Republicans Are All Talk...Again!

[whell]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Just a couple of points;

SS funds itself, it was the pols who stole the money and left IOUs

Self funding is a trend that is in the process if reversing itself. We're close right now to having 2 workers' payroll taxes funding one SS retiree. Within the next 10 -15 years that is expected to become a 1:1 ratio. By the mid-2030's, the fund is expected to have more liabilities than income.

Originally Posted by merrylander

Medicare probably comes close to funding itself, I am sure that I am not the only one who pays over $1100 a year for a flu shot. They have raised the level of contribution since I joined. Funny part is that it was a Republican administration that insisted I take SS at 65 although I would have preferred to wait until I retired at 73 simply because they got most all of it back in taxes.

I doubt you'll find many "righties" staffing your average SS office.

Originally Posted by merrylander

In case no one noticed a goodly number of the countries where we have military bases would just as soon we went home, Okinawa for example. The idea that we are the world's police force is a legend in our own minds.

There has been a history of Japanese protests in Okinawa, but I certainly doubt the Japanese government would be in favor of the US closing down the facilities there.