Social Security Reform

[child810]

I'm all for slaughtering old people.
They're just worthless sacks of flesh. Burn them for energy.

I'll be more than willing to give my life once I'm 65 -70 years old.
Hell I hope I tragically die in my 30's.

[Stone]

I guess I would eliminate payroll taxes, and turn them into an across-the-board income tax raise.

Once that's accomplished, then we can make SS progressive, and later take away the benefit from the old people who have got $1 million of municipal bonds in the bank.

SS will have evolved from a "you're old so here's a check" program to welfare/EITC/negative taxation for less wealthy older people.

The central problem with SS is that there are people receiving checks who don't need them.

The people who need the checks will continue receiving them. Combining more limited social security (amounts pegged to investment income) with incentives to save (private savings accounts, maybe) that will push people towards actually taking care of their own retirement ought to be enough.

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You're 70 and you've never saved before, here's a SS check $500/month.

You're 70 and you've saved $30k, enough to give you $250/month of investment income. Here's a SS check for $300/month.

You're 70 and you've saved $60k, enough to give you $500/month of investment income. Here's a SS check for $100/month.

[Bacon McShig]

That isn't fair. The people that had the foresight to save for their retirement are punished for it, while those that didn't are rewarded? You should reap what you sow.

I just think people should get back what they put in. No more, no less. SS now is a big forced charity.

[bbobb]

What isn't fair is that the government is forcing us to use their crappy return retirement program. Social Security is a horrible program. I would prefer that they give me back all the money that they stole from me so I can invest it in something that'll let me actually see my money again.

[Videodrone]

Bottom line is something needs to be done sooner than later, and not everybody is going to be happy with the result. The government needs to fix it f'in now.

[Cheebs]

I'm all for slaughtering old people.
They're just worthless sacks of flesh. Burn them for energy.

I'll be more than willing to give my life once I'm 65 -70 years old.
Hell I hope I tragically die in my 30's.

Why don't you just get back to us with this one in 45 or 50 years.

[RedCoKid]

Lack of social security/increasing national debt and lack of petroleum alternatives have become my top issues, and I don't see this as a Democrat/Republican debate. Instead it's a fight between generations, with baby boomers and WWIIers winning because their children and grandchildren are or cannot be represented by elected officials. Our parents are taking out fiscal and environmental loans from our generation without ever intending to pay us back. This really pisses me off.