Tin-foil hat permanently attached.

[asjr]

I will not remove it because too many issues are floating around for me to hang it on the hatrack. This may strike some as absolutely over the wall, but it has bothered me that so much side-show elements are in the news lately. I have not heard much about Social Security in the last week or so. I feel we are headed for a recession or, heaven forbid, a depression. If so, and we are in dire staits, will this administration actually cancel Social Security because "we have no money at a time like this"? I put nothing past this WH. Will all our money go to fighting "terrorism"?

[EVDebs]

1. They won't cancel SS, they will cancel Medicare first ! eom

[lala_rawraw]

2. bingo

:)

[me b zola]

3. I believe that many of us sense we are on eve of

our world changing in big dramatic ways, and it won't be pretty.

[Mist]

4. A tinfoil hat is THE fashion accessory in * America!

And yes, I'm worried about the money too. I'm convinced our economy is being "extracted" by *'s wealthy supporters, who are busily converting ill-gotten gains into Euros, to leave us WHAT? :tinfoilhat:

[asjr]

6. I feel better knowing I am not alone

in this. But just the fact that I can feel this way about our country is unsettling.

[KayLaw]

5. They could cancel it, as you say

I happened to be reading one of the million or so I've read lately regarding SS, and if congress decided they needed to stop writing those checks, that's what would happen. Look at Argentina.

[leftofthedial]

7. just because you're paranoid

it doesn't mean they're not out to get you

[ArkDem]

8. Thoughtful and intelligent post!

[DELUSIONAL]

9. You know -- I stuck it to some conservatives over dinner

One of the conservatives (avid Fox view) asked what was happening in the news since her TV was broken. Well I don't have a TV -- I get my news on the Internet.

At our table there were 2 conservative Americans, a Liberal Canadian and a woman from Holland who had been married to an American.

The news doesn't look very good for the American economy -- the Euro is getting stronger and several oil producing countries are contemplating switching from the dollar to the Euro. Also Japan's economy is not doing all that well -- and Japan is one of the biggest buyers of the US debt -- along with China.

The Canadian and Dutch woman agreed and added several more points -- Social Security might not be there for the kids, Medicare might be gone. Homes in some retirement areas (non US) are being bought by Europeans with their strong Euro -- and the US retirees aren't or can't buy overseas retirement homes.

We piled it on -- point after point after point -- ALL the bushie screw ups -- and how the US is not trusted overseas -- how we are damned close to a massive recession.

The two conservatives could not respond -- it just doesn't look good for Americans -- especially when viewed by Europeans. Foreign travel is extremely expensive for Americans -- the rate of exchange is not in US traveler's favor -- this according to the non Americans who travel widely.

It is bad and it will get much worse -- bush will continue his tax cut and spend policies.

I expect that Medicare or other programs will be cut -- and perhaps suicide will be encouraged. Can't afford the doctor -- slow death or a quick death. The poor will be hit hardest -- and the damned religious right will praise the Lord.

The point is that even hard core conservatives believe that something is going to happen . . . they know it -- some were alive during the "BIG" depression.

Fox news didn't inform their viewers about which countries own most of the US debt -- but with my two side kicks -- we gave two conservatives a quick news summary.

[Liberty Belle]

10. Good for you. We need Europeans to travel to America,

and help enlighten those still in darkness here.

[ArkDem]

11. You are absoluetly right! The US economy is shrinking with

each passing day. Soon we won't be in the world's top ten economies.