Forum - History of Social Security.

I got this information by looking up a history of the different presidents that have served since SSI was formed, by President Franklin D. Rosevelt. It's quite informative and the one thing that I want you to remember is that OUR ELECTED CONGRESSMEMBERS AND SENATORS DO NOT PAY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE RETIREMENT FUND WHICH IS PAID FOR BY US. In addition we pay for their health care and they only pay $1.25 per day for child care, we pay the rest.

If Obama wants to do something about social security he will annex the Legislature's retirement fund and put it into Social Security and make the Legislature pay into SSI as all other American citizens are required to by FEDERAL LAW. Who the fuck do these people think they are? If you do not vote out the career politicians this is your fault. If you don't vote then don't bitch about what's going on because you let it happen!

Social Security was establish by President Franklin Delano Rosevelt Democrat 32nd President from March 4, 1933 to April 12,1945. died in office.

He promised:
1. That participation in the program would be completely voluntary.

2. That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400.00 of their annual income into the program.

3.That the money participants elected to put into the program would be deductibale from their Income for Tax Purposes each year.

4. That the money Participants put into the "INDEPENDENT TRUST FUND rather than into the General Operating Fund, and therefore would ONLY be used to FUND THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM, and no other Govenment Progam, and

5. That the Annuity Payments to Retirees would NEVER BE TAXED!
Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and now people receiving a Social Seceurity Check every month are finding that they are getting TAXED on 85% of the money WE paid to the Federal Government to "put away".

THEN

President Dwight David Eisenhower 34th President Republican Jan 20, 1953 to Jan 20, 1961

In 1958 the Democratic controlled Congress, not the President, voted to REMOVE THE FUNDS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY AND PUT IT INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR CONGRESS TO SPEND. A veto ended it.

Their logic being: At the time there was so much money in Social Security it would NEVER RUN OUT or be used up for the purpose it was inteded for.

WORSE STILL

Lyndon Baines Johnson 36th President Democrat Nov 22, 1963 to Jan 20, 1969

Under President Lyndon Johnson the Democratic Congress took Social Security from an "Independent Trust Fund" and put it into the Genral Fund so that Congress could spend the money.

THE STRAW THAT BROLE THE CAMEL'S BACK

President James Earl Carter 39th President Democrat Jan 20, 1877 to Jan 20, 1981

This is probably the number one reason that Carter is remember as the worst President this country has ever had.

With the help and support of a Democratic Congress and Senate President Carter and both Houses changed the law and allowed Illegal Immigrants to receive Social Secuity Paymets, EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER PAID A DIME INTO THE FUND!

WHICH PARTY ELIMINATED THE INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS

President William Jefferson Clinton 42nd President Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. 45th Vice President Jan 20, 1993 to Jan 29, 2001

That's right Slick Willie and Dull Al removed this deduction from us. At the time of the vote there was a 50-50 divisions to pass this resolution, being a tie, the "President of Congress" (the Vice President) is called to cast his vote to break the tie and Al voted for elemintating this tax deduction.

Now, the Democrats are telling us that the Republicans are trying to take away Social Security.

I used to be a die hard left wing liberal but, after the 1976 election when new Democrats were running for offices and all of them pledging to not become career politicians as the ones they were replacing, they became the same entrenched problem.

I am, now, an Independent Voter and I will never get over being Pissed at Ross Perot. Not because he did not become the president but because he had the chance to establish a VIABLE 3rd Party and,droped out. With a 3rd party we would not have to settle for whomever the National Parties chose for us.
In the next election, PLEASE, VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENT!!!
An old saying from the 60's is appropiate here: POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Thomas Jefferson 3rd President Democrat Jan 20, 1777 to Jan 20 1781

"A GOVERNMENT BIG ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IS STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE EVERTHING YOU HAVE".

The Democratic Congress and Senate have voted not to give Social Security receipents a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA's) for their reasoning that the cost of housing, gas and other esenticials have not risen enough to warrent one.
My sister receives Social Security Disability and even with Medi-care she can still not afford her prescription medications, did our politicians ever consider that fact?
They can give away Billions of $ to bail out banks and auto companies but they have refused to act to make the banks have programs that make that same money available to us, the customers. They have refused to impliment a halt to the practice of Credit Card Companies (Banks) from gouging us with unbelievable intrest rates. One company told me my rate was going to increase from 13.5% to 21.8% and I've always pay them off monthly. Cancel one Card!
It will be interesting to see if they with hold the COLA's from all people elligible to receive them like the Veterans of our country, all governmental employees and most importantly, themselves.

Unfortunately, the USA is like the Titanic. Hit the proverbial iceberg and is sinking fast.

Nobama is leading one of the biggest CITIZEN SHAKEDOWNS in USA history, and the apathy showed by many Americans about it is disgusting.

There are simply too many examples to point out showing how this charleton is spearheading the fall of our once great nation.

As a result, I have decided to divest myself completely from the USA and migrate to Thailand in the near future.

Best of luck to all Americans who choose to stay behind.

Hi EroticSynergy!

does this mean, you see Thailand as a real alternative to the USA concerning social security and tolerance? Sorry, you have the privilege to lament on a very high level!

Meanwhile I have met a couple of persons who are really bored of their first world countries of origin. They declare a new country (girls, sun and beaches) to be "heaven" without any critical check of this new place. Come more often to Thailand first, stay as long as possible as a tourist and keep your eyes open. List the points why you intend to leave the USA and check these points here in Thailand.

Your country is not a bad one, but it is also up to you making it a better one!

Luli

Thank you, Luli, for the cogent and well thought out reply to my posting.

I would like to address your questions if I may.

I agree that my country, the USA, is not a "bad one" per se. However, as any other Americans living here can attest to, the nation as a whole has suffered tremendously in the last several years or so.

America's unemployment rate recently hit its highest mark in more than 25 years and is expected to continue climbing. Worries are widespread that even when the economy finally rebounds, the recovery won't bring jobs. Our nation's debt is unsustainable, and the federal government's reach into the private sector is unprecedented.

While this problem cuts accross party lines, the current Obama administration is certainly not providing tangible proof it will succeed in resurrecting a flailing economy.

I see a few fundamental problems with Obama's $800 Billion economic stimulus plan as it is currently being presented.

1. The Federal government doesn't have the capacity to create jobs like the private sector could. It's the private sector that will have to create the bulk of the 3 million new jobs over the next few years that Obama says he wants.

2. The infrastructure projects will probably have a very narrow impact in terms of job creation. It will be great for the road construction contractors, the concrete suppliers, folks who are in the construction trade, and the few businesses that will get a residual benefit. However, I don't see how this will help workers across the board who have either lost their jobs or who are in danger of losing their jobs. Most of the job loses have been across the spectrum... from finance/banking, to retail and manufacturing, to tech companies and airlines. In fact, one of the only healthy and insulated job sectors is in the Healthcare industry. There will always be a need for nurses, hospital staff... billing agents, pharmacists, etc. But other than that... workers are feeling the pinch across the whole spectrum of employment. So narrowly focusing on certain kinds of infrastructure improvements (which the Country does need) doesn't seem to make much sense to me. This probably won't be a benefit to most of the workers who have lost jobs over the past year or so... or to those who are about to lose their jobs.

Furthermore, it will take quite a long time for this kind of spending to trickle down through the rest of the economy, and even when it does, it will be so narrow that the impact may not be as fruitful as policymakers hope.

3. The benefits from this kind of spending will be temporary. Once roads and bridges are built or rehabbed and all the money is spent, the jobs created through temporary State and Federal contracting will have to be eliminated. There is no sustainability involved in the plan. Where will the jobs come from once the construction projects start or when they are completed?

Unfortunately, many in the national media here in the USA would rather focus on the personality-driven political gossip of the day than on the gravity of these challenges.

There are a multitude of other issues which I could drone on to deaf ears. Healthcare reform, cap and tax legislation, etc. Unless you live here in the USA, it really won't mean much to you.

The list goes on and on with what the current administration is doing to the USA as a whole.

Paulh50 can certainly chime in if he reads this. As a fellow American, he knows what is currently happening to our once proud nation.

BTW, I have been to Thailand at least a dozen times. Each stay between 1 to 2 months. I believe I have a "fighting chance" to have a better life there than here.

While the "girls, sun and beaches" of Thailand are certainly as you say a "heaven" to me, I am really motivated to relocate due to affordability and social issues. In general terms, I feel more akin to the nature of the Thai people and their Buddhist philosophies.

Everyone is different. That's what makes the world a wonderful place to live in.

Again, thank you for discussing this with me.

EroticSynergy,

You forward the arguments and ideas I expected to read.
Furthermore you certainly know, that persons in Thailand are also suffering from several crisis and problems. I even strongly believe they are facing more different types of problems.
We cannot discuss the current situation in the world and in the US especially. It is too complexe doing it here and now, but there is no other place to go for getting rid of these problems, because every country is concerned.

I have been living in Thailand about eight months per year for business reasons for ten years. I am not unhappy about it. I would change it, if I were.

I have seen a lot of language teachers, consultants, persons doing in import and export coming and going again. I expect you not to be such a naive guy.
If you have no expertise, which is requested in Thailand, if you do not create jobs and if you have no mentionable fortune on your bank accounts, then nobody is waiting for you here. Generally the best preparation is, when you have made your money already.

All the best for you
Luli

Again, Luli, I am most appreciative of your time to reply and and providing insight on our dialgue.

I am fully aware that this dire economic downturn is a global phenomenon and is NOT confined solely to the USA.

Certainly, Thailand is experiencing it's own economic problems unique to it's own situation. I'm sure your native country of Germany is the same way. No country is immune to what is happening.

My decision to relocate is based on that fact I just do NOT like the "trend" I see transpiring with my nation. While you say you anticipated my arguments regarding the USA economy and associated bailout program, I am not sure you can empathize with me the perceived erosion of personal freedoms my country's citizens are experiencing.

Yes, I realize that as an American, I have been "spoiled" by such freedoms enumerated by our US Constitution. All these many years, these have been taken for granted.

Little by little, these freedoms have been eroded. IMO, the Obama administration is just quickening the pace with the vast assortment of government run programs and legislation - mostly impinging on the PRIVATE SECTOR. For that, the window of opprtunity here is closing slowly but surely. Once an economic dynamo in the world, the USA has become a tragic debtor nation. This is a fact.

You are correct in your assumption that I am not naive. I have already as you say - "made my money." I plan on getting a Thai Retirement Visa and finish up my days in LOS. I don't have to work or "create jobs." I have more than enough saved and multiple passive income streams here in the USA to live out my life comfortably in Thailand. The US dollar here is losing tremendous value, and I just want to be in environment like Thailand where I can get relatively more purchasing power and still maintain a reasonable living standard.

Best of luck to you also, sir, as we move forward in the evolving New World Order!

I think the U.S.ofA. is the best country in the world: Thanks to Our Constitution. That one document is the only thing that seperates us from any other country but it is in danger of being changed and abused by which ever political party is in power, at the time.
The problem with our Republic is that when it come to making the day to day decisions we have elected officals whom we trust to do the job. But, they're open to influence from special interest groups and others with the money to buy them.
The PROBLEM with the American govt is is that the people we elect to change the laws continually change them to benifit themselves and not the people of the country. There are only two clases in the world: The Haves and the Have Nots, the rest of us are just cuasualities of war.
The Elietists of the world are so out of touch with reality they really don't see themselves ass the problem and acutually believe they know what's best for us.
Until the American people demand a legitimate 3rd Party we are always going to be fucked by one party or the other. And we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Many German drivers, I'm told, refer to American drivers as sheep: for the way people love to drive in groups of cars. Well most American's are sheep. They haven't had to fight or struggle for what they have and would rather some one else do the job for them. Until Americans learn to think for themselves, instead of sound bites, we'll continue to have this problem.
Even while in the U.S. Army I was free to write letters to newspapers and magzine voicing my disaproval of the current government at the time. I don't think there's another country in the world you can do that and not get in trouble.
But I still think America is the best.

Only having a few visits to Tijuana, I can't say whether the U.S. is the best country in the world but I can comment on the Americans as sheep.

Name one country where the citizens aren't sheep to politics, religion, or both? Impossible.

America will likely never get a valid 3rd party as Americans are too tuned into their media and the Democrats/Republicans effectively control the media. They are now trying to gain control of the Internet and turn it into a money vehicle.

You have it right about the Have vs. Have-Nots. That's the way it is; that's the way it will always be until a global change occurs. money makes the world go around.

Paul,
thank you for these sentences. This is the type of statement I want to read from an US American!
In the history of your great country the American people has been facing bigger problems than the present ones. You have always found a solution and for the current problems you will do it either. Every time the USA have been stronger after a crisis. But there is more. You do not solve your own problems, only, you help other countries getting its problems solved or you solve it completely for them. What would have happened to the world up to now, if there were no US American soldiers risking and loosing their lives on foreign battle fields? Oh, I know, there are meanwhile critical voices about these engagements forwarded by persons/politicians having the privilege of free speech, good education, a full stomach and a warm home, because the USA have guaranteed it for decades.

With regards to a changing world order, there must be leadership, nevertheless. Well, which nation should be this leader? Of course the strongest nation not only standing for freedom and all our common western values, but also ensuring these values in the future: USA

Your two party system, I see it critical. But first of all persons should show more engagement. The majority seems to me being passive and less interested or engaged. In democratic and free countries we rule ourselves, we are not ruled by a minority. Can it be, that the teachers have forgotten their own wisdoms? May be it is now even more necessary to visit former students in their countries?

Luli

Paulh50, your post is very accurate and reflects the way I feel on this subject matter.

We, as American citizens, have our freedoms safeguarded by the US Constitution in various Amendments.

We are in jeopardy of losing many of these precious freedoms.

One particular example (Amendment) which are currently under siege by the current Obama administration involve the following IMO.

1st Amendment: Freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, to assemble, and to petition.

Legislation currently is before Congress that would reinstate a federal communications policy known as the "fairness doctrine." The legislation, entitled the "Fairness in Broadcasting Act of 1993," is sponsored in the Senate (S. 333) by Ernest Hollings, the South Carolina Democrat, and in the House (H.R. 1985) by Bill Hefner, the North Carolina Democrat. It would codify a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation that once required broadcasters to "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance." The fairness doctrine was overturned by the FCC in 1987. The FCC discarded the rule because, contrary to its purpose, it failed to encourage the discussion of more controversial issues. There were also concerns that it was in violation of First Amendment free speech principles. The legislation now before Congress would enshrine the fairness doctrine into law.

We, as American citizens, should pray the Fairness Doctrine is not resurrected and passed into legislation.

What comes to recent memory is White House chief of staff Rahm Emanual's blatant targeting of the FOX television network for their ongoing investigation on the backgrounds of 40+ "czars" whom Obama has appointed during his relatively brief presidency.

We, as Americans, should know everything we can about these "czars."

Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many "czars" appointed by the President, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent?

Did you think that another "czar" would be talking about restricting talk radio? That there would be plans afloat to subsidize newspapers-- that is, to create a situation where some newspapers' survival would depend on the government liking what they publish?

Bypassing the authority of Congress, Barack Obama rules through czars:

1. Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) czar, Richard Holbrooke
2. AIDS czar, Jeffrey Crowley
3. Auto recovery czar, Ed Montgomery
4. Behavioral science czar, position not yet filled
5. Bailout czar, Herbert Allison Jr.
6. Climate change czar, Todd Stern
7. Copyright czar, not appointed yet
8. Counterterrorism czar, John Brennan
9. Cybersecurity czar, position not yet filled
10. Disinformation czar, Linda Douglass
11. Domestic violence czar, Lynn Rosenthal
12. Drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske
13. Economic czar, Larry Summers
14. Economic czar number two, Paul Volcker
15. Education czar, Arne Duncan
16. Energy czar, Carol Browner
17. Food czar, Michael Taylor
18. Government performance czar, Jeffrey Zients
19. Great Lakes czar, Cameron Davis
20. Green jobs czar, Van Jones
21. Guantanamo closure czar, Daniel Fried
22. Health czar, Nancy-Ann DeParle
23. Infotech czar, Vivek Kundra
24. Intelligence czar, Dennis Blair
25. Latin-American czar, Arturo Valenzuela
26. Mideast peace czar, George Mitchell
27. Mideast policy czar, Dennis Ross
28. Pay czar, Kenneth Feinberg
29. Regulatory czar, Cass Sunstein
30. Religion czar, Joshua DuBois
31. Safe schools czar, Kevin Jennings
32. Science czar, John Holdren
33. Stimulus oversight czar, Earl Devaney
34. Sudan czar, J. Scott Gration
35. TARP czar, Elizabeth Warren
36. Technology czar, Aneesh Chopra
37. Trade czar, Ron Kirk
38. Urban affairs czar, Adolfo Carrion
39. War czar, Douglas Lute
40. Weapons czar, Ashton Carter
41. Weapons of mass destruction czar, Gary Samore

Positions being planned:

Income redistribution czar
Land-use czar
Mortgage czar, formally "consumer financial protection czar" (source)
Radio-internet fairness czar
Student loan czar, to oversee a program of mandatory service in return for college money (source)
Voter list czar
Zoning czar

I am NOT making any of this up. You can simply Google any of these names and see for yourself.

I also believe as you do that this controlling document, the US Constitution, is in danger of being changed for the benefits of the elite ruling class.

What many foreigners can not empathize with is that our freedoms as Americans is slowly but surely being eroded away. FACT.

Whether enough people will wake up in time to keep America from being dismantled, piece by piece, is another question-- and the biggest question for this generation.

I want to thank everyone who has posted here.

I have been to many different countries from Thailand to the Ukraine, Alaska to Venezula and through out the Carribean countries and no country has the freedoms that American citizens take for granted. Hell, while I was in Marioupoul, Ukraine, a bunch of high-school kids asked me if I would talk politics with them and they knew more about America than 98% of Americans know.

Americans are soft and lazy. for the most part, hell look at the way kids and parents are overweight and don't get any exercise. Hot water, food and all the other stuff that a "Civilized" country are supossed to have. But not all Americans have thoses benifits and a lot of people that used to enlist in the military as a way of earning those benifits are no longer motivated to go that way. Why, because the American Elietist Party is trying to destory the livelhood of all the rest of us. American companies left America because the unions got so strong, off Democatic union members, that a company couldn't afford to hire Americans so they shipped the jobs overseas or to Mexico. Now the Democratic Congress is trying to increase the number of employee Visas to allow more Legal Aliens to take away more jobs.

It is my belief that the worst thing this country has done is to do away with the draft. Men knew they had three choices: get a job and get married and start a family, go to college and get good grades or get drafted. The draft motovatied 90% of American men to do something with their lives and it sure as hell made them pay attention to the news. It made American pay attention to what was going on in the country and the world. Now, no one cares.

It's a sad state of World affairs when one country has to be picked to be the cop of the world and we've accepted that role. Not that it's bad but it's a sad comment on the rest of the world to say they don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. Have you seen the movie "Hotel Rawanda"? That movie explains a lot. And the doucermentary "Rules of Engagement: the FBI at Waco" explains a lot about the situation in America.

People talk about how "dirty" and corrupt Republicans are but the Democratic party is ripe with corruption and since the media is an arm of the Democratic party we never hear the complete truth on any subject. News is no longer news, it's an editorial on how the station manager feels, there is no objectivity. That's why Obama hates FOX News, they're giving us the bad news and not the party line.

Last night there were some elections in some other states and it went poorly for the Democratic Party. People are tired of the Government bailing out banks and auto companies and not helping the people get back on their feet. Hopefully, in the elections next year, more career politicians will be voted out of office.

I'm not religious but I do pray: I'm praying that things get better. I know all prayers are answered I'm just hoping the answer isn't no.