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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Follies who wrote (119719)	12/14/2011 11:13:31 AM
From: MJ	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224728

"Raise social security retirement age consistent with lifespan?" The claim that people are living to a higher average given age has a hint of statistical manipulation and political manipulation imo. If you raise the retirement age, there will be many people who paid into the SS system that will never live to retirement age-----even to lets say 65 or 70. I have friends who died at these ages----------45, 49, 60, 58 and 60 -----they never reached the current retirement ages. They never reaped the benefits of the payments they made into Social Security. Then I have friends who were still living in their homes in their 80's -------now deceased-----and making it in their home and volunteering where they could. At one time this was the goal of this nation to keep seniors in their homes----no longer, they are being displaced. One went to the hospital for heart surgery and got an infection and died. Then I have family of yore who lived to be 95, 90, 85, 86, 80 , 70------they were farmers and small business owners, machinists, hard working people. Few ever received social security. As the family members hit their 70's and early 80's their health and stamina began to deteriorate making it impossible to do the modern day 8 hour a day job including commuting to do so. Certainly after serving the nation in various capacities if you paid into Social Securtiy you should have the full benefits of your Social Security. Within past two weeks I had a friend to call me in tears--------a neighbor, in his early 50's who worked for a high tech firm had suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack---leaving 3 children and a wife. She was in tears not for him as much as for herself and her husband--------she told me she ask her husband what if we die-------. And she was appalled that one could die so young----------only old people die, of course not so.

To: Follies who wrote (119719)	12/14/2011 11:16:33 AM
From: MJ	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224728

A second reply--------yes agree on the reduction of the time to receive unemployment . A year should be sufficient to find another job or to create your own job. Of course, then what happens to those who can't find a job even after being diligent in their search?

To: Follies who wrote (119719)	12/14/2011 10:56:49 PM
From: Paul V.	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224728

Follies, Seriously, I would reduce unemployment from 99 to 26 weeks and make every recipient show up at a federal office at least once a week or the checks stop. Drug test and fingerprint everyone on welfare. Eliminate fraud double dipping and solve crimes. Put annual and lifetime caps on Medicare per recipient. Raise social security retirement age consistent with lifespan. Good suggestions for discussion. For those of us who have studied Marketing and Psychology, we recall Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the first level of physiological needs (food, shelter and clothing) followed by psychological need for Security. I heard on radio today that Missouri in 1974 had approximately 7 State prisons. Today, we have over 20 prisons. How many State employees would we have to hire to supervise, process claims. Would this leave to larger rather that smaller government? I state the above to express the concept that individuals will do what is needed to survive. This was reinforced by our local sheriff yesterday reflected that an increase in poverty proportionally results in increased crime and incarcerations. Therefore, it appears that the taxpayers pick up the tab one way or the other. If we cut the unemployment from 99 to 26 weeks which was the length in existence when I was a kid what would happen to those who lack or lose the skill sets necessary for a high technological society, some individuals who may be in their 50's plus and may not be hired by business due to the older age even though age discrimination does not occur, or does it. I agree with your idea of drug testing and fingerprinting everyone in order not to discriminate against the protection of our freedoms, and individual rights. Regarding the lifetime caps on Medicare per recipients, what happens to those who exhaust their medicare benefits? Raising social security retirement age consistent with lifespan as originally intended has merits, but, would many on this site young than I am agree with you. This would be interesting in seeing the responses from this site.