SOCIAL INSECURITY

With all of this talk about privatizing social security, I found this link interesting.

http://www.bushin30years.org/view/?n=5&session_id=d1e57916c97f099468de1ef3fb7894cc

I’ve got a great way to save social security, incidentally: Stop fucking spending it on other shit.

Social Security was created because people in government decided that some people can't be trusted to save enough money to provide for themselves after retirement. You and I both know people for whom social security is probably a good idea. And like me, you may even be one of them.

Anyhow, to avoid having to somehow provide food, housing, and health care for millions of penniless seniors, some well-meaning politicians set up a mandatory government program that would help hard-working Americans (as well as people like you and me) save a few bucks for retirement.

But instead of hanging onto that money, our well-intended government spent it. Then they went and spent social security money they hadn't even collected yet! And they continue to spend it today…faster than it will ever come in. Is this a problem? You bet.

I once imagined a private bank account somewhere in D.C. with all of my Social Security contributions safely accumulating interest for my golden years. (Of course, I also once imagined Cheetos could cure cancer, so do what you want with that) But now I know the truth. It’s all Monopoly money…funny numbers shuffled about on paper.

Note to government: If you’re taking money out of MY paycheck every two weeks for retirement, make for damn sure I get that money back WITH INTEREST when I retire.

Every news story on social security for the past two decades has reported that we will not be getting our social security money back. But they're still fucking taking it, aren't they? This is what makes privatization so attractive to some people - the idea that you can keep track of your money as they take it...and have a little control over where it goes. Unfortunately, the problem in the end is the same: collecting it. They're still going to spend your money when it comes in. On paper it's growing, sure...but in reality that money is funding something you would have no part of if you had any say at all. But you don't. You need money to have any say at all in Washington. And that's a fact, Jack.

Honestly, the concept of social security is a good one…and I’ve got no qualms about the government taking a few dollars and putting them aside for me because, frankly, I don’t trust myself to do it. But I’m beginning to trust myself to do it better than the bandits in the Capitol building. If you’re going to take my money from me for when I retire, hang onto it already. If it’s going to get spent, then let me spend it. I could use a new pair of pants.

Plenty fun food for thought here:

http://www.bushin30years.org/finalists.html?id=5357-4559967-m7kZZJYj9QgZmfM9f1aS3Q&t=1