Dial 911... We're Being Robbed!

I'm writing this thread in regards to our current Social Security "deficit" problem and how some are proposing that we deal with it. I think it's common knowledge that over the years some 2.6 trillion in surplus funds has been paid into Social Security by american workers. These funds were to insure that when they reached retirement age, there would be funds available to pay their benefits. According to Alan Simpson, currently there are no surplus funds, but rather there are 2.6 trillion dollars worth of IOU's backed by the U.S. Treasury sitting in their place. Here's a video of Alan Simpson stating just that;

[yvid]

Who dials 911 when they're being robbed? Are you not a gun owner?

reply to post by Tephra


I am a indeed a gun owner but I'm not being robbed at gunpoint and I don't believe in injecting violence into a situation where violence has not been used. On the other hand, if I went to D.C. with a gun to demand that they pay my S.S. benefit, I'm sure they would be more than happy to provide for my retirement needs within one of the nation's correctional institutions.

100% agreed.
END THE WARS
END THE FED
Good thread, well written. I don't have anything relevant to add beyond showing my support for this thread by posting, so BUMP!

Originally posted by Flatfish
reply to post by Tephra

 

I am a indeed a gun owner but I'm not being robbed at gunpoint and I don't believe in injecting violence into a situation where violence has not been used. On the other hand, if I went to D.C. with a gun to demand that they pay my S.S. benefit, I'm sure they would be more than happy to provide for my retirement needs within one of the nation's correctional institutions.

Yep, your correct.....You know, they have robbed us and there is absolutely nothing the American people can or will do about it...The will just keep raising the retirement age trying to ward off the paying of these non existent funds...

reply to post by Flatfish


Indeed. We are (and have been) being robbed. Not only are most of us slaves, but we had to pay (no choice) in to a system that now has nothing to give us back.

I hope this thread gets more attention!

It's not just the fact that we have been robbed, it's the fact that the debt owed to the american worker is now considered to be much less important than debt owed to foreign countries. All this talk about how catastrophic it would be if our nation's debt limit isn't raised and all the fear about how no one will lone us money if our triple A rating is lowered.

So, why the hell should we support raising the debt limit so that our government, (the very same government that refuses to honor it's debt to the Social Security trust funds and the American workers) will be able to borrow even more money? Don't get me wrong, I'm not for shutting down our government but why would I enable the government to incur more debt when they refuse to pay me what I'm owed?

Let me propose a hypothetical here; I own an insurance company and you have been making payments on your home owner's policy faithfully, for years. I decided to expand my home office and took out a very large loan to do so. At the very same time, a storm comes along and destroys your house, so you make a claim. My response to your insurance claim is; "I would love to pay you the money I owe you but you see I have this other loan that's far more important and if I could just have an extra 5 or 10 yrs. to pay you the money I owe you, it would be greatly appreciated." Now how long do you think I'd be in business?

Anyway, the message I'm getting from them is that we, the american people, are not worthy of repayment but everyone else is.

Apparently the new Republican/Tea Party slogan is; "We're not trying to balance the budget on the backs of seniors, we're trying to Stabilize The System."

Originally posted by Flatfish
In reality, I don't give a big hairy rats ass what they borrowed the money for, they borrowed it, they owe it and now it's time to pay up.

These criminals running our country do not care if our seniors eat dogfood and live in a cardboard box as long as the banksters, Wall Street and political hacks are getting their megabuck paydays. After all ..... they've got to have priorities donchya know.

Social security is only one of many robberies going on. This entire economic economic meltdown is an engineered event designed to put our nation is third world status. And they absolutely knew it was coming. There is no way they could *not* see this coming.

I think there are precious few avenues left to us. I say we need to:

1) nationalise the Federal Reserve

2) use the Ricoh racketeering statutes against the players in Wall Street -- take everything from the perps

3) use the Ricoh racketeering statutes against the players in the legislative, executive, judiciary and pentagon -- take everything from the perps AND/OR

4) dissolve the federal government


I just got thru paying another tax payment and I can't tell you how ashamed I am to financially support such a corrupt system. I'm sick of this.

Originally posted by DISINFORMANT
100% agreed.
END THE WARS
END THE FED
Good thread, well written. I don't have anything relevant to add beyond showing my support for this thread by posting, so BUMP!

I totally agree with you.

whats worse than knowing this fact is that when finally get to retirement age

they finally get to the rude awakening that living off social security is a joke and many many older people cant survive on it and have to continue working to make ends meet.

i honestly do wish people would start investing in 401ks and iras and supplement their golden years

to more eggs in the basket so to speak the better off all of them will be.

Originally posted by neo96
whats worse than knowing this fact is that when finally get to retirement age ...

The real tragedy is that for seventy five years
generations of Americans fought against social security [color=gold]numbers,
but now we have a generation that is willing to give up the benefits, but keep the ID numbers.


David Grouchy

reply to post by tyson


I agree with most of what you said except I don't think that I would opt to totally dissolve the government, although I would definitely be in favor of de-criminalizing it.

You want to know what the ultra wealthy and the corporate elite do with all that extra money? They spend it lobbying our elected officials to pass even more legislation that is heavily weighted in favor of making them even richer. You know what they say; "Money talks and bull# walks."

A good first step at taking back our government would be to totally outlaw the lobbying of elected officials by paid lobbyist. No one other than individual voters should be able to redress their government, period.

Sorry, I accidentally hit the button twice and ended up with a double post. Wish there was a way to totally delete one's own post.

Originally posted by neo96
whats worse than knowing this fact is that when finally get to retirement age

they finally get to the rude awakening that living off social security is a joke and many many older people cant survive on it and have to continue working to make ends meet.

i honestly do wish people would start investing in 401ks and iras and supplement their golden years

to more eggs in the basket so to speak the better off all of them will be.

edit on 20-4-2011 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

As a former trustee of both, "Defined Benefit Trust funds" (Pension plans) and "Defined Contribution Trust Funds" (IRA/401k investment funds) I can assure you that both are susceptible to market downturns. The problem with defined contribution or 401k style plans is that when the market turns south, the retiree who has invested on an individual basis is left with no means of self support. On the other hand, defined benefit plans like social security are much more insulated against these downturns because of the fact that the investments are pooled together and no one is left broke and standing alone.

Social Security was not designed to be a retirement plan but rather a base line safety net and anyone who plans on a "comfortable" retirement should definitely make other investments and not rely on S.S. alone. Like you said, "more eggs in the basket," just keep in mind that Social Security is one of those eggs.

The problem is that our Social Security trust funds have not been treated as such in the past. Instead, they have been treated like a slush fund from which to draw out money and fund pet projects, wars and tax breaks for the rich. In the Trust fund World it is customary to demand that no funds be spent, other than the cost to administer the funds, except for the purpose of providing benefits to the beneficiaries of the trust. No loans, No IOUs and no "I'm sorry I can't pay you what I owe You."

reply to post by Flatfish


that depends on what they were invested in and when it comes to any market investment

the most common stragety is long term and that means long term like the span of 40 50 60 years.

of course there is risk but that risk can be mitigated with the right knowledge.

take gold and precious metals one of the most common ira funds available these days

look at how much gold is worth today this along with social security a senior would be living much better off.

markets do rise and fall but the most critical element to any investment stragety is time.

reply to post by neo96


One of the things that goes along with defined contribution plans is the fact that the worker gets to direct what his 401k is invested in and everyone will not make the same choice. Indeed, some will make bad investment choices and when they reach retirement age, who will support them if their 401k lacks the funds to do so? Not everyone is educated in the field of investment strategies. My funds even holds educational courses for workers to attend in order to help educate them it that respect, but still some will not be successful.

As a trustee, I attended educational conferences where I was required to attend classes 8 hrs. a day for 4 days and we did this twice a year. despite all the classes I attended, I myself would not be comfortable in knowing that I would always make the wisest investment choices. No one always makes the right choices, that's why they call them mistakes.

Ever heard the old saying; "There's power in numbers?" It's the pooled design of defined benefit plans that enables them to withstand market downturns and investments gone bad, but the biggest advantage they offer is just knowing that no individual will be left out in the cold with no one to help.

What ever happened to "United We Stand?"

reply to post by Flatfish


i have heard this arguement before people are too dumb to invest then people should take the time and educate themselves or have the options to have someone teach them.

everything i know about investment i learned on my own because the only one who will not cheat me is myself.

if people have the option to invest their social security that would be great but since they cant i advocate for iras and 401s.

granted i am still consider myself a novice when it comes to investment hands off and i think long term.

i practice with a yahoo portfolios lol and my accounts are worth over a billion dollars.


united we stand is long gone and its nothing but divided for the purpose of being controlled.