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2007-12-18 Home Front Economy

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Posted by gorb 2007-12-18 07:46|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Should have privatized it long ago. I'd rather invest it as I see fit then have uncle sugar give me 3% back on the dollar if I'm lucky.

Posted by Broadhead6 2007-12-18 09:44|| 2007-12-18 09:44|| Front Page Top

#2 Ponzi schemes always fail.

Socialism is the biggest ponzi scheme of them all.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2007-12-18 10:44|| 2007-12-18 10:44|| Front Page Top

#3 Meanwhile private sector insurance companies, (firms that do NOT have mandetory subscriberships) enjoy record profits and economic stability.

Posted by Besoeker 2007-12-18 10:59|| 2007-12-18 10:59|| Front Page Top

#4 The monoline insurers do not.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2007-12-18 11:33|| 2007-12-18 11:33|| Front Page Top

#5 No one bitched louder than me re SS. I was certain my wife and I'd never recover what we put in if/when we retired.

I now receive survivor benefits for my minor kids due to my wife's passing. It's a pile of $$. I can easily make ends meet without it.

Now, just like my great-grandparents and my grandparents, I will get far more than I put in.

Do my kids deserve the benefit? Well, legally they are entitled to it. But deserve it - I don't know about that. I don't like the feel of it but I take the $$. Interesting - I don't bitch anymore.

I'm feel dirty - but I still take the benefit. Look up hypocrite definition #2 in Webster's - you'll find me.

Posted by GORT 2007-12-18 11:59|| 2007-12-18 11:59|| Front Page Top

#6 My elderly mother raised us on her own after dad left and never paid child support. She worked hard at any job she could get and they didn't offer any benefits, even paying cash without putting into SS. She has arthritis from overuse and other stress related illnesses. She also raised a few grandchildren to keep them out of the system and she is not alone, as millions of grandparents are raising kids today. Politicians turning granny out into the streets isn't very popular and I'd hate to see what they would do to the billionaires who bellyache about paying their fair share.

Posted by Danielle 2007-12-18 12:19|| 2007-12-18 12:19|| Front Page Top

#7 This is why populist suggestions to abolish the IRS or institute a flat tax is catching on and ending the billions paid to the UN and other foreign aid that seems to end up financing terrorism would also be the place to start budget cutting rather than entitlement programs.

Posted by Danielle 2007-12-18 12:24|| 2007-12-18 12:24|| Front Page Top

#8 I'd hate to see what they would do to the billionaires who bellyache about paying their fair share.

Right Danielle. Here's the data from 2005
Income - Percentage of the total Tax Paid
Top 1% - 39.38%
Top 5% - 59.67%
Top 10% - 70.30%
Top 25% - 85.99%
Top 50% - 96.93%
Bottom 50% - 3.07%
http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=6
Those generating the top incomes are the ones who are carrying everyone else on entitlement gravy train. While its fun to point out individual cases of 'shirking' obligations, the truth is that the bulk of our national personal tax income is carried by a very few in the total population. Instead of demonizing these people, you'd better be trying to figure out how to make more. That's because everyone else wants someone else to pay for their 'entitlement'.

A democracy only lasts till the people figure out they can vote themselves money.

Posted by Procopius2k 2007-12-18 13:42|| 2007-12-18 13:42|| Front Page Top

#9 I'm feel dirty - but I still take the benefit. Look up hypocrite definition #2 in Webster's - you'll find me.

GORT, I don't mind donating a bit to help you regain your balance after a difficult time. But feel free to take your guilt and donate to some of the funds for the troops, perhaps in your beloved wife's name. Me, I don't mind paying a bit more than my fair share in taxes, given that it's going to support my parents and in-laws in their old age, and Broadhead6, Besoeker and almost enough others in ways I consider critically important. Not to mention those of you who sacrificed your health and comfort to keep us all safe in the past. As for the pork, there always was and always will be that; the question is how to keep it from overly parasiting what's needful, and given the currently reducing deficit, I'm not going to worry overmuch.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2007-12-18 14:35|| 2007-12-18 14:35|| Front Page Top

#10 Make SS opt-outable.

See how many think the state is a better investor than they are...

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2007-12-18 14:37|| 2007-12-18 14:37|| Front Page Top

#11 The government is promising $45 trillion more than it can deliver on Social Security, Medicare and other benefit programs.

So?
They'll do what they've always done, print more money, and lie.(Of course)

Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-12-18 15:00|| 2007-12-18 15:00|| Front Page Top

#12 Procopius2k, your data is for Federal Income Tax. That doesn't fund the entitlements, which come from Social Security taxes and Medicare/Medicaid taxes.

But I wish more people were aware of the data you referenced. Note that, in contradiction to common knowledge and the harping of the MSM and other lib elites, the lower 50%'s share of the income tax burden is nearly 25% lower in 2005 than in 1999.

It won't be long before the majority of the voters pay no income tax whatsoever.

Now we hear calls for the 'rich' to assume an increased share of the entitlements. In other words, make the entitlements progressive, also.

Posted by KBK 2007-12-18 15:17|| 2007-12-18 15:17|| Front Page Top

#13 Social security taxes are the largest tax 70% of Americans pay. All workers pay 15.3% (including the employer portion) on the first $100,000 or so. Once that is figured in, those in the $80-100K pay a larger percentage of their income than the highest income tax brackets. Especially when considering property taxes and long term capital gains taxes (15%) that make up much of the income of the rich.

Posted by ed 2007-12-18 15:33|| 2007-12-18 15:33|| Front Page Top

23:44 gorb
23:43 Whomong Guelph4611
23:36 JosephMendiola
23:36 Whomong Guelph4611
23:30 Eric Jablow
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22:57 trailing wife
22:50 Anonymoose
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22:41 Abu do you love
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22:38 gorb
22:33 Abu do you love
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22:23 Sock Puppet of Doom
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