Obama's 6 Social Security Principles

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I don't understand why ss is under attack, it is totally self funded and probably the only program in the federal government in the black. We all will eventually need it unless you check out early and $1200/mo is subsistence. yes, the cap should be lifted on all wages; many wealthy pay as much as a successful plumber and the bulk of their income comes from capital gains(15%) to the upper 2%. I would like to see wall street transactions taxed and how many are really bothered with the "death tax?"
The real problem is our medical care, why not medicare for all ; a basic health maintenance and anyone can buy a supplement as grand as they choose. When you pay $1000+/mo for covering your family who are never ill something is wrong. If Canada, UK and about every other civilized country treats it as a basic human right why can't we instead of fighting two wars for what reason? Cutting taxes to the priveledged while the middle class sinks, why not make minimum wage a living wage?

Loren G of CA 12:59PM February 17, 2011

Keep your grubby, filthy hands off taxpayers benefits, which we've paid into. Shmuck!

James Griffith of NY 3:14PM February 16, 2011

The Greatest Generation had one flaw. That generation , having grown up in the Great Depression, decided that our generation should have it easy and voted for politicians who promised benefits that would help alleviate the pain of future depressions. Good intentions led to bad results. The generation that grew up in the 60's and 70's was fiscally irresponsible, and was assisted by easy credit and instant gratification. I seem to recall the Aesop's fable re: the "Ant and the Grasshopper", and we, as a generation of grasshoppers, are now facing Aesop's "consequences" . Unfortunately, when I listen to the uneducated herd on TV protesting for "Obama dollars" and deanding higher taxes on "the rich" , it is clear that we are a nation of spoiled and ignorant children . The "Greatest Generation defeated nazism, but they sewed the seeds of despotism on the home front.
I agree that our generation needs to get tough and face the facts. I just wonder, given the herd-mentality we see everywhere, if there are enough intelligent Americans left to work real reform over the braying protests of the liberals and welfare-leeches.

marc christophe of FL 2:48PM February 16, 2011

You have adroitly pointed out that economic reform cannot happen when (1) everyone agrees that the "other guy's benefits" should be cut, but not their own, and (2) politicians will not cut benefits to voters. Sociologists and leaders from Tyler to Jefferson to Marx , for over 200 years, have consistently said that a Democracy cannot survive once the people begin voting money for themselves from the treasury and politicians learn how to distribute that money to buy power. The Democrats drag out the "They are going to abolish Social Security" argument every 4 years, and the gullible vote to maintain the status quo , leaving the inevitable pain for others.
Social Security was and is a ponzi scheme and must be replaced. In doing so, it might help top remind voters that SS was never intended to be a retirees only pension, but was to serve as an income supplement. As far as cuts go, why are benefits paid to able-bodied young people just because a parent died? I recall having friends in college who lived on campus, did not work, but received SS benefits. Does this still go on?
Medicare, medicaid, and VA medical benefits can be consolidated and refined for more efficient and less expensive delivery. SS can be replaced by IRA's. Government needs to get out of these businesses.

marc christophe of FL 2:37PM February 16, 2011

Mr. President, how ill-informed do you think the general public is. 25 years after the last Social Security reform legislation promoted as a 75 year fix, Social Security is in the emergency room. Now Mr. President, you want us to buy into another political in-breeding (bipartisan) scheme? It was the conservative poster child, President Reagan, and his liberal counter part, Tip O'Neill who hatched the last SS funding scheme over a few beers at a DC Irish pub. Now middle class working Americans are waking up to a financial hangover. You know, that's the working Americans whose back we all ride to our prosperity. 2.54 trillion of their potential retirement fund assets have been turned into 2.54 trillion of their retirement fund debt, that's a 5 trillion dollar plus net loss, and you want us all to go down the same road again? Thanks but no thanks, the American people are waking up to the fact that SS has morphed into a cancer on middle class working Americans. So Mr.President, here's something for you and your other dysfunctional off springs to chew on. It's the pathology report on the cancer that is Social Security: http://sobreport.com/?p=66 And then Mr. President our suggested Treatment Plan: http://sobreport.com/?p=70 - Never again will "we the people" buy into the fuzzy math that you and your ilk would have us believe. In our world 2 + 2 doesn't equal 5, it still equals 4.

pappyg of FL 2:36PM February 16, 2011

Arty, learn how to spell, then try again.
Mr. VanZanten, the problem, unfortunately, is that the top 1% of American income earners pay 40% of the income taxes in this country. While the cap on payroll taxes limits their contribution for this particular tax, it is they who will not get back what they pay into the program. It is the rich who subsidize the middle class and low income members of our society. This is as it should be, of course, but to believe otherwise does not jibe with the facts. The real issue is that too many people get back more than they put in - even when you adjust their contributions for a generous return. And, even then, they cannot live comfortably only on social security. We have at least two generations who have lived without saving for the future. Thoughtless and callous with their own finances, now they wish to blame others for their lack of forethought. The real problem Mr. VanZanten is that too many of us want our cable, our cell phones, our ipods, and to live above our means without thought to tomorrow. And then we expect to be taken care of by others or by a system that we are unwilling to fund. It's always "cut my taxes, but don't take away my goodies." Where did our back-bone go. How did the Greatest Generation beget such disappointing progeny. Let us make a pact to be better. More judicious, more tight-fisted with ourselves and generous with others - and let's do something about our debt. As it is, we have denuded our children and grandchildren from their rightful inheritance and, for that, we should be deeply ashamed. So, let's turn this around, for crying out loud. Otherwise, we will be known as the generation that bankrupted this great nation and frittered away our birthright through self-indulgence, silliness, and the idiocies of the Arty's among us. I will do my share and hope to count on your goodwill to do the same.

General Tacticus of CA 2:34PM February 16, 2011

social security was well funded but congress kept borrowing money from the trust fund.nnow it is filled instead with worthless iou put in there by a bankrupted government.and now the very vultures who stole from it will cut benifits from it .aint hat america. why is it never mentioned that trillions yes trillins of our money is still being spent on black budget projects that benefit the politcal and social elite. when the poopoo hits the fan they will ride it out in luxury underground sanctuarys whle the rest of us are left to die. no one has yet to comment on this issue , let me be the first.

richard ferrari of NY 1:37PM February 16, 2011

If the rich are made to pay more, than less, according to their pay scale, then I think that everything would work out. As it is, we the people that have payed all their lives, to pay into social security, are at risk of not getting our share back. Also, if the government would get their social secutiy the same way we do, instead of a big set amount, things would be better!

William VanZanten of MI 1:29PM February 16, 2011

Obama is a damm joke in offic , hes not even an American, he doesn tbelong here, its time to go back to the basics of what our forefathers founded this country on, Christianity, not Religion, The democrats and aethist have twisted the words of our forefathers, this was a country for the native Americans and Pilgrims, not Foreignors

arty of TN 12:34PM February 16, 2011

Social Security may not be in the red, but millions of middle class working Americans who've overpaid their SS taxes by billions of dollars only to find they were creating new debt with the very dollars they were led to believe they were saving; they're bleeding. No matter how you spin it, SS has morphed into a cancer on middle class working Americans. The Pathology Report: http://sobreport.com/?p=66 The Treatment Plan: http://sobreport.com/?p=70

pappyg of FL 11:40AM February 16, 2011