? | 2011/03/23

UKZAMF

Trudy McKendry | 2010/11/13

After a 30 year career as a School Nurse-Teacher and RN in RI, I've had a chance to see how so many different health plans fail their insured. How people are continuously denied coverage by the private plans they, and our employers have paid for. I've watched people lose everything to health care [Explicit] . At a time of total social & financial collapse Social Security was established as a safety net for all Americans. It is based solely on payroll taxes. So ALL Americans should pay FICA on ALL income. Everyone should be included in that requirement - Congress, millionaires, everyone take notice. No one should be exempt. If all legislators at all levels had to look to social security (AND MEDICARE) for their first-level benefits, for certain, there would be more attention paid to proper maintenance of the programs. Rather than concentrating solely on getting the GPO & WEP offsets repealed, we should work to get the FICA / Medicare back to full funding and participation by all. Anyone who wants more, who can afford to purchase additional coverage for platinum standard coverage for such things as fancier eye wear, specialty-private hospital rooms, etc., can then purchase supplemental insurance or invest in the Stock market to cover it. Special exceptions for participation should not exist. Special retirement and medical plans (for congress-persons, for example)should be paid for by the individual who can afford it at the market rate and should not be paid for by public dollars. If you have not paid into the system, you should not benefit from it. So this means anyone in this country illegally would not receive benefits from the system. That is where the Social Security system fails and the money runs out. Lets reform the system and get it back on track. President Obama, you made the promise to reform, you said "We Can" so lets stop the [Explicit] and stand up for what needs to be done. "Let's DO IT"

Norris Gaines | 2010/11/11

11/11/10 - Norris Gaines It burns me to read the sniveling comments from the people above. I am a "Life Member" of the NEA and California Teachers [Explicit] . I had 29 years in public schools in California as a teacher, counselor, vice principal, and principal. My wife was a college teacher. No one told us about the GPO & WEP until we applied for retirement. Then we were told, "Oh, you have other retirement, so your Social Security will be "Offset." We get less than half of the Social Security retirement we were supposed to get. It is obvious that WE have already been deprived of our rightfully earned Social Security and have been paying the price for over twenty (20) years. Practically every month we get drivel from CTA or NEA about the repeal of the GPO & WEP. This has been going on for YEARS!! When President Obama was campaigning, he voiced his approval of the repeal of these unfair offsets. Numerous congress people have voiced support for the repeal. Still, nothing gets done. Records disclose that NEA & CTA are among the biggest political campaign contributors in the nation. Be advised that NOTHING is done or not done unless Congress and the President approve of it. If they REALLY wanted to restore fairness to this situation, they would repeal these unfair provisions immediately. We should hold their feet to the fire and not donate ONE CENT to anyone's campaigns until this is rectified. They could do this TOMORROW if they really wanted to. They view us as weak-willed dupes who keep falling for their empty promises and they will continue to do so until we draw the line. Now is the time!! Do you think that YOUR Social Security is in danger of being reduced? Ours already has!

Pat | 2010/11/11

ATTENTION PLEASE! If one does not work, there should not be any Social Security funds in the U.S. Social Security System for them. Therefore, Congress is urge to encourage or force the millionairs and top politicians to pay back all the money that they were given during the Bush's days as president. Also, those that were given bail-out checks should pay them back with interest very soon. This is a MUST! It is very unfair to the ones that worked and paid Social Security. This is serious business for the needed families!

Jim Curtiss | 2010/11/11

I and millions of other American workers have paid billions of dollars into pension funds over the past 20-30 years. Much of that money was lost during the housing and banking debacle last year. Because of this, older Americans are depending even more on Social Security and Medicare, while the money men and the politicians are now wanting us to give more in support of their affluence and their folly. They told us over and over that we needed to save for retirement. They told us that, not because they were interested in our well-being, but because they wanted the money to capitalize their foolhardy gambles. I feel for those who have lost their homes and for those who have lost their jobs. And, I am willing to accept my share of the pain in order to get our ailing economy back on the road to recovery. However, I refuse to give a red cent as long as the fat cats and polititians aren't willing to sacrifice alongside the rest of us. I agree that government is too big and that we all bear some of the responsibility for that and for the fact that the debt/deficit is so large. But, those who condemn the so called entitlement programs should be forced to do a little self-examination. They should look at the entitlement programs for the rich, things like capital gains and inheritance tax breaks, not to mention the massive bail-outs. They should be forced to see the entitlement programs for the politicians in the form of great pensions and health care for life. They should look at two stupid wars. I realize that fixing those things wouldn't solve the major economic problems facing this country. But, I won't willingly sacrifice until I see some sign that the millionaires and the politicians are sacrificing something too.

Jim Curtiss | 2010/11/11

I and millions of other American workers have paid billions of dollars into pension funds over the past 20-30 years. Much of that money was lost during the housing and banking debacle last year. Because of this, older Americans are depending even more on Social Security and Medicare, while the money men and the politicians are now wanting us to give more in support of their affluence and their folly. They told us over and over that we needed to save for retirement. They told us that, not because they were interested in our well-being, but because they wanted the money to capitalize their foolhardy gambles. I feel for those who have lost their homes and for those who have lost their jobs. And, I am willing to accept my share of the pain in order to get our ailing economy back on the road to recovery. However, I refuse to give a red cent as long as the fat cats and polititians aren't willing to sacrifice alongside the rest of us. I agree that government is too big and that we all bear some of the responsibility for that and for the fact that the debt/deficit is so large. But, those who condemn the so called entitlement programs should be forced to do a little self-examination. They should look at the entitlement programs for the rich, things like capital gains and inheritance tax breaks, not to mention the massive bail-outs. They should be forced to see the entitlement programs for the politicians in the form of great pensions and health care for life. They should look at two stupid wars. I realize that fixing those things wouldn't solve the major economic problems facing this country. But, I won't willingly sacrifice until I see some sign that the millionaires and the politicians are sacrificing something too.

Teacher | 2010/11/10

Even though I have a pension, I wouldn't have been able to retire when I did if I didn't have Social Security. This was a program promised to all and it would be so unfair to cut the benefits. Many Seniors depend upon this money as their only income and even a small cut, like no COLAS, can cause a lot of harm. Please, consider the plight of those and others on very low, low incomes.

Carole Gensel | 2010/11/10

Cutting Social Security is really detrimental to people who are unable to increase their income because they're retired! Most have planned retirement around savings & Social Security. Do they expect these people to get back into the work force to make up the difference in their retirement income?

Summer | 2010/11/10

The government should quit taking from us hard working class and leave our pension and social secruity funds alone. And take from another form of the rich government people. After all we have worked hard for our senior years.

rsnide | 2010/11/10

Messin' with Social Security: I haven't voted for a republican since I knew there was a difference. That would be back in the days of "I like IKE-he's so good on a mike!" You can see how long THAT'S been. Nothing has caused me to change my mind. No bi-partisanship in this old bird!

rsnide | 2010/11/10

Congress should leave it's finger licking hands off the Social Security Trust Fund! Stop spending it on other things, like Bush's Wars! Replace what they've already stolen and the fund will be healthy enough into the future. Wishfull thinking, however,

tired of it | 2010/11/10

What is Obama's Administration doing again?He's putting us in debt by bailing out some of the people that caused the financial dilema in tis country, now he's after retiredpersons. How about taking Social Security benefits away from the people who never paid into the system and never even worked in this country.

Linda S. Bowlin | 2010/11/10

zleave Social Security alone. I am tired of hearing about it. People earn it. It is not welfare--that should be cut.

Art Guy | 2010/11/10

These folks need to do the right thing. Don't they have parents and other relatives or friends who may need Social Security? But then, even if they do, apparently they have No Compassion. And as we have so often seen, when one is excessively wealthy they usually don't know the price of a loaf of bread, gallon of milk, or a dozen eggs. So why should they care about Social Security and those who depend on it? Apparently doing the right thing for them is taking care of themselves and their wealthy friends. No Compassion, no understanding, no relationship to the life and needs of the average citizen here in the U.S.

Art Guy | 2010/11/10

These folks need to do the right thing. Don't they have parents and other relatives or friends who may need Social Security? But then, even if they do, apparently they have No Compassion. And as we have so often seen, when one is excessively wealthy they usually don't know the price of a loaf of bread, gallon of milk, or a dozen eggs. So why should they care about Social Security and those who depend on it? Apparently doing the right thing for them is taking care of themselves and their wealthy friends. No Compassion, no understanding, no relationship to the life and needs of the average citizen here in the U.S.

Art Guy | 2010/11/10

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FED UP | 2010/11/10

Cut social security? They're kidding right? There are teachers in certain states who are still being penalized by the unfair Government Pension Offset and Windfall elimination (GPO/WEP) Provision that was mandated in the 1980's, and can only collect 40% of what they contributed to the social security system. Many of us had to work private sector jobs in order to make ends meet. You can bet that if Congressmen and women were being penalized by the same law, it would be repealed immediately. If Congress did its job and investigated fraudulent claims within the system, instead of passing outrageous bills that are increasing our taxes to the hilt, the system wouldn't be broken. Social Security was originally created to provide retirement money. Today there are too many other programs that have been included within the system. Wake up Congress. You need a dose of reality. Try walking in our shoes for a change!

Normand Felix | 2010/11/10

The federal government needs to be more honest and leave our social security alone. Stop taking our money that's meant for those who paid into it all their working life, while you have been stealing from it by paying other federal bills. Congress, house and senate, have been cheating retired folks for the past 60 plus years. If you need more money, why don't you have big companies pay their share as well the super-rich top 5%. All of them have so many loop hole in the tax code that they actually pay no taxes. The middle class pays more taxes on a percentage basis then they do. Sincerely yours, Fed-up with you mess....