@texases
"Once you eliminate Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, the military’s the only thing left the Feds should be involved with, besides federal highways. " I hope you say that in jest…
What are your chances of getting an affordable healthcare plan from private insurance when you are old ? None
What are the chances you will get co operation on interstate pollution in our water ways and air ? none
What are your chances of being able to track criminals across state lines with no federal crimes ? None
What are your chances of getting edible food and safe drugs from any Tom Dick and Harry who wants to sell any foods from any country or state to another ? None
What are the chances you will ever get qualified military personnel (doctors lawyers engineers etc.) with out Federal (indirectly) and military aid (grants and scholarships) to education ? None…Even the joint chiefs agree to that.
What are the chances we will have another depression where there was so much unemployment, dying was the elderlys favorite sport…as a reason for Social Security. The chances are much greater without Social Security and Medicare, two of the biggest stimulus in our economy. High
What are your chances any retiree will have guaranteed retirement if the company providing it goes under ? None
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND THESE PEOPLE NEED GOVT. ASSISTANCE.
Unless you have never worked for a state govt. they depend on federal aid for a plethora of programs.
You might as well eliminate the mint and have 50 separate countries…
Simple solutions that don’t make sense to complicated problems and conservatism seem to go hand in hand.
Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, ObamaCare Are No Longer Workable. You Will See Them Continue To Wind Down.
The young folks in this country can see through the Ponzi schemes and redistribution and won’t be willing or able to fund them.
The way I see it, arguing over whether or not the programs are essential or worthwhile is a moot argument.
Hint: Have you noticed the growing number of newer younger members of congress don’t always go along with the old guys that have supported your line of thinking ?
It takes a thriving, growing economy to add any programs, like Obamacare. As this country’s economy is circling the drain, our leader is working on a background check to buy a gun at a gun show or online, Obamacare, adding immigrant dependents to the dole, men marrying men, women marrying women, regulations and restrictions on cars, industry, energy producers, you name it.
So, even if I agreed with your ideas, you’re heading up an impossibly steep climb, I’m afraid.
Good day for transaction taxes and deflation proponents.
Gold is down USD60; Siilver down; Oil is down >2%; Retail sales down;
The only places where I see inflation are at Goodwill, and the Gospel Mission Thrift Stores.
Good Cars and competitive pricings.
Let me ask this personal question…what would you do or plan to do without Medicare ? Those of you who rail against it are young enough to be on your own now ? Anyone presently enrolled would rather be paying private insurance preminums for full medical coverage ? You never plan on getting I’ll in old age ? Just asking.http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/single-payer_healthcare_570_billion_cheaper_20120414/ @csa
Just the opposite is true. Single payer cuts medical costs and why Medicare can afford to insure the elderly. It has come under harder times of late in big part as a result of Bush’s part D plann which dumps billions into drug companies over the years. Obamacare attempts to rectify that and as such, the CBO advised by real economist, say it cuts the deficit. But we have been this way before and Faux and friends seem to hold more sway then real economists.
@dagosa - how did you manage to misquote me so specifically? I didn’t say ‘only thing’, I said ‘major thing’. Of course there are other areas of federal government that are needed. But on a total $$ basis, defense is, and should be, bigger than most all of them.
@texases
Sorry about that part of it…my mistake . I misread your idea of major. To me when you included federal highways, that through me and I took that to mean that everything else on sub big three level was on the table for elimination as well…But, please let me repeat by reference my feelings on Medicare/Madicaid and SS. I look at the FDA, the EPA, the Department of Ed. and others as pretty major when when you see the economic influences at stake.
But, I hope you get my sentiment, though a little off target.
BTW, defense already is the major item of expense in the general fund…Medicare and SS have accumulatively been two of the most successful programs ever among the people of the US. They help pay down the deficit…and you want them eliminated ? Medicare for all, would do even more according to economists that I have read… See reference above. Single payer controls the cost of healthcare which is where the expense is…it’s not with Medicare.
If we think eliminating Medicare for the elderly will bring down the deficit, the opposite is true. You either have to take part in the deaths of millions of our elderly over time or fund private “for profits” to supply coverage…the Ryan voucher plan…and pump the mother of all monies into insurance company hands with 31% overhead…WTH are we thinking of.
The GOP has a quasi-religious commitment to pay tribute to corporations of all kinds, @dagosa. They don’t care if half the population can’t afford healthcare but they can’t let the insurance companies suffer a loss of profits.
@rod
GOP has a “quasi-religious commitment to pay tribute to corporations or all kinds” and an equally satanic fear of any phrase with the word “government” in it.
Like I said, I swore I would not vote Repub again and am now reconsidering but I think you are really stereotyping with a broad brush. In Minnesota, the Democrats have received hundreds of thousands from the Indian casinos and have protected them like a mother mountain lion. I really am more interested in good public policy which the extremes on both sides seem to be unable to come up with. Either tax everyone into oblivion and control every movement they make or eliminate roads and schools in favor of private ownership. Oh man, gimme back the 60’s where we had a few statesmen.
I can see private ownership for a few things,but the “cliqueism” stands in the way of many things.I would say number one priority should be to get immigration under control,streamline the military and give states back more rights(thats the way its supposed to be) and maybe convert the North American continent to a super nation{takes care of most the illegal immigrants-chuckle}-Kevin
@kevin
This why it is so difficult to get the GOP on board with a comprehensive immigration policy. http://www.examiner.com/article/u-s-businesses-profiting-from-a-slave-labor-force-with-illegal-aliens
Americans aren’t going to work at jobs that pay poverty wages, immigrants will. When a comprehensive policy is arrived at, employers would have to pay a livable wage which now makes thses jobs attractive to Americans, which in turn, decreases the job opportunities for immigrants…it solves two problems but creates another…mainly for corporations.
@Dagosa,its time to wake up and smell the coffee,good article. @Texas,I dont understand the resentment against SS, the only people that really had a free ride on it are mostly gone now(and it helped them immensely)-Kevin
@kevin
That’s absolutely right Kevin.
In reality, no one gets a free ride from SS. It’s been over funded by workers for years and has essentially been a “gold mine” for the defense department and others in the general fund. It has accumulated assets of well over 2.5 trillion dollars which has gone to PAY DOWN the deficit. By cutting benefits and keeping contributions the same, which the GOP (now Obama) has campaigned for, more money can be taken out, essentially increasing the tax burden for the middle class so tax cuts at the top can remain. Just a slight of hand even now the Democrats are thinking of doing.
Free , “money for nothing” . http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/assets.html
@kmccune - I don’t understand, I don’t resent SS, it’s about 100% funded, minor changes will protect it. I worry about (don’t resent) Medicare Medicaid because the future obligations FAR exceed the expected $ collected, and that was known the day it was passed (by BOTH parties).
You can’t be serious. The total amount of FICA withheld from an individual’s pay can be far, far exceeded by many who draw Social Security. Some will kick the bucket, first.
It’s a PONZI scheme that relies on a large base of working contributors and a relatively smaller group of “retirees,” the way it was when it was started. We aren’t going back there and it can’t work with our aging population. It also depends on people having jobs, not 50 million on FOOD STAMPS. We need to go to plan B, yesterday.
@CSA
Fine…please give us something to read. . We need a reference. SS has accumulated a surplus of 2.5 trillion and now everyone is upset…GOP, because in tough economic times, they may have to pay a little back, years from now, until the economy recovers. If workers got paid by their increased productivity, there would be plenty to pay off SS for the foreseeable future. But middleclass wages have gone down along with SS contributions under Bush’s depression making 8 years which forced unemployment compensation up. Your corporations are raking in huge profits off the backs of third world immigrant labor that now don’t pay into social security because of GOP blocking comprehensive immigration reform. GOP has an answer for everything, but history shows, it’s usually the wrong one.
Yep, around here its the meat packing plants and turkey plants. Not to diss any party but I believe it was Reagan that agreed to amnesty for about 10 million provided the borders were sealed. He wouldn’t agree to the amnesty unless the dems agreed to shore up the borders. They never did and here we are again with another 11 million. That’s why what may seem as unreasonable hard line stances, its the old fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me saying.
The SS surplus is a stack of government IOUs. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (dem. senator from NY) was crucified by both sides for pointing out the myth of a ‘trust fund’.
@Bing
So why was it the sole responsibility of the Dems to seal the border ? He WAS the commander and chief. He was the head of the military. He could have exercised a little initiative on his own to fund it…he refused in HIS budget as he was too interested in star wars and turning us from the biggest loaner nation to the biggest debtor nation in just 8 years. Cut taxes and spend…that was his legacy for tempory econmic boost on the cheap. He was totally responsible when he had control of the senate in not providing the funds or initiative.