Repuke Email on Social Security

[Hokie]

Has anyone received this one: (I love the way they always only use Democratic Senators as examples when they talk about pensions that Congress gets. I guess the repukes all refuse theirs?). Has this one been addressed here before?

Start of nauseating email:

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the federal government to "put away," you may be interested in the following:



Q: Which party took Social Security from an independent fund and put it in the general fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic-controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which party put a tax on Social Security?
A: The Democratic party.

Q: Which party increased the tax on Social Security?
A: The Democratic Party with Al Gore casting the deciding vote.

Q: Which party decided to give money to immigrants?
A: That's right, immigrants moved into this country and at 65 got SSI Social Security. The Democratic Party gave that to them although they never paid a dime into it.

Then, after doing all this, the Democrats turn around and tell you the Republicans want to take your Social Security.

And the worst part about it is, people believe it!

Pass it on please!

2004 Election Issue
This must be an issue in "04". Please! Keep it going.

SOCIAL SECURITY:
(This is worth the read. It's short and to the point.)

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election
years. Our Senators and Congress men & women do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.


You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan.

In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments.

For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.
This is calculated on an average life span for each.

Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. Nada.
Zilch.
This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds-our tax dollars at work!

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer) --we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000. monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal
Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.

That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us . then sit back and watch how fast they would fix it.

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

End of nausea....

[molly]

1. Again - this has been around here at least 4 times before

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/pensions.htm

[RobertSeattle]

2. REPLY ALL with the snopes url

[Hokie]

3. My Reply

You know I really do not mind getting these but I wish folks would do a
little research before bothering to forward such blatant untruth's. This
email has been circulating around in different forms for several years. For
the real truth see:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/pensions.htm

I notice that only Democratic Senators are mentioned who are receiving the
excessive pensions. What about that pathetic racist from North Carolina,
Jesse Helms? I guess he is altruistically declining to accept his.

As for me, I will be doing everything I can to see that the lying SOB who
currently has possession of the White House by a 5-4 vote in the Supreme
Court and who is wrecking the economy, getting soldiers killed in Iraq on
false pretenses, and is ruining the reputation of America as a world citizen
will be collecting an undeserved pension starting in Jauary 2005.

Cordially,

[KamaAina]

4. The point* about immigrants is a crock as well

Q: Which party decided to give money to immigrants?
A: That's right, immigrants moved into this country and at 65 got SSI Social Security. The Democratic Party gave that to them although they never paid a dime into it.

Snopes didn't address this one, so I will:

Green card holders obtain SS numbers and pay into the system like the rest of us, and like the rest of us, they're covered if they've piled up enough quarters in qualifying employment.

Undocumented immigrants, on the other hand, quite often pay into the system, but CANNOT collect because they are using forged SS cards. That means their presence here actually provides the SS system wit=h a windfall profit!

[Hokie]

5. Good Point

These emails make my blood boil. It was from my wife's relative. I do not take this sort of crap off anyone on my side so I certainly will not take it off my wife's relative.

[dofus]

6. Make sure you do a Reply All

when you send the Snopes link. It tends to reduce those kinds of emails to zero. I know.

[Hokie]

7. Exactly what I did

Funny, I sent this to evryone on the list (about 20) and have yet to receive one reply.

[Skittles]

13. they won't reply

when you give them facts they are speechless. They only know soundbites (lies) from Rush and Hannity.

[whathappened]

8. 1 more thing to add

to this horse shit , i was reading the book on s.s. and your account don't kick in tell you reach the age of 21 , that means i payed into the system from the age of 16 to 21 for free , they just stoled that money from us , started working full time at 17 and paying every week into the s.s. fund , so this just makes me a little madder about all these so alled important people wanting there own retirement system , i say if they want to serve there country as our troops do , they should receive just what they get after they retire from there gov. job

[lynndew2]

9. I serve MY country by doing my job

I know you will all piss on me but... I think politicians of all ilks are bleeding this country dry. They are not serving the country by making their medical and retirment plans better then ours and not paying into them. I am so sick of both sides pulling their shit. Sorry I dont normally curse. They take our money and then shit on us. And it isnt partison in the money grab for corperations either. Clinton didnt go after WORLDCORP after they agreed to give 1 million to his library. I am sorry but I want polutionitions(mispell intentional this time) to have to live by the same rules we do regardless of D or R. Sorry if i am ranting but it PISSES me off. My job is just as important as them sitting on their asses for 2, 4, 6 years. They should NOT RECIEVE SAME AS TROOPS!!!! They are just there for noteriety and fame( and $$$ of course) I know this will get me banned but I dont care. It is wrong that they put themselves above US. Hope I can still post after this but I dont care if I cant. Dem, Rep., Dont matter when it comes to their wallet. Thanks for letting me rant. Hope We can talk again.

[dofus]

14. What book?

All of the money you contribute to SS counts, although I believe you have to earn or pay a certain minimum each quarter. All I know is that I'm vested in social security, meaning I'm entitled to a small amount from them when I get old enough, despite the fact that the first three years of my earnings were before I turned 21. You do the math.

I get yearly mailings from the Social Security Administration updating me on what I earned year by year, what I paid in, and what my social security check will be at various retirement ages. And the years of work before I turned 21 are counted.

You do have to have a minimum of ten years (40 quarters) to be vested, meaning to be assured of getting a social security check eventually.

[Hokie]

10. I finally received a reply from the author

He said that Snopes was a liberal site and is controlled by the DNC. What a laugh. He also managed to work in Clinton being a liar. Can a Freeper speak 2 sentences without bringing up Clinton and sex?

I asked him to refute anything on the Snopes sites analysis of the email and provide proof that it was run by the DNC.

This Freeper is quite an amateur at this so I will have fun until he gives up. I don't think people really expect replies when they send out these peices of crap. They are shocked when someone actually challanges them with the truth - like a deer in the headlights.

[RobertSeattle]

11. Thanks for the update

Great challenge with the "provide proof". Freepers are so often allowed to make accusations without proof - it's their modus operandi.

I find Snopes incredibly fair. "Controlled by the DNC?" - how pathetic.

[Bandit]

12. Which Party CREATED Social Security? Which party fought it's creation?

Which party wants to get rid of social Security? Privatize it? Which Party thinks about the security of all it's citizens and not just the wealthy? We can play this game also. Which party wants to see medicare "whither on the vine"? The list is endless.