John Boehner R-Ohio, says use Social Security funds to pay for war

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

its not the rules changing.. its the government not securing the SS in a "lock box" they pull out of SS to pay for other shiznit that doesnt work.. depleting the funds.

I'm screwed and my generations children are even worse off when it comes to SS.. I'm in favor of eliminating it completely and letting myself invest in my 401k or whatever else retirement plan others want.. instead of paying 6-12% and being lucky to get 1-2% back.

Social Security came into existence as people - even those who lived through the Depression and two world wars - didn't invest and plan for their own retirement. It came into being to save people's lives from starvation and homelessness.

That mindset - live for today, don't save - hasn't changed in the US, it's worsened (judging by amount of savings, bankruptcies, overspending and credit debt, etc)

Social Security in the government's hands cannot be invested as private funds can - a good thing, as 1/3 of the fund would probably be gone right now.

You (the general you, not you specifically) don't have to eliminate SS completely to invest in your own retirement. You should be able to take 10% out of your takehome no matter how small an income one makes (and can invest it so it becomes tax free, which markedly increases it's value). Depending upon social security to fund one's retirement is foolish, as even if you max out yearly on your contribution for 20 years, the amount you receive monthly isn't much.

If you don't already have a retirement account you currently pay into, you are way behind already, as the little bit of money you squirrel away in the low income early years of your career has the most growth upside just sitting there compounding for decades.

And if you think you are truly screwed then not already having retirement plans in place and actively being funded makes no sense at all to me.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Riot

Social Security came into existence as people - even those who lived through the Depression and two world wars - didn't invest and plan for their own retirement. It came into being to save people's lives from starvation and homelessness.

That mindset - live for today, don't save - hasn't changed in the US, it's worsened (judging by amount of savings, bankruptcies, overspending and credit debt, etc)

Social Security in the government's hands cannot be invested as private funds can - a good thing, as 1/3 of the fund would probably be gone right now.

You (the general you, not you specifically) don't have to eliminate SS completely to invest in your own retirement. You should be able to take 10% out of your takehome no matter how small an income one makes (and can invest it so it becomes tax free, which markedly increases it's value). Depending upon social security to fund one's retirement is foolish, as even if you max out yearly on your contribution for 20 years, the amount you receive monthly isn't much.

If you don't already have a retirement account you currently pay into, you are way behind already, as the little bit of money you squirrel away in the low income early years of your career has the most growth upside just sitting there compounding for decades.

And if you think you are truly screwed then not already having retirement plans in place and actively being funded makes no sense at all to me.

I do have a 401k that I pay into and my company matches, so I have NO clue where you pulled that last sentence out of.. (well I do have a clue)

Other people not planning for their own retirement is NOT my problem, nor do I care. Let them work til the die then. (I'm all for SS payments for the handicapped though, except for certain morons I know who are just not that smart and abuse it to get payments when they darn well can do hard labor) So I'm responsible, but I still have to lose 6% of my paycheck for people who arent responsible? If I knew I'd get back what I put in, I wouldnt have an issue. the absolute fact (and SS knows this - they sent me a letter) that I will get pennies back for what I put in for 55 years of work is what pisses me off. If I had the option, I wouldnt put a dime into SS and put that extra 6% into my 401k.

But seriously, where do you feel you have the right to assume things about my life like "And if you think you are truly screwed then not already having retirement plans in place and actively being funded makes no sense at all to me"

I'm being responsible and being screwed.. if you wonder why people get pissed at you.. just look at your unreasonable assumptions that are not based on anything. And why the heck should people who plan have to pay for the mistakes of people who arent smart about things? Thats where this country goes wrong.

[Riot]

I do have a 401k that I pay into and my company matches, so I have NO clue where you pulled that last sentence out of.. (well I do have a clue)

Did you miss the part where I said, "You (the general you, not you specifically)"

I know you have a retirement account, you've mentioned it here before.

Other people not planning for their own retirement is NOT my problem, nor do I care. Let them work til the die then.

Ah. Many disagree. But you certainly are entitled to your opinion.

But seriously, where do you feel you have the right to assume things about my life like "And if you think you are truly screwed then not already having retirement plans in place and actively being funded makes no sense at all to me"

I didn't. See above.

if you wonder why people get pissed at you.. just look at your unreasonable assumptions that are not based on anything.

I don't really care why some people get pissed at me. From my point of view it seems to be because they can't read, and they make false assumptions

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Riot

Did you miss the part where I said, "You (the general you, not you specifically)"

I know you have a retirement account, you've mentioned it here before.



Ah. Many disagree. But you certainly are entitled to your opinion.



I didn't. See above.



I don't really care why some people get pissed at me. From my point of view it seems to be because they can't read, and they make false assumptions

you are the queen of the backtrack, but there is no way your last statement wasnt directed towards me.

but I'll let it go.

Who are the "many people" that feel like everyone else's retirement should be paid from the hard workers' paycheck?

I guess that is why I'll never be able to be a liberal, I cannot for the life of me grasp that understanding.

[Riot]

you are the queen of the backtrack, but there is no way your last statement wasnt directed towards me.

My last statement was directed to the "opinion", not to you personally.

but I'll let it go.

My, thank goodness!

ROFLMAO.

Okay, continue:

Who are the "many people" that feel like everyone else's retirement should be paid from the hard workers' paycheck?

Social Security isn't supposed to "pay for retirement", it's a social program. A fallback. Because some Americans care about their fellow citizens.

The "many people"? Pretty much every President since Roosevelt in the mid-1930's, the majority of our elected Congress and Senate since. The citizens of the US. All have rejected eliminating social security.

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by Riot

Social Security isn't supposed to "pay for retirement", it's a social program. A fallback. Because some Americans care about their fellow citizens.

Nope. That might have been the original motivations of some legitimately kind, but misguided, people.

It persists not because "some Americans care about their fellow citizens", but because all Americans are coerced into surrendering about 16% of their income to the program. I deliberately say 16% because the "you pay 8% and your employer pays 8%" is utter nonsense. The employee pays it all, just like every other tax. You can bin it up any way you like, but the fact is your employer, should you be enough of a sucker to work, views it as "the cost to employ John Q. Public"

[Riot]

Originally Posted by joeydb

Nope. That might have been the original motivations of some legitimately kind, but misguided, people.

It persists not because "some Americans care about their fellow citizens", but because all Americans are coerced into surrendering about 16% of their income to the program. I deliberately say 16% because the "you pay 8% and your employer pays 8%" is utter nonsense. The employee pays it all, just like every other tax. You can bin it up any way you like, but the fact is your employer, should you be enough of a sucker to work, views it as "the cost to employ John Q. Public"

I would say Social Security persists because the majority of American citizens over the past 70 years have wanted it to persist. If they did not want it, they could easily have elected representatives that would repeal it. They haven't.