"Stealing from our Children!" ?

[merrylander]

I bring more money into the country than my SSI monthly benefit. Also I wanted to defer SS until I retired at 73, they would not let me. Since I was into 6 figures income wise they bloody near took it all back in taxes.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

I understand that. But, what I don't understand is why anyone has a problem with it, much less considers it "theft". And from "babies"? Oh, come on. You and I and everyone else have already been paying out to these programs for our whole lives to benefit our parents and grandparents. So what? Are you starving? I'm certainly not. I know they benefit elderly folks, I've seen it. My reaction is "Cool. Glad I could help."

I just don't understand the mentality of it. Are they raising their kids on the premise that helping others is bad? (Unless, of course that someone can pay them handsomely for their assistance...)

If so, this does not bode well for the future.

And, I believe the motivation is selfish, greedy and little more than political beyond that.

Regards,
Dave

From a pragmatic, actuarial POV, the demographic shift as well as peoples' ability to live longer has thrown the equation out of whack. Is the argument about generational theft hyperbole? Sure, but what in politics isn't (including Obama's Chicken Little screeching of late).

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by finnbow

From a pragmatic, actuarial POV, the demographic shift as well as peoples' ability to live longer has thrown the equation out of whack. Is the argument about generational theft hyperbole? Sure, but what in politics isn't (including Obama's Chicken Little screeching of late).

And people get hanged up, fixated on the hyberbole instead of the main thrust of the agrument.

We need to always keep Greece in view.

[mpholland]

I still would like to know what all of the waste adds up to. You hear examples of half a billion for maintenance of empty federal buildings to 100 million in refundable unused airfare that didn't get turned back in, and so on, etc. I would imagine it might not help a whole lot on the whole SS/MC/MA scenario, but I am sure it would put a huge dent in the sequestration costs.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by mpholland

I still would like to know what all of the waste adds up to. You hear examples of half a billion for maintenance of empty federal buildings to 100 million in refundable unused airfare that didn't get turned back in, and so on, etc. I would imagine it might not help a whole lot on the whole SS/MC/MA scenario, but I am sure it would put a huge dent in the sequestration costs.

Before I retired, I worked at fairly high positions in the headquarters of 3 different Federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Labor, DOE) and the amount of waste within DoD could damn near finance the rest of discretionary spending. Yet, somehow their spending is sacrosanct to a lot of folks on the right, if not too low.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Before I retired, I worked at fairly high positions in the headquarters of 3 different Federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Labor, DOE) and the amount of waste within DoD could damn near finance the rest of discretionary spending. Yet, somehow their spending is sacrosanct to a lot of folks on the right, if not too low.

Yeah, that's another thing that drives me nuts. How is every suggestion that military waste be curbed and defense spending be brought in line with sanity an "attack on military families"? If anything, I'd think a reduction of waste might free up funds that could be used to enhance military and veteran benefits and consequently be the best thing that ever happened to military families....

It doesn't surprise me at all that political hacks use this "hyperbole" to gain support that amazes and dismays me the most. It's the fact that such simpleminded BS actually works. This says something about the intelligence level of the average Joe Schmuck. Something no-so-nice.

Dave

[merrylander]

And with all that money going to DOD why is it that I get three different organizations begging me for money to look after our "wounded warriors". We are the least taxed industrial nation and we are also the best at pissing it away on stupid things.

I recall an ad during one election showing three privates trying to open a hangar door because the hinges had purportedly rusted - did no one have an effing oil can?

[merrylander]

I see that they have a full page ad in the WaPo this morning, I suppose the next thing is to put a bounty on our heads.

[icenine]

What Morning Joe Scarbourough was saying Dave was actually that you and I were stealing not grandma. Scarbourough is good sometimes annoying at other times. I think the real issue is that our economy is changing radically, and the old system that worked well post-WWII will not work for today's generation. In other words we may be like Great Britain in after WWII....not the great power we were. Figuring out how to fund these programs should be our effort, not laying blame on grand ma. They all talk about austerity, which is just another way of saying how can we live with less, which is another way of saying life in America will not be as good for our children as it was for us.
I always wondered if Scarbourough got a Congressional retirement....

[BlueStreak]

Have you been affected yet, Ice? I have a few retired military friends, rightwingers, who are howling right now. My comment to them was, "You asked for cuts, you got them. I guess it's only good when it's someone else?"

You can imagine the response.

Regards,
Dave