Off-Topic: Its a drop in the bucket

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	Name:	MartiniMan -
	Subject:	Its a drop in the bucket
	Date:	1/16/2013 2:55:29 PM

First of all, I lumped all these programs together and used the terms unfunded or underfunded. As I discussed in another post about some proposed solutions to our entitlement programs I borrowed the term "straight line" budget item to specifically apply to programs like SS and Medicare that have current taxes taken out. These programs are woefully underfunded and that is a fact. But ALL the proposed solutions do not impact anyone over the age of 55 and I believe that is both fair and right as it is obviously too late for them to seek other alternatives.

And I completely agree about the misuse of SS funds as originally done by LBJ to cover up the cost of his Great Society programs and that has been abused ever since by politicians of all stripes. But look at it this way, once that genie was out of the bottle, would you want to be the politician that tries to put it back? I know I would not.

I will now answer your questions:

1. How can you call SS and entitlement program when I have paid for it all of my life?

A. Here is the definition of an entitlement program and SS clearly falls under that definition: government program helping specific group: a government program that targets a particular section of the population to receive specific social benefits.

2. How can you call SS and unfunded program when I have paid in far more than I will ever get back?

A. Again, I grouped unfunded and underfunded and clearly SS as well as Medicare fall into the underfunded category. Medicaid and other entitlement programs are completely unfunded and are paid out of the general fund. But there is no doubt that SS is underfunded, right? And if you are 66 today your life expectancy is around 82 and if you live that long or longer it is highly likely you will take out more than you put in. But it is inescapable that both SS and Medicare are underfunded even if the lock box exists, which it obviously doesn't.