Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

When we go back & forth over issues These are lines we should keep in mind. I feel they speak of the core of the problem.

Doing one thing & saying another.

Art

Yep I see what you mean.

Art

I found a lot of articles claiming the SS Ponzi scheme a myth from sources such as Forbes, Money, Washington Post. Looking into this further, I found more money has come in than has been paid out in benefits and the unspent money was loaned to the U.S. Government through Bonds.

I think the bigger concept I find puzzling about money or investments is that it is worth only as much as people believe it is. It is only our faith in our money that makes it valuable. So why is there a sales pitch to devalue Social Security and who benefits from such a change in its worth?

Art

Tried playing some golf and somehow it was easier hitting my neighbors home than landing on the green.

In 1990 the federal government spent 170 billion dollars on assorted varieties of corporate welfare. The most expensive means tested welfare program, Medicaid, costs the federal government 30 billion dollars a year or about half of the amount corporations receive each year through assorted tax breaks. S.S.I., the federal program for the disabled, receives 13 billion dollars while American businesses are given 17 billion in direct federal aid. The resent corporate bail outs during our recession show corporate welfare has only gotten bigger as our US Government spent trillions covering losses in direct investments in financial institutions, purchases of high-grade corporate debt and purchases of mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.

Even with all the gifts and subsidies and tax breaks, many corporations are moving jobs overseas. Conservatives want entitlement reform while wanting even more tax breaks and more subsidies for corporations while only hinting that they may create more jobs. I believe there some misinformation about who is getting the most money for nothing from our government.

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

One should seek out just where all of the money spent by the government goes. Then it is not a bad idea to look for where it all ends up. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

vernon

now i completely agree with that :thumbup:

emarine

Great post Art :thumbup: :thumbup: it is so easy to kick around and blame the poor when in fact its a bigger problem from the wealthy... big corporations are not creating jobs just profits at the tax payers expense.

RetNavyCWO Loc: VA suburb of DC

Unless your wife's SS entitlement is larger than yours, or she has a government pension for work that did not participate in SS, she will get an amount equal to what you are getting now after you die. If she is old enough, she should be able to get a spousal benefit now equal to about half of what you are getting now, unless she is collecting SS on her own earnings record or has the government pension I mentioned in my first sentence.

RetNavyCWO Loc: VA suburb of DC

:thumbup: :thumbup:

vernon

she worked for the state for 30 yrs and didnt pay into ss.

vernon

when i pay for something i dont call it socialism to get what i paid for.now if you have been on welfare fpr 5 generations that is socialsm

Fred Schnaubelt Loc: San Diego

emarine via Floyd Brown, please name the good things about Socialism. My wife lived in the USSR for 35 years and yes health care with sterile water was free, however is you wanted medicine you had to pay extra "Na Leva" (under the table). Sweden until the 1950s had one of the world’s fastest growing economies. It tried Socialism and became a basket case. Since eschewing Socialism it is today once again among the strongest economies in Europe.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704698004576104023432243468#printMode

emarine

Anything that redistributes something from one to another is a form of socialism.... The US Military... The US Government.... State and local Government...police...fire... Taxes are a necessary redistribution for the basic wellbeing of the American people... like it or not.... fail to pay and they take all your stuff or lock you up in a box... that is unless you have the funds available to buy your way out ... How do you want to define... INEQUALITY .... The wealthy play this game very well... the average American is along for the ride. The poor did not ruin America no matter how many times the wealthy want to say it .

RetNavyCWO Loc: VA suburb of DC

The numbers tell the tale, but she might still be entitled to a part of your SS benefit. Read here about the Government Pension Offset:

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf

alex Loc: michigan now imperial beach californa

if you liberals would spend as much energy on making something of your selves and less on being jealous of those that have' you very likely would be richer than the ones you are jealous of