Political one liners

The E wrote:Yep. Raising the top marginal tax rate to 70 or 80% should do the trick nicely without affecting anyone negatively in any real way.

Well, raising the tax rate on everybody who's working to 70% or 80% would just about pay for it. Do any of you, over there in Europe, even begin to understand what it will take to give the promised benefits to a retired population that is BIGGER THAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY? You can't wrap your little brains around the SCALE of the problem!

They took more than $150,000 from me over the last 40 years. I have made my retirement plans in the full expectation that Social Security will go bankrupt and I won’t get ANY of it back.

Imaginos1892 wrote:

The E wrote:Yep. Raising the top marginal tax rate to 70 or 80% should do the trick nicely without affecting anyone negatively in any real way.

Well, raising the tax rate on everybody who's working to 70% or 80% would just about pay for it.

Now you're just pulling random claims out of your ass.

Do any of you, over there in Europe, even begin to understand what it will take to give the promised benefits to a retired population that is BIGGER THAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY? You can't wrap your little brains around the SCALE of the problem!

Since the tax base scales with the population (cause you know, they're pretty much the same thing), there is pretty much NO DIFFERENCE between how hard it is to deal with this problem for European countries compared to America.

Wrap your little brain around that.


(EDIT: Oh, except one thing, they have sane health insurance systems which does actually make things WAY EASIER... but that wasn't the point you were trying to make though was it)

The E wrote:(Cue incoherent screaming from conservative folks who don't know economics in 3...2...1...)

Nailed it.

In 2018 Social Security made up over one quarter of US federal government spending, and cost every working American about $7,200.00. Those numbers will be going up FAST over the next 25 years as more people retire, AND the number of working Americans declines, due to those ‘demographic trends’ you dismiss so casually. Without substantial changes in how it's run, in ten years the burden on each individual worker will approximately double.

But wait! There’s more!

Medicare and Medicaid make up another third of government spending, more than $9,800.00 for every working American. Those numbers will increase even faster than Social Security. In ten years, those three ‘benefits’ ALONE are projected to cost every working American over $32,000.00 per year. Average income is about $40,000.00. Divide A into B. If you dare.

Ah, but I’m forgetting — you believe that everybody should be dependent on the government, for everything. That’s your ideal world.

Except in the case of Social Security, those claiming it have already paid for it.

In fact, next year looks to be the first year where the Social Security Trust Fund wont cover the SS bill from it's own income streams.

So yes, SS does account for around 25% of US government spending, but it also accounts for the same in government income.

Medicaide, or medicare, is just common sense.

Hell, it's the US government doing it's damn job.
It's also been shown the be a net benifit to the economy. Although the health system in America is so fucked I can understand you blaming medicare instead of addressing the real issues.

Personally, I would think you'd be more worried about the 10% or so that goes to interest payments. An interest bill that Trump is doubling.

The developed countries with universal governmental run health care cost about a third as much per citizen to provide much better health outcomes than the US. Several reasons, but no profit motive and dividends to pay, no duplication of services and nipping health problems in the bud early all contribute.
I had to chuckle at Imaginos complaining about "They took more than $150,000 from me over the last 40 years".
I paid that in the last two years I worked (back 12 years ago). Not complaining as I had plenty left over.
Anna's final comment is interesting, as with Trump increasing the debt rapidly he is probably on to a personal win, albeit a country big time loss. Current expenditure will make him look good to the great unwashed, but future Presidents will have to curtail expenditure to pay his debt plus interest down, and then unfairly look bad in comparison.

Annachie wrote:Except in the case of Social Security, those claiming it have already paid for it.

In fact, next year looks to be the first year where the Social Security Trust Fund wont cover the SS bill from it's own income streams.

So yes, SS does account for around 25% of US government spending, but it also accounts for the same in government income.

Medicaide, or medicare, is just common sense.

Hell, it's the US government doing it's damn job.
It's also been shown the be a net benifit to the economy. Although the health system in America is so fucked I can understand you blaming medicare instead of addressing the real issues.

Personally, I would think you'd be more worried about the 10% or so that goes to interest payments. An interest bill that Trump is doubling.

Imaginos1892 wrote:Well, raising the tax rate on everybody who's working to 70% or 80% would just about pay for it. Do any of you, over there in Europe, even begin to understand what it will take to give the promised benefits to a retired population that is BIGGER THAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY? You can't wrap your little brains around the SCALE of the problem!

Yes, we can. Most anyone who isn't deeply in denial about the failure of capitalism as a guarantor of fair outcomes can, and has for the past 30 years.
Anyone with eyes and a functioning brain would know that you can't keep cutting taxes indefinitely, and yet, american conservatives have been running on exactly that platform for a long time (while at the same time ramping up government spending).

They took more than $150,000 from me over the last 40 years. I have made my retirement plans in the full expectation that Social Security will go bankrupt and I won’t get ANY of it back.

Social Security wouldn't be in such a crisis if it wasn't for people who believe that only the rich deserve health and happiness.

Annachie wrote:Except in the case of Social Security, those claiming it have already paid for it.

And all that money was squandered decades ago. They're being paid with the money today's suckers are 'investing' just like in any other Ponzi scam.

Annachie wrote:In fact, next year looks to be the first year where the Social Security Trust Fund wont cover the SS bill from it's own income streams.

There is no money in the 'Social Security Trust Fund'. All of it was spent decades ago on things completely unrelated to Social Security. Just like in any other Ponzi scam.

Daryl wrote:I paid that in the last two years I worked (back 12 years ago).

So, you're bragging about how rich you are. I'm not rich, and I've prepared for retirement without any 'help' from the government, just hard work and investment. THAT is capitalism.

Daryl wrote:with Trump increasing the debt rapidly

He's got a long ways to go to catch up with 0bama. $13 trillion in 8 years.

Imaganos, the Social Security Fund has actually run on a surplus until now - so you are in fact wrong saying it was spend decades ago.

Obama's contribution to the debt was $8.6 billion, so your number of $13 billion is wrong. Trump inherited an economy from Obama that was healthy and growing and Trump is still projected to add $4.8 billions to the debt during his first term compared to Obama's $5 billion during his first term where he had to tackle the fucking mess of an economy after GWB's antics.

Imagenius - just out of interest...

what wuld you recomend that they do with all the old people if the government followed your advice and got rid of social security?