Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Government Tit

Is that what the far-right lunatics call Social Security now? The government tit?

In response to my post "To the GOP: "Cut, Cap, and Balance My Ass!", an Anonymous commenter writes:

It's called personal responsibility. If you can't find a "job", then make something, grow something or perform a service people will pay you for. Get off the government dole and take care of yourself!

Social Security was intended as a minimal backstop for those who COULDN'T take care of their own needs in OLD AGE, not as a retirement plan at middle class levels for everyone when they still have 20 or 30 years of potential productivity remaining.

America's attitudes need to change about providing for oneself rather than sucking from the Government's tit.

And I reply here:

You use the same old tired and useless argument that ALL the Republicans and Tea Party radicals use...but it has no basis in reality. You just repeat what all the other talking heads on Fox News have told you to think. I know, I used to also.

In case you're unaware, during the last century most of the U.S. population left their rural farms during the industrial revolution and became dependent on being under the employ of others in the cities. Most of us no longer live on farms and ranches anymore. We all can't grow our own food on the tops of our roofs. And with hundreds of thousands of small businesses going bankrupt across the nation during this recession, starting a business or service in this economic climate (when people don't have money to spend) is ridiculous. Sure, a few might, and some may succeed...but 40 million under-employed or unemployed people can't do this. Pleassssssssssse! Be practical. That's utter nonsense.

I've taken care of myself since I was 17 years old, until I was laid off and never rehired again at the age of 55. I know very well how to "take care of myself". I also spent my life's savings taking care of myself, until that too was gone.

You mention getting paid Social Security at "middle-class" levels. I'm looking at my Social Security statement right now, and it says that at 66.2 years (it used to be 65), I can qualify for full benefits at $1,200 a month. WOW! You think $14,000 a year is middle-class wages in 2011 (or in 2021 when I reach full retirement age)?

You don't think that breaking my back on a factory floor from the age of 18 to 66.2 is long enough? That I'll have another 20 or 30 years of productively left? You must not know what intensive manual labor can do to a person. Study the bones of those who built the pyramids in Egypt. You can work until the day you drop dead at your job...I'd rather "retire" in my "golden years". But the banks, that were de-regulated by the Republicans, made sure my union pension and 401k is worth less that half now; and the house, which was once worth double in 2005, is now under water.

Sucking the government tit? We agreed to pay taxes into the system to fund these programs. People paid in for all their working lives, and not because they may have WANTED to, it was the law and the IRS withheld Social Security and Medicare taxes. Then after 40 years when they apply, you accuse them of sucking the government tit? Get real! If you invested in U.S. Savings bonds and after 20 years you went to cash them and the government says, "Sorry! We're broke." Should you be accused of trying to suck the government's tit?

You sound like a very young person with no clue at all about what it's like in the real world. Good luck in your own business. I hope you become a multi-millionaire and never have to pay taxes again. I also hope you never get hurt or sick and need healthcare. I hope you become so rich that you'll never need Social Security and have to suck on the government tit for your survival. I also hope you'll have to break your back until the very day you die so you won't be a burden on any of the other hard-working taxpayers...like the bankers and CEOs...and other wealthy people like yourself.

Good luck when YOU'RE 66.2 (or 67, 70 or 75) years old! You'll need it if there's no government tit for YOU to suck on.

5 comments:

  1. Well Bud....what I we say. I think you clearly outlined that like the poster themselves, everyone suck the Government tit at one point and time.

    First, when you are born, one is given a Social Security card. When you pass, the Government, via that Social Security program gives you $255.00 to assist with burying a person.

    Guess, we can say then, we all suck off the gov't tit...when we're born and when we die.

    http://www.reachoutjobsearch.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. It seems everyone would like to refer to Social Security benefits as an Entitlement. Like it is a gift or something from our government. Entitlement it is not. How can that be when you have to work so many quarters to qualify for benefits? And the money is taken out of your paycheck every pay day. Many Americans have worked for 30 or 40 years or more to earn these benefits. So what right has anyone to take these benefits away.

    Sincerely

    Carol from CA.

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  3. My two great aunts are ninety four and ninety six. They are not sucking on the governments tit and not even living above the poverty level. Both receive between three and four hundred dollars a month in social security retirement benefits.
    Social security is held out of paychecks to be received once one is too old to work. It does not provide middle class level income.

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  4. I am 45 years old and have always worked hard & earned everything I've owned(my first job, working for an attorney as a part time office clerk during my last semester of high school). paid for it all entirely on my own - including my college education and the purchase of two homes.

    At the top of this recession - July 2008 - I was laid off from my job as a business analyst. Prior to being laid off, the annual SSA earnings statement I received in the mail indicated that (as of 2007-08) I've earned enough money (over my lifetime) and already met eligibility requirements to receive the maximum monthly SS payout when I reach retirement age 65.

    In other words: I HAVE ALREADY PAID into SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM MONTHLY BENEFIT AMOUNT.

    Put still another way: over my lifetime, I've paid enough in PAYROLL TAXES - money that was WITHHELD FROM MY PAYCHECKS and paid into the SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINSTRATIONS'S TRUST FUND -
    (you know, the mandatory SSA & Medicare federal tax withholding...?).

    I EARNED THIS MONEY,i PAID INTOTHESE PROGRAMS -THEY ARE NOT 'WELFARE'. GIVE ME ALL OF MY MONEY BACK - EVERY SINGLE DIME I'VE PAID INTO SSA OVER THE COURSE OF MY LIFETIME - WITH INTEREST -
    and I'll stop asking for a handout from the government - welfare - when I retire.

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  5. For the record my two great aunts worked hard to pay for their home. It WAS a simple wood frame house, built by family members in the 30's.
    The aunts lost their home to flooding when the government decided to open flood gates in order to spare the cities from flooding.

    My aunt's owned their property and home before the floodgates were even thought of.
    After total loss of home and personal property the aunt's were compensated a whopping 5,000.00 from the Fed for the losses.

    So, no, they do not live in a home that has been paid for anymore. My aunts live with a disabled family member now in order to not have to live in crime infested, low income based public housing.

    Unlike the federal government, my family has managed to take care of our own people, in spite of long term unemployment.

    ReplyDelete