Financial Outlook Worsens for Social Security, Medicare

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Social security has become an entitlement since LBJ moved the money from individual accounts to the general fund so he would have the money for his "great society". We do pay in, no doubt, and we should get it back, but thanks to politicians it's been stolen from us. Now the politicians call it an entitlement. That will allow them to avoid the guilt and responsibility. We're simply sheep being sheared.

bh5606 of TX 5:26PM April 04, 2012

What about all the unemployed who have moved to ss"disability" in the last few months to improve Mr. Obama's numbers?

Sam I Am of KY 8:49PM March 11, 2012

Our Social Secuity is not an entitlement system, we paid for this insurance all our working lives, so stop calling it an entitlement system.

Theresa Utter of WA 4:13PM February 24, 2012

The opening sentence of this article is absurd!
"Social Security and Medicare’s annual checkup found that the entitlement system continues to face long-term financial challenges." The one word (entitlement) could have been omitted and the meaning of the article might have merit. I for one take offense anytime the Social Security and Medicare TRUST FUNDS are labeled an entitlement! Working AMERICANS paid their taxes and employers match each workers funds. My individual TRUST FUNDS received a little over $260,000 in deposits over my 40 years of WORKING, of which 1/2 came from my paycheck. Let's put Congress on the same retirement and healthcare plan and see how fast Social Security and Medicare trust funds become successful. I'm not against helping the poor.....but don't give working America's tax paid trust fund dollars to the illegal immigrants, or use the funds for anything other than intended. The system should and could be cleaned up to work.......if not, then allow me to withdraw my $260,000.

Tom of GA 12:39PM January 24, 2012

Pay more get less what else is new....... Its broken and we are not working on the fix .... We seem to think just put more moeny into it and that will work..... the defination of insanity is keep doing the same thing over and over again and hope for a different results..... Have the congress Keep there hands off the money and everthing would be better.... If You cant manage the money you shouldnt have it......I know i know just keep taxing the USA and we will just keep paying ....... but then that is why we have less middle class and more of our people in low income are looking to move the Syrcause NY so they can live on 27000 per yr ..... so the rich get richer and the middle class keep suporting it ...

Dave of MA 7:20AM January 24, 2012

I collect SS and have for two years now. It is a 3rd leg of retirement along with a 401k and company pension. Im greatful to have had the opportunities to work for these assets. However, I see a growing problem with those systems as one half of the nation is supporting the halfs tax burden. With only about 51% of the workers in this country contributing and 49% not contributing we will soon become a country like Greece and other socialist European countries who have now borrowed themselves into backrupting the their country. We seem to be in a stuper borrowing to continue paying for what we can not afford. We are raising a population that wants out reach their needs and income. The fighting for political points to get votes apparently will lead us down a path of bankrupcy. There wont be a United States to bail us out. The long we put off "crunch" time the worse it will be. Crunch time is hitting Greece, observe the rioting as a result.

Jordon of AZ 12:21AM January 24, 2012

I do not go along with "tax the rich" but where Social Security comes in I feel I payed all through my working years and everyone should. Where I would change the rules is with the maximum you pay on. Middle class and lower pay all year into it. Most never get to the point of not having it taken out pay check. But if you make over the maximum earnings you stop paying into it. Yes I understand some of the higher paying, going way up into the millions, would never get back what they put into it. Maybe doing that would lower the rate we pay and that would help everyone at all pay levels. You may have to close some loop holes to stop the tax lawyers from finding a way not to pay it. I'm getting Social Security now and it adds to what I had planed on for retirement nicely. For some it is most of their income. For the "Rich" it is pocket change. But everyone always likes to get a check for their work, even after they retire.

Burdette of FL 10:14AM January 20, 2012

To Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner: How about the Treasury paying back the $2.2 Trillion + interest that Treasury has borrowed or stolen from the SS Trust fund? If this money ever gets repaid, the solvency of SSI will cease being talked about for the next two decades.

tuffy of MN 1:29PM December 25, 2011

How much does the general fund of the Treasury owe the Social Security Trust as a result of dipping into a kitty that they utilize to continue to spend beyond their means? Members of Congress are acting irresponsibly by doing this for reasons of political expediency!

Terry Vair of MO 12:15PM December 25, 2011

We Need to stop taking care of all the losers that are just taking advantage of the system . I just wonder what they will do when there money runs out

Herb of PA 6:07PM November 23, 2011