Social Security fixable (Duh!)

[No Elephants]

Social Security fixable; changes politically tough
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
— Aug. 19 9:02 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Social Security's long-term problems, the massive retirement and disability program could be preserved for generations to come with modest but politically difficult changes to benefits or taxes, or a combination of both.

Some options could affect people quickly, such as increasing payroll taxes or reducing annual cost-of-living adjustments for those who already get benefits. Others options, such as gradually raising the retirement age, wouldn't be felt for years but would affect millions of younger workers.

All of the options carry political risks because they have the potential to affect nearly every U.S. family while raising the ire of powerful interest groups. But the sooner changes are made, the more subtle they can be because they can be phased in slowly. Each year lawmakers wait, Social Security's financial problems loom larger and the need for bigger changes becomes greater, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

"Certainly, in the current environment, it would be very difficult to get changes made," Social Security's commissioner, Michael J. Astrue, said in an interview. "It doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. And sometimes when you try hard things, surprising things happen."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/social-security-fixable-changes-politically-tough

What in hell is so politically tough? Didn't Reagan raise the wage cap?

Why we can't we lift the cap, instead of taxing ONLY the bottom portion of wages, which means 100% of wages for lowest wage earners and pocket change for higher wage earners?

Any politician who can't make the fairness of that evident to the vast majority of voters should not be a politician.

[Enthusiast]

1. "Politically difficult".

Around 70% + of the American people polled want to preserve social security. How in the fuck does that equate politically difficult?

It is only politically difficult because both political parties have betrayed the interests of the American people. The people are already thoroughly disgusted with these politicians. Now they want to double down on that disgust by cutting social security and medicare.

Approval of congress has almost reached single digits! Not even the loathed Dubya Bush had figures so low.

Politicians that advocate ending social security and medicare should have to hide in a fucking closet somewhere for fear for their lives.

And that's the facts, Jack!

[No Elephants]

2. Let's play six degrees of separation.

Carroll Quigley said the money markets would like Democrats and Republicans to be alike because, then, elections would not cause much change--and money markets love them some lack of change.

Bill Clinton was Quigley's student and remarked on what a huge influence Quigley had been on him.

Bill Clinton was a founding member of the Democratic Leadership Council.

The Democratic Leadership Council took over the Democratic Party, to the point where the DNC became DLCNC .

Oh, look. I didn't need six.]]

[Enthusiast]

3. It has wrecked us. nt

Wrecked us!