10 Things You Didn't Know About Social Security

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I to am tired of anybody coming into our America and taking advantage of the system. My mother is 88 years old, paid her dues thru hard work. What does she get? Very little, you have to pay for medicare and your prescription drug program. Anybody that has lived as long, worked hard, & paid their taxes should not have to pay for anything and I mean anything, power, water, doctors, medicine, etc. All should be free to them, not to someone that came over in a banana boat, or crossed a border illegaly or flew to cause termoil in this country, last week. You came to my country, well actually the real native American is the Indian which I am proud to say I am 1/4 Catawba Indian, you can learn to speak ENGLISH. Get out of my Country.

Miriam of SC of SC 9:07AM August 26, 2010

My grandparents came to America in 1902. My mother was born HERE in 1931. That makes my mother an American. Born on the soil of a country means you are NATIVE to that land. Are you saying that my mother is NOT an American because her parents were from another country? And if my mother had taken ill as a baby and needed social assistance, then she would not have been entitled to it?
America IS and always has been a Socialist country. Think about it! The streets you drive on...the schools your children attend...the parks your children play in...the police you call when you need help...THAT IS SOCIALISM! And it WORKS!
Can you even try to imagine this country with totally private EVERYTHING? Private entities would own the highways and charge you like trolls to cross their bridges to get to work! Only the wealthy could afford private security police. It's ridiculous. It would NOT work.
America is great because of the way it IS. YOU would not be here if not for the way America allows people from other countries to make this country their home. Unless you are a native American Indian...YOU ARE FROM ANOTHER PLACE.
And how horrible it would be to have health care for all. Oh my....just think how much that would cost to keep our citizens healthy! I mean....it would cost as much as say...A WAR! It's ok to spend trillions of dollars on a war...but not on our own people???
America is a great country...if you don't like it here....LEAVE!

Vance Johnston of WI 9:44AM August 25, 2010

I agree!!!!!! Babies born here of illegal aliens are NOT entitled to anything. The baby is a citizen of its mothers country period. If Congress had to pay for all this stuff they would soon change the rules. They will get humongous pensions while the rest of us subsist on a few hundred dollars a month. I am sick of going to the store, or restaurants, or getting groceries and hearing Spanish. I SPEAK ENGLISH and that's our language. If they want to come here, learn the language, work for their legal papers. and get a job legally where they pay into the system and don't get anything back until they retire like we did. I don't know why the liberals think illegals deserve social security, food stamps, etc etc etc. Stop the insanity already paleeze!!!!!

Carol Gacioch RN RHIA of NC 6:07PM August 23, 2010

The government needs to make other parts of the government and agencies repay the money social security has given to them that they have not paid back. WE THE PEOPLE have worked and paid in to the system for us to have a retirement fund not to be told there is no money. If theres not going to be any money why are the younger people paying into a system and there money won't be there???????

Harriet of SC 11:53AM August 23, 2010

My sons father passed away when he was almost 6 years old. At that time children of a deceased parent would receive a check up until the age of 23 as long as they were in school which would include college. But when my son reached 18 they claimed the law had changed and stopped his payment. I think he should have been grandfathered in as that money would have helped him tremendosly to get his college education. As it is financially he has struggled had to take timeoff and now going back and still trying to pay. After his check was stopped there is no one else to draw any of the money his father had paid in. When parents divorce most of the time there are two people to help pay for the education. When one parent dies that only leaves one unless social security pays in this case the fathers part. I am very disappointed in social security.

Harriet of SC 11:47AM August 23, 2010

IF we could stop the "anchor baby" citizenship and it's tax-payer handout benefits until that child is 18, we could save large amounts that should go to the elderly who are all alone, some with no family at all.
It is appalling to most of the American public, approx. 80% according to NUMBERSUSA stats. that we are paying for foreigners and illegals to fornicate (have sex) to obtain a child that is used for Food Stamps, medicaid, WIC, housing allotments and a U.S. Citizenship ticket for their entire clan.
Go to: IMMIGRATIONCOUNTERS.COM read the $$$$ amounts. It is appalling. Don't forget that while people say they are tax earners also and deserve social security benefits.....astounding amounts of money are being sent out of our country, back home to their relatives and families.
No other country allows this. This abuse to the American citizen, especially those of long-rooted heritage whose ancestors fought and died in Americas wars. These handouts, this territory, our jobs belong to our children, our grandchildrens-children.

LiLy Pierre of FL 2:37AM August 23, 2010

Brian, thats somewhat of an ignorant comment you've made and its pretty obvious that you have very limited thinking. Its great that you have had an opportunity to realize your dreams (Congratulations!), but not everyone in this country (USA) has those same resources. Unfortunately, access to resources (not just a library) and education, and the circumstances in your environment can have a substantial impact on your ability to succeed. By the way the rich and the poor are needed to sustain our economy. Unfortunately its the poor - i.e. consumers who keep the wheels of our economy moving too! And don't be so ignorant to blame consumers for the banks needing bailouts! Its extremely narrowminded to suggest this when consumers did not set the underwriting standards and in many cases it was big businesses (i.e. builders and their affiliates) financing many of these bad deals. GOD BLESS THE USA! But even here not everyone has the exposure, resources or even confidence to be the self-made prosperous contributor to society such as yourself! GET REAL!

MH of TX 11:26AM August 21, 2010

Nancy,
If You divorce and never re-married.. yes, you can collect benefits. but because you have a number 2 husband you did loose that benefits.

miley of AZ 1:49AM August 21, 2010

I wonder if I will receive a cost of living raise on January 3rd. 2011, I know it is getting harder to pay every month bills, such as utilities and food,as I am a widow and it is my only income and everything has gone up plus the cost of living....

Joyce of TX 5:30PM August 20, 2010

Regarding Ms. Johnson in MN's comments about the billionaires needing to "buy into the country" instead of buying boats, planes or "whatever billionaires buy." That is about the most ignorant statement I've ever heard.
If you're poor it's because you have no financial literacy and CHOOSE to be poor. Almost every American has access to a public library and can educate themselves on investments, starting a business and gaining financial independence. Ms. Johnson has a Masters in Counseling, yet she's having trouble making a $1000 house payment? I'm willing to bet that she has always worked for someone else instead of using her talents to create her own business. If she had the credit to get a home loan in the first place, she could have borrowed money to buy rental properties and start generating passive income to the point that she wouldn't have needed to worry about her personal house payment. She could have refinanced her home at something much lower than 6.5%.
She blames billionaires, but it's the billionaires that create the jobs. Stop buying boats? What happens to the blue collar guys building the boats? They lose their jobs. If billionaires stopped spending money, it isn't the rich that get hurt -- it's the ordinary workers. We should encourage billionaires and millionaires to spend more and invest more by reducing taxes. I've never worked for a poor person -- it isn't the poor (or the government) that creates jobs -- it's the rich -- the entrepreneurs willing to risk everything. Donald Trump nearly went bankrupt twice in the 1990s, yet he's one of the richest men in America -- why? Because he has financial literacy and doesn't depend on the government to set his fate. Donald never asked for a bailout -- it was those unionized companies like GM that asked for the bailouts. The banks needed bailouts because of the financial ignorance of the people buying homes that couldn't afford them -- and that was enabled by the Community Reinvestment Act that forced banks to make higher risk loans.
The government is the problem, not the solution. Remember, if you're poor, it's because of your choice to be ignorant. I was completely broke just three years ago -- living in my old car for almost a month. I took a job as an English teacher in Korea, then China and saved up a few thousand dollars and started my own company. Now, I'm not rich -- but I'm on my way and certainly don't depend on the government to take care of me. I resent the "anti-rich" crowd because it's nothing more than ignorance and envy. How many poor people continue to buy $20 or more each week in lottery tickets or $5 per day for cigarettes and $50+ per month for cell phones or cable? Now imagine saving that money for a year then using it as a down payment on a small investment condo.. People need to think big, think rich and stop moaning about their own sad state. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Brian 9:19AM August 20, 2010