account that you paid into and invested in for future use. Medicare is the same thing an insurance policy that you paid into for possible future need. And by the way did anyone mention how many people die before ever recieving any SS benifits or Meidicare benifits? The money they paid in was suppose to be kept in there to offset the ones who do survive into old age. The amount of money collected is astronomical and the amount of money stolen is astronomical. This fraud and theft did not happen just recently but has been going on for decades by both parties and both parties are just as guilty. They can't just blame our economic circumstances on any one President or any one Congress. Some well meaning, some misguided but all guilty as HELL of breaking the law and theft of the SS retirement plan. If I or you had knownly stolen money from someones retirement account we would have been publicly scorned and rooming with Bernie Madolf but not our elected officials who appear to be above the law. I ask you, why is that an exceptable result? I say throw all the BUMS out! I say get involved, get informed, read, do your own research, Vote, Vote, Vote but more important be an informed voter. Look for intergrity not handouts and demand that they STOP SPENDING, STOP WASTING and STOP STEALING from the American people. Get the IRS off our backs. Vote and demand a simplified tax system like the fair tax or similar so that all fairly share the burden of running and protecting this Country. Our American economic future and freedom is at stake and if you don't believe it just ask yourself who owns our nations debt???? The answer is China. Isn't that comforting? If you really want to know how SS came into existence, what happened to the money which was extracted out of the hard working Americans paychecks, who stole it out of the account and who did not invest it — read the BIG LIE by Allen W. Smith Ph.D.
He also, wrote The Looting of Social Security.
The answer to the problem is the politicians Dems. and Reps. need to stop stealing from the retirees benifits which they paid into. They need to pay back what they stole. How? By stop spending it on other programs, rediculous piggy err marks,raises for themselves in a time of economic crisis, bailouts for wealthy bankers and politicaly friends in high places, on fancy parties, jet rides to and fro catered with expensive wines, elaborate dinners and the list goes on. You know all the perks they think they are ENTITLED to because who they are (The Elite Class) and where they are (Our White House). And to add insult to injury all paid for by you and me.
We are such a generous nation.:(
Anything to keep our elected officials primped and perky. Generous or are we just stupid? They think so. Are we stupid, uniformed, trusting, niave? The honest answer is yes we have been. But if we stand by and let them continue we are beyond stupid we are dummer than dummer.

By the way it is SS BENIFIT not
SS ENTITLEMENT a term so widely used to discredit Grandma and Grandpa who earnestly paid into it for 30 to 40 years. Who mistakenly trusted our government elected officers to protect it in a so called lock box and invest it as they promised. But they did not — they stole it to make more promises for our vote.
An ENTITLEMENT is drawing from account you did not pay into — a gift of sorts like welfare to rightly care for our poorest of poor; a BENIFIT is drawing from an account that you paid into and invested in for future use. Medicare is the same thing an insurance policy that you paid into for possible future need. And by the way did anyone mention how many people die before ever recieving any SS benifits or Meidicare benifits? The money they paid in was suppose to be kept in there to offset the ones who do survive into old age.

The amount of money collected is astronomical and the amount of money stolen is astronomical. This fraud and theft did not happen just recently but has been going on for decades by both parties and both parties are just as guilty. They can’t just blame our economic circumstances on any one President or any one Congress. Some well meaning, some misguided but all guilty as HELL of breaking the law and theft of the SS retirement plan. If I or you had knownly stolen money from someones retirement account we would have been publicly scorned and rooming with Bernie Madolf but not our elected officials who appear to be above the law. I ask you, why is that an exceptable result?

I say throw all the BUMS out! I say get involved, get informed, read, do your own research, Vote, Vote, Vote but more important be an informed voter. Look for intergrity not handouts and demand that they STOP SPENDING, STOP WASTING and STOP STEALING from the American people. Get the IRS off our backs. Vote and demand a simplified tax system like the fair tax or similar so that all fairly share the burden of running and protecting this Country. Our American economic future and freedom is at stake and if you don’t believe it just ask yourself who owns our nations debt???? The answer is China. Isn’t that comforting?

]]> By: Bloom of Doom V: “We have control of the ship, we have a plan” « CrisisMaven's Blog http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3756 Bloom of Doom V: “We have control of the ship, we have a plan” « CrisisMaven's Blog Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:53:01 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-3756 [...] States of America (airship – “the sky’s the limit”, iceberg ahead, already ordered it to change course): There are (at least!) “20 Reasons Why The U.S. Economy [...] [...] States of America (airship – “the sky’s the limit”, iceberg ahead, already ordered it to change course): There are (at least!) “20 Reasons Why The U.S. Economy [...]

]]> By: Billie’s Quickies … What must it be like to feast on the tears of sleeping birds? « Daily Dose http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-2823 Billie’s Quickies … What must it be like to feast on the tears of sleeping birds? « Daily Dose Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:36:47 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-2823 [...] The Social Security Situation … visually. [...] [...] The Social Security Situation … visually. [...]

]]> By: Rant Things » today’s amuse-cerveau – December 14, 2009 http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-2629 Rant Things » today’s amuse-cerveau – December 14, 2009 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:09:21 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-2629 [...] The Social Security Situation | VisualEconomics.comDecember 13, 2009 – A lovely visualization of the facts in recent debates regarding Social Security. [...] [...] The Social Security Situation | VisualEconomics.comDecember 13, 2009 – A lovely visualization of the facts in recent debates regarding Social Security. [...]

]]> By: boom http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-2604 boom Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:20:35 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-2604 What does any of that have todo with SS? ? You pay into SS when you work and when you are retired you get X amount of money. I pretty simple idea. What does any of that have todo with SS? ? You pay into SS when you work and when you are retired you get X amount of money. I pretty simple idea.

]]> By: 15-Nov-2009 | MohanArun.com http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-1964 15-Nov-2009 | MohanArun.com Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:32:07 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-1964 [...] The Social Security Situation (Infographic) – Link. [...] [...] The Social Security Situation (Infographic) – Link. [...]

]]> By: mrcommenter http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-1933 mrcommenter Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:30:23 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-1933 all this means is that social security is not gonna be there in the next 60 years anyways all this means is that social security is not gonna be there in the next 60 years anyways

]]> By: mary http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-1920 mary Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:18:01 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-1920 The idea of paying more than someone else to receive the same benefits not being "equal" I get. However, there are several points that make this concept of same % paid in, fair: 1. When speaking of the extremely wealthy, who should not have to put so much of their hard earned money into something that doesn't apply to them, they aren't. They would only be taxed the 12.4% on their salary and not on where they earn most of their money: investments! 2. The idea of being entitled to what you earned vs. social responsibility: As a whole our society has been sold the idea that if you work hard you can achieve and increase your status in both the economic and social echelons of our society. However, that does not mean that social responsibility is not a part of the picture. That has come in more recent times or with antiquated ideas of entitlement. Historically, majorities of the wealthy have always had some sense of social responsibility and have provided many institutions and organizations to support the working class. Those that have accumulated wealth in more recent times typically have not done so by salaries only, which is where the 12.4% is taxed. 3. The concept of the "intelligent hard worker" not deserving to have to pay for the "stupid lazy" person fails within the fact that it is not possible for every smart hardworking person in the US to achieve this certain status of wealth that allows for security in old age or medical hardship. The means that allow for the accumulation of wealth in this country is based on a working class society, without them there would be no wealth to speak of. The fact of assuming that if you are not rich it is your own fault is fantastic and an easy way to duck social responsibility. 4. When we become a society that does not take care of those that do not have the same mental or physical capacity to achieve the same success as everyone else then we are putting ourselves in the same category of countries that regulate their society with the Cass system. All that being said I do believe that there should be a cap on the 12.4 %, but that the cap is way too low. For those that think that because they have accumulated enough wealth at the moment so that they will not need the useless SS. pension, ask the thousands that are at the moment relying on this benefit because they lost almost every bit of their "cushion" over the last several years. Many of them reached this cap 30 or more years ago, but find SS a need now. The fund is there to provide assistance to anyone who needs it, no matter how wealthy one is there is always the potential that you may someday need it. The problem isn't only the low income level of the cap, but the abuse on the system that allows a large number of people who do not "work hard" to suck it dry. Better regulation of those that dip into SS would be a good starting point: Including the Government, which is dipping into SS and replacing the funds with bonds that can only be cashed in with raised taxes; quite a devils circle. While raising the cap would not eliminate the current threat that we face in 2018 it would certainly push that date back and allow our economy to recover from the recession we are in. This would allow the burden the future tax payer faces to have a more stable base to pull from. And while we are at it, life expectancy has increased, so shouldn’t the age at which you are eligible to withdraw also. The idea of paying more than someone else to receive the same benefits not being “equal” I get. However, there are several points that make this concept of same % paid in, fair:
1. When speaking of the extremely wealthy, who should not have to put so much of their hard earned money into something that doesn’t apply to them, they aren’t. They would only be taxed the 12.4% on their salary and not on where they earn most of their money: investments!
2. The idea of being entitled to what you earned vs. social responsibility: As a whole our society has been sold the idea that if you work hard you can achieve and increase your status in both the economic and social echelons of our society. However, that does not mean that social responsibility is not a part of the picture. That has come in more recent times or with antiquated ideas of entitlement. Historically, majorities of the wealthy have always had some sense of social responsibility and have provided many institutions and organizations to support the working class. Those that have accumulated wealth in more recent times typically have not done so by salaries only, which is where the 12.4% is taxed.
3. The concept of the “intelligent hard worker” not deserving to have to pay for the “stupid lazy” person fails within the fact that it is not possible for every smart hardworking person in the US to achieve this certain status of wealth that allows for security in old age or medical hardship. The means that allow for the accumulation of wealth in this country is based on a working class society, without them there would be no wealth to speak of. The fact of assuming that if you are not rich it is your own fault is fantastic and an easy way to duck social responsibility.
4. When we become a society that does not take care of those that do not have the same mental or physical capacity to achieve the same success as everyone else then we are putting ourselves in the same category of countries that regulate their society with the Cass system.
All that being said I do believe that there should be a cap on the 12.4 %, but that the cap is way too low. For those that think that because they have accumulated enough wealth at the moment so that they will not need the useless SS. pension, ask the thousands that are at the moment relying on this benefit because they lost almost every bit of their “cushion” over the last several years. Many of them reached this cap 30 or more years ago, but find SS a need now. The fund is there to provide assistance to anyone who needs it, no matter how wealthy one is there is always the potential that you may someday need it. The problem isn’t only the low income level of the cap, but the abuse on the system that allows a large number of people who do not “work hard” to suck it dry. Better regulation of those that dip into SS would be a good starting point: Including the Government, which is dipping into SS and replacing the funds with bonds that can only be cashed in with raised taxes; quite a devils circle. While raising the cap would not eliminate the current threat that we face in 2018 it would certainly push that date back and allow our economy to recover from the recession we are in. This would allow the burden the future tax payer faces to have a more stable base to pull from. And while we are at it, life expectancy has increased, so shouldn’t the age at which you are eligible to withdraw also.

]]> By: Marcus http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-1917 Marcus Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:45:50 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-1917 Makes a lot of sense. Why should the rich keep a higher percentage of their earnings than those that are not as fortunate? They still have a bigger piece of the pie in the end, and more of that slice goes to luxuries. Those that say that it would create a disincentive to achieve success are clearly misguided whiners. Makes a lot of sense. Why should the rich keep a higher percentage of their earnings than those that are not as fortunate? They still have a bigger piece of the pie in the end, and more of that slice goes to luxuries. Those that say that it would create a disincentive to achieve success are clearly misguided whiners.

]]> By: Brooks http://www.visualeconomics.com/the-social-security-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-1915 Brooks Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:47:05 +0000 http://www.visualeconomics.com/?p=53#comment-1915 Genius! So those of us who worked extremely hard to fight our way through competitive promotions and use entrepreneurial savvy to generate wealth... and save for our own retirement... should burden the shortfalls for those who choose not to save? Basic economics 101, this system would create a massive disincentive for personal growth. Why should I work harder when I would just have to pay more into pot? This looks pretty on paper but there are unforseen consequences lurking just inches benath. Genius! So those of us who worked extremely hard to fight our way through competitive promotions and use entrepreneurial savvy to generate wealth… and save for our own retirement… should burden the shortfalls for those who choose not to save? Basic economics 101, this system would create a massive disincentive for personal growth. Why should I work harder when I would just have to pay more into pot? This looks pretty on paper but there are unforseen consequences lurking just inches benath.

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