[wildbourgman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'L')ooks like you youngsters will be supporting and taking care of your aging parents

[wildbourgman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'A')lso, what's OVERLOOKED by just about everyone is disability. 2 in 10 retire from the work force due to a disability before the age of 65,,,,,,,,, also, look at your 'private' disability insurance, what does it say about how one MUST apply for SSDI?

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wildbourgman', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'A')lso, what's OVERLOOKED by just about everyone is disability. 2 in 10 retire from the work force due to a disability before the age of 65,,,,,,,,, also, look at your 'private' disability insurance, what does it say about how one MUST apply for SSDI?

[wildbourgman]

Vision-master, according to some I am disabled. Earlier this year I was out of work with a herniated disc in my neck, I have two lower bulging disc ready to go at anytime and spinal stenosis. They never looked any lower than my neck area with the MRI and I know they would have found more issues there.

My Nurse case worker for my employer's disability benefit plan (who I thought was supposed to get me back to work ASAP) tried to talk me out of going back to work in the oilfield. Once she checked my file, she said I could get on disability after my Short and Long term disability ran out. I told her what she needed to hear and went to work 4 months earlier than predicted, because I could work.

With all that being said, I'm probably in the 20% and I'll try to stay away for the death panels if they have any.

I feel pretty good!

[vision-master]

Good for you.

[wildbourgman]

Gee thanks!

[PrestonSturges]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wildbourgman', 'I')t looks like the social security Ponzi scheme is going to need another major bipartisan fix at some point. When both parties firgure out the gig is up they'll work together and that's when you'll know how bad it is. The democrats will agree to draconian cuts and changes in the system for retirees and the republicans will agree to revenue (tax) increases. When you see this you know they are both scared of political ramifications of doing nothing.

I would expect chained CPI for certain, means testing, tax hikes, benefits reductions and a raising of the retirement age for future retirees.

[wildbourgman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') could spend all afternoon unpacking this bullshit, but it's not worth my time.

[wildbourgman]

I forgot removing the yearly cap on social security taxes and allowing all income to be taxed as a possible remedy. I'm sure alot of folks with a little money won't like this one and would lobby against it.

[PrestonSturges]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wildbourgman', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') could spend all afternoon unpacking this bullshit, but it's not worth my time.

[wildbourgman]

Well then go ahead and shut me up Preston or maybe inform me and show me the light.

Saying you can do something but don't have the time only makes folks wonder why you even chimed in. I'm just a blue collar oilfield hand with little education. I'm sure you can teach me something if you break it down simply and use little words.

[KaiserJeep]

Look, I am not one to depend upon other people. I have worked my whole life to care for myself and my family. I paid for college degrees for me, my wife, and my kid. I was constantly employed after leaving school, and I am approaching the end of a career that will soon span 40 years after I got my degree. I put away whatever I could afford, as much as possible, and my 401K plan grew to a handsome figure.

Then some Wall Street types basically stole my money. The Real Estate bubble burst and reduced the value of my home to less than half it's prior value. The same economic conniption gutted my retirement plan. Now with all my remaining funds in the more conservative options, currency inflation is running at a real rate that is higher than any return I can make.

The government just took away all my affordable options for healthcare. The cost of living is increasing rapidly. If I actually get to retire, it will be a lot more modest retirement than I wanted or planned.

Worse yet, mine is a story far from unique. Basically if you are not one of the infamous one percenters, you are toast. The Boomers are retiring and I am on the trailing edge of the Boom, as I always have been.

So all of you just STFU and get to work, and pay your taxes on time, because I need your money.

[wildbourgman]

I'm sorry KaiserJeep, I'll keep working as long as I can stand it.

[PrestonSturges]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wildbourgman', 'W')ell then go ahead and shut me up Preston or maybe inform me and show me the light.

Saying you can do something but don't have the time only makes folks wonder why you even chimed in. I'm just a blue collar oilfield hand with little education. I'm sure you can teach me something if you break it down simply and use little words.

[Quinny]

I posted this because I think I know why and just wanted to get a feel for other peoples opinions. I'm not talking about the details, but IMHO it just's makes so much sense that the young get the jobs and the older get the pensions (re-distribution or whatever you want to call it). I don't think there can really be a left/right split over this point.

I think there is one main reason and a subsidiary one why it doesn't happen.

The subsidiary one is Cost savings, because people will die before claiming.

The main reason IMHO is control in that young unemployed 'can' be targeted as 'lazy and scroungers' etc...... Whereas TPTB and the right wing press can't as easily attack pensioners who've worked all their lives.

It simply allows the divide and rule strategies of TPTB to be perpetuated.

[PrestonSturges]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', 'T')he main reason IMHO is control in that young unemployed 'can' be targeted as 'lazy and scroungers' etc...... Whereas TPTB and the right wing press can't as easily attack pensioners who've worked all their lives.

It simply allows the divide and rule strategies of TPTB to be perpetuated.

[wildbourgman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')nyway, about those "draconian cuts," tell us where you are getting this stuff, because people are very free about sharing opinions like that and then they go silent when I ask "Where did you hear that?"

[Shaved Monkey]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', '
')The main reason IMHO is control in that young unemployed 'can' be targeted as 'lazy and scroungers' etc...... Whereas TPTB and the right wing press can't as easily attack pensioners who've worked all their lives.

It simply allows the divide and rule strategies of TPTB to be perpetuated.

[wildbourgman]

Preston here's a couple of links that talk about the same issues that I said was out there, these folks are against any of the proposed fixes, but they obviously see them as a political possibility. Oh I think these guys are a little anti republican too. So I guess I'm not the only one making stuff up.

http://www.strengthensocialsecurity.org/nocuts

http://www.progressive.org/Do-not-let-o ... l-security

[wildbourgman]

[quoteThat's partly true, but I think the real attraction is simply beating up on the helpless][/quote]

How about the attraction of not creating more helpless people just so your team gets more votes ? It's not very compassionate to make people believe that all of the social welfare programs will be there when they won't. Social security isn't even really a welfare program as much as a Ponzi scheme, because with welfare programs we know that it's a black hole and we know what we get for it. With Social Security some people actually think that their money is still there and will be there when they need it.