How about we stop giving billions of dollars in foreign aid to other countries. Especially the ones that want to kill us. That seems kinda wacko to me.

Social Security is Strong

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April 23, 2012

A new report on Monday by Social Security trustees showed the retirement program's trust fund has $2.7 trillion in reserves and will grow to $3.06 trillion by 2021, enough to maintain the unbroken record of paying every nickel owed to every beneficiary in full for another two decades. Sen. Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation to strengthen Social Security and guarantee benefits for 75 years by extending the payroll tax that most Americans already pay to those who earn above $250,000 a year.

"The most effective way to strengthen Social Security for the next 75 years is to eliminate the cap on the payroll tax on income above $250,000. Right now, someone who earns $110,100 pays the same amount of money into Social Security as a billionaire. That makes no sense," said Sanders, the chairman of the Defending Social Security Caucus. He also chairs the Senate aging subcommittee.

Defend Social Security Caucus

Under the proposed legislation, the wealthiest Americans would pay the same payroll tax rate already assessed on those with incomes up to $110,100 a year. Social Security officials have calculated that the simple change would keep the retirement program strong for another 75 years. The legislation also follows through on a proposal that President Barack Obama made in 2008 when he was running for president.

The Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act is cosponsored by Sens. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Barbara Mikulski, (D-Md.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D- R.I.).

Since it was signed into law 76 years ago, Social Security has kept millions of senior citizens, widows, widowers, orphans, and the disabled out of poverty. Before Social Security, about half of senior citizens lived in poverty. Today, less than 10 percent do.

"I strongly disagree with some of my colleagues who want to balance the budget by cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other programs that are of enormous importance to seniors and the working families of our country. There are ways to address the deficit crisis without attacking some of the most vulnerable members of our society. As chairman of the Defending Social Security Caucus, I will do everything in my power to make sure that the promises made to seniors will be kept."

Social Security provides support for 55 million people, including 38 million retired workers, 6 million widows, widowers and orphans, and 11 million disabled workers. The most successful government program in our nation's history has not contributed one dime to the federal deficit.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=F63D73C1-81DF-4DFB-AAC3-730092ED9406

Of course this will not stop all the lies about "entitlement" garbage and how it is using up the tax dollars.

Let me drop a bit of Reality...
(thank you for the piece on Social Security... It does work where the 'entitlement' part is policed properely.

You see people that did not now nor ever did pay into the system also get those benefits (in many cases by subtrefuge)... that is an 'entitlement' and not an earned benefit.

That is what is creating chaos in the system.

Social Security with the exception of SSI federal welfare is not an entitlement nor was it ever. Medicaid, Tanf, GA, and child care are entitlements given out to the population withing certain income bracket. Those said income brackets are stressing the economy even further as more recieve benefits during these economical crisis situations. The good news is even though we are all poor right now, crime has dropped!!!

Looks to me like it is in the 13% called "Safety net." Sounds like a lump-all phrase. And SS is not an entitlement, it's a ponzi scheme run by the government.

Do you think that the wizard of oz just waves his magic wand and the all this military stuff just appears or would think that the million or so workers in the defense industry might benefit just a little from having a high paying job?

Or should we just eliminate their jobs and use that money to support them with welfare?

That seems to be your position..

How about we stop giving billions of dollars in foreign aid to other countries. Especially the ones that want to kill us. That seems kinda wacko to me.

Awe - don't you get it, many of those billions in foreign aid is for weapons... it's no fun having a war unless the other side has weapons too.

Let's eliminate all the warfare - and then spring for the revocation of those high paid employees into GREEN industries.... Some solutions are so easy.