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Benedict Arnold

They say stuff like "Entitlements", etc.. but they are happy to sit on their asses and collect those Social Security bennies and Medicare

Posted - June 22, 2017
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Responses


  • 3375
    They would be afraid to learn the truth.  If they knew it, they would have some explaining to do with their own conscience.  

      June 22, 2017 12:24 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    What conscience?  If they had one, we wouldn't be in this situation right now.
      June 22, 2017 10:12 PM MDT
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  • 3463
    SA, did you know that one of the  best places to buy produce and canned goods is the 99 cent store?
    My son goes there when it's his turn to shop.
    He can come home with like $80.00 worth of food and it will last all week.
      June 22, 2017 12:41 PM MDT
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  • 1128
    When we have a ride hubby usually hits up a few stores, depending on what they have 'on special'. I've not been grocery shopping in a long time. Hubby goes or one of my daughters take him to shop.  Our oldest daughter is a major couponer, so we 'shop for toiletries at her house now...lol Although we live within a block of a 'Safeway' store they are too expensive for me! 
      June 22, 2017 3:07 PM MDT
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  • 17593
    Yeppers
      June 22, 2017 6:38 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    Everyone who pays for anything in this country is paying a tax of some form... whether it's through inflation, a direct tax on goods / services or a straight dispensation to the state.

    No one moves money without paying the piper. Rather than fighting with each other over it, I'd really rather turn the light on the people stealing from U.S. I'm done playing that game.
      June 22, 2017 10:29 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    Well, the woman in the picture certain has problems....

    And my answer is less than a response to your question rather than some information that may be convenient to have on hand for the discussion that has developed.

    Personally, I am covered by Medicare Part A (only) and a government pension. My social security is minimal and I did not expect to actually receive any SS income.


    Just to throw something into the discussion:

    FICA stands for 

    Social Security is insurance we paid into against old age and need.

    It is not welfare.

    It is not a gift.

    Congress, pay back the 206 trillion dollars you stole from it.

    It will then be solvent.


    And for those interested---a redacted history from Wikipedia:

    Prior to the Great Depression, the following presented difficulties for Americans: 

    The U.S. had no federal-government-mandated retirement savings; consequently, for those people who had not voluntarily saved money throughout their working lives, the end of their work careers was the end of all income.

    Similarly, the U.S. had no federal-government-mandated disability income insurance to provide for citizens disabled by injuries (of any kind—non-work-related); consequently, for most people, a disabling injury meant no more income (since most people have little to no income except earned income from work).

    In addition, there was no federal-government-mandated disability income insurance to provide for people unable to ever work during their lives, such as anyone born with severe mental retardation.

    Further, the U.S. had no federal-government-mandated health insurance for the elderly; consequently, for many people, the end of their work careers was the end of their ability to pay for medical care.

    In the 1930s, the New Deal introduced Social Security to rectify the first three problems (retirement, injury-induced disability, or congenital disability). It introduced the FICA tax as the means to pay for Social Security.

    In the 1960s, Medicare was introduced to rectify the fourth problem (health care for the elderly). The FICA tax was increased in order to pay for this expense.

     


    The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax is a United States federal payroll (or employment) tax imposed on both employees and employers to fund Social Security and Medicare—federal programs that provide benefits for retirees, disabled people, and children of deceased workers.  (In the United States, the term payroll tax usually refers to the FICA tax; income tax refers to other federal and state employment taxes.)

    The tax also provides funds to the health care system for institutions that provide healthcare for workers that do not have health insurance and cannot afford healthcare treatment. Social Security benefits include old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI); Medicare provides hospital insurance benefits for the elderly. The amount that one pays in payroll taxes throughout one's working career is associated indirectly with the social security benefits annuity that one receives as a retiree.

     



     This post was edited by tom jackson at June 23, 2017 9:54 PM MDT
      June 22, 2017 12:27 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    some people cant work and thats why they get all that
      June 22, 2017 12:53 PM MDT
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  • 17593
    Social Security retirement benefit and Medicare recipients are the only people actually entitled to their benefits.  They have earned them.  These are not means-tested welfare programs which are what are generally referred to as entitlements.  It's true that the current work force is paying for these programs for seniors, but they will be entitled to similar benefits when they are retirement age.  Yes you have to actually work a lot of years to be entitled.  There is a good chance that things will look very different for retirees in younger and future generations, but the idea will not change.  The government has a compelling interest in old people having retirement income and care.  I can see it shifting to the likes of a 401K and employees being forced to make monthly contributions into it rather than pure tax to pay for current benefits. 

    This question isn't a question at all;  it's what some people might describe as low information; I have another word for it. This post was edited by Thriftymaid at June 23, 2017 1:55 AM MDT
      June 22, 2017 6:59 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    Is a wife who never worked entitled to the SS benefits of a husband who worked his whole life and payed into it? Is an ex-wife? There are plenty of people who receive SS and Medicare yet never paid into it.

    The thing is, people who don't receive those benefits have paid into them as well. People who receive no food-stamp, welfare or medicaid benefits pay into them... maybe those programs will aid them when they need it, maybe not. Who is to say they'll get out what they put into SS and Medicare? Why shouldn't they get it in healthcare.

    To suggest that the only people entitled to receive back what govt. has taken from them are those on these two programs is to overlook a great many pertinent facts.
      June 22, 2017 8:54 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    Yes, a wife is entitled to her husband's benefits on his death.  If they both worked and were collecting, she would be entitled to the higher of the two payments.  I believe an ex-wife is entitled to her husband's benefits on his death if they had been married for at least 10 years.

    Clearly, there is no guarantee that anyone who pays in will live long enough to collect what they paid in or use what they paid into Medicare.  When Social Security first came to be enacted, it was not meant to be your entire retirement income.  It was meant so supplement that which you would save on your own and was meant to be a safety net for those who hadn't or couldn't save enough.  It has since become the entire retirement income for a large percentage of the population. 
      June 22, 2017 10:17 PM MDT
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  • 1002
    I don't disagree with you, it's money that was taken from their family, it should be returned. Really, my broader point is not everyone who receives from these programs has paid into them and rightly so, their are many incapable of paying in order to receive from them, namely people with disabilities. There are also many who have paid in who may never receive that back, likewise with food stamps, welfare and medicaid / medicare.

    To suggest that any particular group is more or less deserving when we all pay in some form is a mischaracterization. imo Anyone who spends money is contributing to govt., anyone who pays a bill, anyone who makes a large purchase.

    If govt. is going to dish out funding to anyone, it should be to the people as that's where the money comes from in the first place, you know? I don't think the people receiving govt. funding are the villains here, the politicians spending it in all the wrong places are and it's no wonder they'd try to pit us against one another over it... makes it a lot easier to continue the practice.
      June 23, 2017 8:07 PM MDT
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  • 19937
    I definitely agree that not everyone receiving government funding is a villain.  Most are truly worthy of these benefits, but it would be a lie to say that everyone on public assistance of one sort or another should be getting it.  Yes, we all pay bills, all pay sales tax in one form or another, but those who work pay a great deal more taxes whether it's because they purchase more or pay more in income taxes.  Getting government to reduce unnecessary spending is a pipe dream, but if it did happen, there would be plenty of money to take care of everyone who needs it.
      June 23, 2017 10:01 PM MDT
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  • 17593
    Everyone who works enough and has enough credits can collect SS retirement benefits.  Husbands and wives are a unique situation and of course they can draw on each others records in certain situations.  Also children of deceased may receive benefits.    People on disability also get Medicare even though they may not be retirement age.   People on Social Security disability worked and had enough credits and in recent enough years for those benefits.  Otherwise they go to SSID which is something else.  Of course you can't work two years out of 40 and expect to collect retirement benefits.  The taxes paid for these benefits only applies to these two benefits.  You are trying to make these two entitlements part of the overall welfare scheme and they are not.  Welfare/SSI/SSID/foodstamps/Medicaid/WIC/HUD subsidies are funded out of the general budget.  Obtaining benefits is dependent on means testing, not length of time working, paying taxes, or anything else.  Well, most states now are requiring able-bodied people to work to qualify for food stamps which is a good thing. 

    This post was edited by Thriftymaid at June 23, 2017 12:30 AM MDT
      June 23, 2017 12:23 AM MDT
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  • 1002
    As are the disabled in a unique situation or people who pay taxes, fall on hard times and need entitlement programs to supplement them.

    I wasn't the person suggesting moeny was going to the undeserving, just point that out. All of these programs are made for 'unique situations,' all who use dollars pay govt. in some way, why are only some worthy of a return on that investment?
      June 23, 2017 8:11 PM MDT
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  • 17593
    Only people who pay Federal income tax really contribute.  Sales tax and property tax are state taxes.  I addressed the disabled.....there are two brands:  those who worked and have enough credits and worked recently can apply for SS Disability.  This is a true entitlement.  People who have not worked and don't have the credits can apply for SSID which is a completely different thing.  What else do you want to know about disability? 

    The only unique situation that I mentioned is regarding SS retirement benefits and that is nuclear family relationships. 

    I don't think you understand the difference in real entitlements and welfare. I can't state it any clearer.  The government offers brochures online that may help you understand. This post was edited by Thriftymaid at June 24, 2017 1:23 AM MDT
      June 24, 2017 1:19 AM MDT
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