1. Longevity has significantly changed from the 1930s. The earliest age one can claim benefits should be slowly lifted to 65, with full benefits at age 70. By mid-century, these ages will be laughed at!
2. There should be no cap on the taxable wages - just like the other government boondoggle, Medicare.
3. It is beyond thievery that government workers do not participate in this social welfare program. Their benefits are 'protected' from the income redistribution built into Social Security, while those working in the private sector bear the entire burden. This makes no sense to anyone, except government employees.
4. The original program was a minimal safety net for those working people who were expected to live 1-2 years past 65. Clearly, that is not today's demographic. Nobody working today should expect Social Security income to be more than 1/3 of their retirement income. To think otherwise, is a fool's errand, told be a lying Congress and Administration.
JRGof FL11:43AM November 16, 2010
Congress pillaged and plundered the social security fund, taking the money set aside for retirement and pissing it away on other projects. A robber who holds up a 7-11 and steals $100 gets maybe 20 years in prison...a Congressperson steals billions and gets reelected. Who causes the most harm? Who hurts more individuals and families? Anyone who voted to spend social security funds should be punished...severely!
Tomof FL10:49AM November 16, 2010
We wouldn't be in this mess if Congress didn't SPEND Social Security FUND....CONGRESS needs to keep their hands off the 'so called fund'.....and introduce legistlation signed by the the next President to sign it into law.....DON"T spend this fund for any purpase except what it was INTENDED. Keep your fingers out of the account.
Also stop this political gain to fill the United States via open borders to all border crashers and giving them Security Benefits as a reward.
Personal note.....we're in this mess because of this because of the Bueaucrats....Have a nice day.
Michael Downingof FL10:12AM November 16, 2010
It's a real shame that more keeps getting taken away from peaple whom have worked there entire lives. There should be no borrowing from social security at all, and there should be no one who is exempt from paying it! i would almost guarantee that they use it when the time comes. I also believe that there are too many people being approved for social security disability. The laws need to be changed. There are many people taking advantage of the diability program so that all of us hard working people can support them. If you check, there are many people in the same family who have learned how to beat the system and are all on disability. Many of us are working with the same problems that many receive disability for. Bad knees, bad back, bad shoulders, oh my gosh, give me a break. Those people just want a free ride and they are allowed to do it. I've been told that some people faked their problem to get on it. I think the government just wants people to die before they retire so they don't have to pay out anything. That just means more for them!! It's down right sickening. Something needs to be done about all of this now. so that the good people aren't having to support the lazy people.
Jeanof IN9:53AM November 16, 2010
The early retirement age should move in lockstep with full retirement age.
robert ackertof FL9:47AM November 16, 2010
Don't put Social Security money into the general revenue fund where it is spent to buy votes. At least a portion of new collections should go into equities where there will be actual growth over time. Canada and Chile have invested in private enterprise with success. Why not the US? Long term, there is nothing to match stocks for growth.
GA webcatof GA9:31AM November 16, 2010
Why cut the benefit of people who have worked so many years and earned that benefit? If the government does something like that, then participation in Social Security should be voluntary and they can retool the entire system.
Right now, people get taxed twice on Social Security. Clearly the money isn't going back to fund the system directly but perhaps something can be worked out where the revenue from people who are on Social Security can go back directly into the system?
Steve Ribacjof NJ9:24AM November 16, 2010
all the Democratic Party make us work to pay our tax to lazy people. why don't we have an amended to have the law only to pay social security to whoever worked to get that benefit because our tax dollars should pay back to us when our retirement age comes. Anna Pham in CA
Anna Pham of CA7:42PM November 15, 2010
That can figure out how to repay the Social Security Trust Fund the roughly $2,300,000,000,000 borrowed from it by the payers of income tax (who didn't want to pay income tax sufficient for the operation of government over the last three decades) and I'll show you an honest "commission".
I know Obama appointed these guys, but they're not being honest about the source of the problem----or realistic about the solution. We need several decades of much stiffer high-end taxation going forward, period. Or, are you still in the camp that thinks Charlie Sheen needs lower taxes on his $2,000,000 per episode that he gets to pollute the airwaves?
Muserof NM12:20AM November 14, 2010
Q. Under which party were Social Security and Medicare enacted?
A. The Democratic Party. Social Security under Franklin Roosevelt, Medicare under Lyndon Johnson.
Q. Which political party has made it their stated aim to eliminate social security and Medicare?
A. The Republican Party.
Q. When did Obama say there was no more money in SS?
Reader Comments
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JRG of FL 11:43AM November 16, 2010
Tom of FL 10:49AM November 16, 2010
Michael Downing of FL 10:12AM November 16, 2010
Jean of IN 9:53AM November 16, 2010
robert ackert of FL 9:47AM November 16, 2010
GA webcat of GA 9:31AM November 16, 2010
Steve Ribacj of NJ 9:24AM November 16, 2010
Anna Pham of CA 7:42PM November 15, 2010
Muser of NM 12:20AM November 14, 2010
John Fitzgerald of NH 10:45PM November 12, 2010