[Cid_Yama]

No, The Social Security Trust Fund is an independent entity from the government. You might as well argue that the Chinese Sovereign Fund is empty because they invested in US securities, and moan that you need to raise the money to pay them the interest.

I don't think they would stand for you arguing they needed to be eliminated because the US owed them money.

I hope that through you, people are getting a chance to see just exactly what the Republicans are all about. Evil, pure Evil.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'T')he Social Security Trust Fund is an independent entity from the government.

[Tyler_JC]

The SS program itself may be perfectly solvent, but we're still in trouble if the rest of the federal government is drowning in red ink.

As long as the program is still controlled by Congress, the decision as to whether to pay out full, scheduled benefits still lies in their hands. They cannot retroactively take money away from anyone but they are certainly able to change future payments, the Supreme Court has said this several times.

I personally believe that Congress will make good on its obligations to retirees for as long as possible. But that doesn't mean that the rest of the budget won't be squeezed to pay for it. Social Security is currently the largest single item in the entire federal budget at $670 billion. This is actually a little bit larger than the entire Dept. of Defense, including the Iraq/Afghan wars. But of course, if we're going to spend money, we're better off supporting poor old Americans than bombing foreigners.

The real question over Social Security isn't whether or not the government will pay out the benefits. The question is what happens to the rest of the budget when we do pay out these benefits.

Social Security and Medicare cost nearly 48% of federal revenue in 2010. Add in the DoD and interest on the debt and you're up to 82% of federal revenue. That doesn't leave a whole lot of room for the rest of it.

Granted, 2010 is a pretty lousy year for tax receipts but it still says a lot about a country when its elderly support systems absorb such a large share of government revenue. When it comes time to slash the budget, Congress will cut infrastructure and education spending before touching Social Security. We'll be stealing from the future to pay for the past. And for that, my generation will (rightly or wrongly) blame the Baby Boomers.

[Outcast_Searcher]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', '
')Granted, 2010 is a pretty lousy year for tax receipts but it still says a lot about a country when its elderly support systems absorb such a large share of government revenue. When it comes time to slash the budget, Congress will cut infrastructure and education spending before touching Social Security. We'll be stealing from the future to pay for the past. And for that, my generation will (rightly or wrongly) blame the Baby Boomers.

[IslandCrow]

Outcaste. I hear what you are saying. Maybe you should take a look at what the hospice movement is doing, and at least have a living will (or 'advance directive') dictating how much (or little) medical intervention you want. I know this falls short of some of what you would like, but it does not go to the medical extreme either.

I also understand your rant about the religious aspect, but it is interesting that I first learned of the hospice movement from some Christian nurses who were involved in it (= this was in USA on a visit our family made).

In general I think we will follow the hospice type care in a few years when my wife's condition requires it (so this is a topic close to my heart, and not just an intellectual exercise).

[deMolay]

The Gen Y's will pull the plug on the Boomers. The back to the future scenario promised by all and sundry politicians will never happen. As the Boomers limp toward the sunset, they have quit spending. Until the dust from that settles their will be no economic wonder drug cure for the economy. Peak Oil, Peak Food, Peak Water, Peak Climate, Peak Population. A Peek at the Peak of the Peak's....Peak Sh*t is happening.

[Cid_Yama]

Social Security Now Independent Agency
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'U')sing Franklin D. Roosevelt's pen, President Clinton today signed into law a bill to make the Social Security Administration an independent agency.

"We are strengthening those things which Social Security ought to do and taking precautions to make sure it does not do things which it ought not to do," Mr. Clinton said.

The House and Senate had voted unanimously for the legislation separating the $325 billion program from the Department of Health and Human Services. The intent of the law is to shield the agency, created in 1935, from political manipulation.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'S')ocial Security Now Independent Agency...

President Clinton today signed into law a bill to make the Social Security Administration an independent agency... legislation separating the $325 billion program from the Department of Health and Human Services.

[Pops]

I thought this little budget gizmo was pretty cool, fed/state/local budgets from 1792 to 2020

[Newfie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'I') thought this little budget gizmo was pretty cool, fed/state/local budgets from 1792 to 2020

[Newfie]

BTW, what is PROTECTION????

We're paying protection money?? To Fiedel?

[Serial_Worrier]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'T')o keep your grimey paws off.

[Tyler_JC]

That pensions chart, does it include Social Security? Is it indexed to inflation?

[Pops]

All pensions the government pays I guess - I wasn't making a point, I just picked a chart for illustration, lots of stuff at the link.