Quote of the Day 3/21

[Brett]

"Put me clearly on the record: I don't want to 'reform' Social Security or 'rescue' it or 'adjust it to the new realities of the 21st century.' No, I want to hit it in the head with a shovel and bury it in a New Jersey landfill. It is time to kill the rotten, lousy, 'rip off your kids to keep granny in bingo cards' Ponzi scheme that we call Social Security, but would be more accurately described as 'the government taking money from poor, hard-working young families and giving just enough of it to retirees to keep them broke, too'." --Michael Graham (Rev. Billy Graham's son incase you didn't know.)

[williamlayton]

Fine---what do you do with those already committed to it and it is too late to adjust?
Blessings

[magooch]

Social Security will have to change or die of its own accord.  I don't think the workers will accept the type of tax increase it will take to keep it going in a few years.

I'll begin drawing my SS this summer and I don't feel one bit guilty about the fact that I don't need it.  I didn't ask to be put into the system and I cerainly paid my dues.  I don't play bingo, but the extra bucks will keep me driving new cars and trucks.

[Brett]

Magooch,

The next time this over taxed, working stiff's 15 year old Chevy brakes down can I send you the bill for the repairs?  :-)

[williamlayton]

Magooch-
You should not feel guilty.
Those less lucky in life, and the word luck is applied with purpose, are the ones that it would hurt, to the point of poverty.
This whole idea, of denying a contract, and changing the rules after one is unable to do things differently, is very objectionable.
Many worked for wages which did not allow for a great deal of investment, certainly not enough to retire in any degree of security. To start today, with those things denied, is a breach of the rules business laid out as a supplement to the retirement they offered.
These folks did not make the rules they simply followed the rules.
Blessings

[leverfan]

My dad doesn't need SS, but he'll start collecting it early next year, and it's about time he did.  He's busted his butt for his whole life, he spent the best part of 7 years underwater on a nuke sub for his country, and he's been a good father and grandfather.  If I've got to pay a few extra pennies on the dollar to keep him supplied with gas for his fishing boat during his golden years, so be it.

The same goes for the rest of you geezers out there, I don't mind buying a few bingo cards for your wives, they've earned it with a lifetime of work and care.  I'll be happy to buy you a drink, if you'll put up the quarters for the pool table.  If my taxes go way up, you'll have to feed the juke box, too (I like classic country).

And no, I'm not rich.  I just had to sell a gun to come up with the cash to buy my 2 year old boy his first bed, since he called me into his room to show me how he can climb in and out of his crib.

Look at it this way, folks.  We could do what families in other countries do, and what used to be far more common, here.  When mom and pop get too old to work, they come move in with you. :shock:   Now, doesn't that extra SS tax sound a lot cheaper?

[Brett]

SS could be phased out over a period of time.  The changes that 'W' proposed would not effect those already collecting or those about to collect in the near future.  

Leverdude - Your parents took care of you for 18 years or so, may have even payed for 4 years of college,  what's the big deal about returning the favor.

The SS Act  was not originally intended to be permanent and should not be.  If 48 percent of my income did not go to paying taxes I could fund my own retirement account. Maybe even have enough to buy a new vehicle now and then.

If you are a post boomer like me you had better wake up. SS will be bankrupt before we get a chance to collect and we will be left with nothing because we had little to invest after taxes.

[leverfan]

Leverdude - Your parents took care of you for 18 years or so, may have even payed for 4 years of college,  what's the big deal about returning the favor.

Since you can't get my handle right, I'm not surprised you missed the point, and the intended humor, of my original answer.

There is a poster that goes by "Leverdude," but I'm not him.  

Your guesses about what my parents may or may not have done for me, and what I'm willing to do for my surviving parent, are just that, your guesses.  They sure aren't the facts.  

I'm sure sorry that people aren't flocking to agree with your quote of the day, but that's the way it goes in public discussion.

[fe352v8]

Maybe we should have Michael Gahram,  take over the federal reserve, and Greenspan can take over the Billy Graham Ministries. Seems each is equally qualified and a astute in the others field.

life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

[Brett]

Sorry Leverfan, the screw up with your name was unintentional.

April 15th is just around the corner and I'm feeling the squeeze.  That coupled with the fact that the family dentist just informed me last week  that I had better start saving money cause my daughter will be needing braces in a few years. And my 15 year old truck is hemorrhaging coolant somewhere. :roll:

[leverfan]

Brett-

No problem.  Just take half of what I say with a grain of salt, and ignore the other half (that's my wife's coping strategy).  

We're scraping by, investing as much as we can in private accounts already, so I wouldn't mind seeing some changes in the system.  Graham's approach isn't what I'd have in mind, though.

I had a new truck, once.......

[Brett]

Well, found out today where my coolant has been going... water pump has gone bad.  Someone just hit me in the head with a shovel and toss me in a Jersey landfill.