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Politics : Ask Michael Burke -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JHP who wrote (84806)	11/2/2000 10:11:27 AM
From: LowtherAcademy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

JHP, I've been reading all of the banter about SS with my eyes wide shut. I believe, how one views SS is more dependent on age than anything else. Kind of like the belief in a deity: the young scoff, the middle age tend to acknowledge and the old believe. Lew

To: JHP who wrote (84806)	11/2/2000 3:12:43 PM
From: Skeeter Bug	Respond to of 132070

>>we are all going to the same place,so a little kindness here would help us all!<< imho, no truer words have ever been spoken. hey, if you are spending the fruits of mb's picks... how can say anything bad about that? maybe i need to provide a little background as to where i'm coming from. i REALLY like efficiency. it is my job to make things efficient. i don't think ss is efficient. no doubt in my mind that i could take that 15%, invest it in low risk instruments ala mb ;-) and that my interest payments would more than pay me what ss ever could - plus i'd have a chunk of change to give to my kids. no doubt. i believe everyone could do this. so i see a very inefficient system that robs people of the ability to transfer large sums of wealth to family members. problem is, i am one of the very, very few that plans for the future. most people live for today as though the future will never come. exploding credit, imploding savings all point to the same thing. people LOVE to live outside of their long term means, in gen'l. some of ss inefficiencies can be justified as a forced savings program for these kinds of folks - the VAST majority of america. i don't like the massive transfer of wealth from poor working class folks to rich retirees as often happens. the very real problem is that if the younger generation had more money available there is no doubt in my mind they'd squander it on something stupid - like a nicer car than the $30k model they have now. i'll admit, it is a tough situation. it is a shame that most people can't put life's stages in context. deferred gratification is a rarity. man, i do hate inefficiency, though. btw, the onely way "america" can "make good" is to continue to raise ss tax or print money and devalue the currency of everyone. 2 workers will be supporting each retiree in the not too distant future. the math is obvious... and very, very scary. eventually, i believe they will have to means test ss or tax it away. i'd rather lose 5-10% supporting needy folks than 15% supporting the super rich, too.