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

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (119426)	9/29/2009 11:05:11 AM
From: Pogeu Mahone	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (119426)	9/29/2009 11:06:12 AM
From: Pogeu Mahone	Respond to of 132070

deleted

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (119426)	9/29/2009 2:56:29 PM
From: Freedom Fighter	1 Recommendation Respond to of 132070

KT, >They funded the programs. Then used the funds for other budget items. < I know you are totally blinded by your political loyalties, but even you can't believe this nonsense. There is accrual accounting (like businesses are required to use or they go to jail) and there is cash accounting (which is what the government uses because it's corrupt). On a cash basis, if either SS or Medicare is running a surplus in the short term (meaning it is bringing in more than it is spending NOW), they do spend the money on other things and put IOUs in the trust funds. In theory, that's really not a major problem because the IOUs could be redeemed for cash by issuing bonds to the public at a later date when the programs are running a deficit. However, to make sense that would require an overall responsible budget and set of programs that fluctuate from surplus to deficit from time to time but that break even over the long term. What we have are hopelessly bankrupt programs. When the accounting is done properly, what you have to do is calculate the present value of future promises relative to the long term expected revenues. If you are promising massively more in the future than you will generate in the future (because you are evil and want to get the votes of the ignorant portion of our population or because you are a socialist with no ability to understand economics or business yourself), then you are running a Ponzi scheme. When the accounting for SS and Medicare is done properly it becomes clear that both SS and Medicare are massive Ponzi schemes that will require massive tax increase, massive cuts, and massive devaluation of the currency just to meet their current obligations (let alone any new promises). So basically, anyone that wants to expand government now is either evil, not blessed with the natural intelligence and/or knowledge to understand/know this, or a total socialist masquerading as a moderate to get elected (which of course is also evil). Sorry, but there are no other legit choices and those are the facts.

To: Knighty Tin who wrote (119426)	9/29/2009 11:59:18 PM
From: Skeeter Bug	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

>>They funded the programs. Then used the funds for other budget items.<< funded + defunded = not funded. >>Shoot, I do that all the time. Someone is always dipping into my long term nursing care savings to lease courtesans, whatever that is. <VBG> By the time I get dotty (pretty much last year), I will only be able to afford ugly nurses.<< i'm sure the politicians are still getting the finest women for our buck. well, at least the younger ones.