Social Security Merits Support, Not Disdain

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The ignorance shown here is very appalling(with the exception of a few), SSI or Supplemental Security Income is from the main federal budget, No illegal aliens get It, One has to be Elderly, Blind or Disabled before any other qualification and getting on It, requires medical proof as no mere diagnosis will do as stated in he link below:
http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-eligibility-ussi.htm
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR SSI ?
Anyone who is:
aged (age 65 or older),
blind or
disabled.
And, who:
has limited income; and
has limited resources; and
is a U.S. citizen or national, or in one of certain categories of aliens; and
NOTE: In general, an alien who is subject to an active warrant for deportation or removal does not meet the citizenship/alien requirement.
is a resident of one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands; and
is not absent from the country for a full calendar month or more than 30 consecutive days; and
applies for any other cash benefits or payments for which he or she may be eligible, e.g., pensions, Social Security; and
gives SSA permission to contact any financial institution and request any financial records that the financial institution may have about you; and
files an application; and
meets certain other requirements.

Victor of CA 12:04PM November 05, 2009

people coming to this country who have not earned their 40 quarters should not be allowed ssi.al brown

al brown of WA 2:16AM August 03, 2009

Stop giving SSI to those who come to this country late in life. There families should have to provide for them not the government when they never worked here or earned their 40 quarters like those of us who did. If we stopped this benefit there would be a lot more money to go around. Do you have any idea of how many aliens receive SSI???

Ralph Topoli of NJ 11:17PM March 25, 2009

Social Security has based on faulty assumptions when announced in the 1930s. It is a 'floor', not a full retirement. To be otherwise, is a disincentive to all to save and prepare for their own future. It's not the gov'ts job to provide for our retirement.
It's clear that politicians don't want to address Social Security finances. If they were, the discussion started by Bush earlier this decade would have been held. But no, the Democrats turned it into a political football - and promulgated lies about any proposed changes.
The most likely outcome, given the current Administration is that a means test will be put in place so that the only citizens who will draw Social Security will be those who contibuted the minimum into it. For any professional or manager to believe they will receive Social Security, wake up and smell the coffee!

JRG of FL 9:04PM March 25, 2009

This survey suprises me too. It makes me wonder whether Personal Finance ought be be a required course in high school.

Jerry of IL 3:53PM March 25, 2009

During the years that I was hearing Social security disability cases I ran across quite a few self employed individuals who for many years thought their accountant was brilliant for making sure they paid nothing into the Scial Security Fund. That is, until the time they became ill or injured and could no longer work, but were not insured for SSA Disabilty. By the time I would see them they had sold off almost all they owned and were trying to qualify for the marginal SSI disability benefits. It's a metter of cutting off your nocse to spite your face, and avoiding the cheapest disability insurance available as well as the only reliable retirement account. Personally I would let them withdrawal from FICA as long as they pledge never to aply for any other governmental benefits that they would not need if they had paid their FICA.

Andrew Palestini of IA 1:30PM March 25, 2009

in the 1970s the federal goverment borrowed money to help pay off the war debt.Cananyone tell me if this was ever returned?

Will Brogdon of NC 10:47AM March 23, 2009

Does anyone think the United States, itself, is "dependable for the next 75 years?" With a current national debt of $11 trillion and more on the way, what would the forecast of 75 years be for such an organization?
In fact, the annual Trustees' Report is pretty easy to read and understand, except for the nonsense about the 75 year projections. What other product, company or other entity could be viewed as "depenable" for the next 75 years?
"Proving" that SS is dependable for the next 75 years is not what needs to be done to convince folks that it is a viable system. It can't be done. There are other variables that need to be in the discussion that are more relevant.

George Fulmore of CA 1:07AM March 20, 2009

It's easy to say raise the retirement age as one of the fixes for Social Security. Who is going to hire us? We already see the discrimination in corporate America, where the over-50s are let go because of their high salaries compared to the twentysomethings. Let's get real about actually being able to earn a living when we are in our late 60s and 70s.

Jim Roddy of MI 8:37PM March 19, 2009

I understand that SS has been in surplus and that can theoritically be used to pay the large number of boomer retirees for many years. But doesn't the surplus just go to the Treasury now where it is promptly spent for general governmantal purposes? I don't see how the feds make up for losing that subsidy once they have shell out real cash to meet SS obligations. Especially since this will be occurring at the same time that the tsunami of other entitlement spending is supposed to be taking place.

Gil Franco of IL 6:01PM March 19, 2009