Many Townbroadcast readers are on Social Security or will be soon. How much do you know about the history of Social Security?
President Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) program. Originally, it stated:
1) Participation in the program would be completely voluntary.
2) That participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1400 of their annual incomes into the program.
3) The money the participants elected to be put into the program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year.
4) The money the participants put into the independent “Trust Fund” rather than the general operating fund, and therefore would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program.
5) That the annuity payments to retirees would never be taxed as income.
6) The Social Security Number you received was not to be used for identification purposes.
To those watching media and listen to the chant every election year the Republicans are trying to eliminate Social Security, look at what the Democrats have done to the program with no or little Republican support:
• The participation in the program hasn’t been voluntary for years — it is mandatory.
• Participants now pay 7.65% on the first $90,000.
• Social Security is no longer tax deductible.
• The independent Social Security Trust Fund was raided by President Lyndon Johnson and placed under the general fund and spent.
• Annuity payments to retirees were taxed up to 85% under President Bill Clinton.
• Try not to give your Social Security number on any loan or federal documents and you’ll find you’re out of luck. No SS number, no action.
And last but certainly not least, which political party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants? President Jimmy Carter and the Democrat Party. Immigrants moving into the country and at age 65 began to receive Social Security payments even though they never paid a dime into it.
The Democrats have been violating the original intent of Social Security and stealing money from it for decades.
So for you uninformed citizens believing the media and Democrat chants about Republicans wanting to eliminate Social Security, know what party has continually raided, changed, and taxed the American people more and more for the program to remain viable. Democrats are full of bullsheet, but that never stops them.
If anything, Republicans are looking at improving the program, to keep it viable and growing. Democrats are never ever truthful about the state of the Social Security program. Now with the improved economy and employment numbers, the program may be on stronger footing going forward. Thanks to President Trump for tax cuts, better trade deals, and expanding energy exploration.
Build the wall, either with Democrat cooperation, or if not, declare an emergency and build it with emergency funds (or DOD funds). Build the damn wall now!
Misreporting even the sports news
A glaring misreporting on the national news on Monday night with David Muir on ABC. The game between the Saints and the Rams the night before was reported by Mr. Muir to have a “bad call” made in a pass play where there was clear defensive interference. It was not a “bad call”, it was a “no call” where there should have been a flag thrown for what was clearly defensive interference.
Mr. Muir even lies about sports officiating. I’m surprised an experienced talking head would be so wrong in his explanation of what didn’t happen. If you are a critical viewer of the news, it is clear the talking heads hardly ever report news happenings truthfully without bias, usually with a political bent.
If they can’t get sports happenings correct, think about the stories they tell you about in their daily newscasts. Be a critical viewer of news; otherwise you are a dumb lemming.
Ranger Rick
Another excellent article, which I found non debatable. Well be interesting to see if any the others have to say.
I found it amazing , when their dishonest news can ruin a person, they still try to spin it as just a minor thing.
If people fail to see the reporting that was done at the Lincoln Memorial concerning that student as a warning to everyone.
Incorrect news reporting has worst consequences than a no call in a game. I compare the news media to the Cobra living in the Lemming colony. Sometimes the Lemming survives .
We can only hope the handlers of the Cobra can keep it from destroying the Lemming colonies.
Based on the author’s opinion and the predictable endorsement from the amateur essayist, we don’t need Social Security and should privatize. Every man, woman and child for themselves?
Perhaps the author and the amateur essayist are both independently wealthy, whose children are already living off the substantial trust funds. Perhaps they both miss the good old days when there was an Allegan County Poor Farm that housed indigent and elderly. Maybe they already have their elderly parents living with them and send back their parents’ Social Security benefits and both write checks for their parents’ medical bills eschewing Medicare.
Don’t true “conservatives” do more than just talk the talk?
Some have been conned into believing privatization is the key to everything. The financial industry (brokerage firms and big banks) will do handstands after a successful lobbying effort that already has been successful for at least two of this online publication’s readers. Privatization opens up millions of Americans to a host of maintenance and transaction fees they never knew existed and would further hasten the flow of wealth from the bottom four quintiles (80% of Americans) to the Top 10% and top 1% who run the big banks and brokerages.
I also don’t believe the author nor amateur essayist understand how much of the monthly Social Security checks get spent back into the economy for groceries, services (like mechanics or restaurants) and retail every month.
It’s similar to those who complain about food support. You never see Wal-Mart, Meijer, Spartan Nash, Kroger or other grocery concerns advocating dropping funding for low-income individuals.
Here are a few suggestions to adequately fund Social Security, some of which are here:
Americans are living longer. In 1937 when Social Security started sending out benefit checks the life expectancy for American men was 58 and American women was 62.5. In 2016 men were living to 76 and US women to 81. (Good news, U.S. life expectancy is has now dropped for 2017 and 2018 because of drug epidemics so less people to drag on the system. (That’s sarcasm))
If we adjust the first time you can collect to 64 from 62 and the first time you can collect a full amount to 69, statistics say women would collect 12 years, men for seven years for full benefits.
Make the first $250,000 of an individuals income regardless if its from wages, investments or trust funds eligible to be taxed. That immediately expands the pool of money for benefits.
“You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til its gone.”
And so it goes.
As usual, Mr. Couchman goes off on a tangent in explaining what Ranger Rick has put forth to examine.
I believe RR has proven the party that has screwed with Social Security is probably the one with which you readily identify – Democrats.
Your railing against people not agreeing with you is misdirected.
Nobody ever said eliminate Social Security, at least that’s not what I read, but maybe my eyes aren’t seeing what you imagined?
Anytime, ANYTIME anyone political starts taking about Social Security, the Democrats start protesting, but if they hadn’t stolen from the trust fund, it would be in terrific shape today.
So something must give or the program will be compromised.
I agree with the few recommendations you presented, but your political cohorts will never change it but keep stealing from it.
And so it goes …..
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