For DU members, the answer is almost certainly "yes".

[Scuba]

[bluedeathray]

1. Yeah, to the tune of $2.7 trillion. nt

[Sancho]

2. No worries...get rid of the debt...

cut the military and spy budget in half and raise tax rates on the rich/corporations to mid-20th century rates!!!

Things will be fine in less than 10 years!

Meanwhile, let's extend medicare downward to ALL people as an option on the ACA!!

[daleanime]

7. Great start!

[Enthusiast]

26. They could start by selling off the hundreds of military golf courses around the world.

Seriously.

[valerief]

46. But how does that make filthy rich people richer, which is the most important

thing in the entire universe?

[marmar]

3. k/r

[Doctor_J]

4. There are DUers who propagate the far right myth that SS is insolvent and must be cut

It's the same group that approves of torture, intervention in Syria, insurance mandates, and other things they were against until 2009. They are pretty small though.

[NorthCarolina]

5. Conservative democrats...small contingent BUT

nevertheless, they do call the shots in the party.

[DissidentVoice]

8. I wouldn't say they're that small

After all, the DLC philosophy has produced our last two Democratic Presidents.

You are right, unfortunately, that they DO call the shots.

[Scuba]

9. You're confusing numbers of People with numbers of dollars.

[Fumesucker]

29. Standing on a wallet can make someone look much larger than life n/t

[Doctor_J]

21. Well, the conservadems are entitled to their opinions...but not to their facts

If they want to believe abortion should be outlawed or that gay marriage will ruin the country, that's revolting but can be justified. SS in not insolvent, so if they say that they're lying or wrong.

[pnwmom]

23. It's the same group that approves insurance mandates? What a crock.

We couldn't get Medicare for all, single payer, or even a public option through Congress. The ACA was the most progressive plan we could get through -- with a large expansion of Medicaid and subsidies for the majority of people -- and it wouldn't be workable without a mandate. NY State already tried that and it didn't work. With the onset of Obamacare, their rates are going down 50%.

People who support the mandate aren't on the right. They're realistic people who would rather take a big step forward than remain stuck in the mud.

[Enthusiast]

27. They favor the TPP too.

[sabrina 1]

44. Yes, there are a few DUers who support the Chained CPI, the deceptive attempt

to authorize the Government, who have zero right btw, since that fund belongs to the American people, to cut SS benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable Americans.

I have met them and wonder why they are here since SS is the cornerstone of the Democratic Party.

The contorted arguments to try to tie SS to the Deficit would be fascinating to watch if they were not serious.

Any Dem who votes for the Chained CPI, is NOT a Dem imo. They are Heritage Foundation trolls in the Dem Party.

[gopiscrap]

6. yes and the Social Security has done a lousy job of getting it out.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. Almost 3 trillion in intragovernmental debt.

The people didn't borrow against it. The Congress did. And they have to pay it back.
Problem is, we have to pay it back via taxes to the federal government, which must then in turn pay back SS.


This was what Al Gore's 'lock box' was intended to prevent, and nobody 'got it'. Now the only 'insolvency' related to SS is the possibility that the Federal Government might fail to pay it back, for instance, in a debt ceiling shenanigan fest.


Social security isn't a freebie, or a free rider. That's OUR money, taken directly from our paychecks, and put into an insurance system that was NEVER intended to be borrowed against.

"And now they're coming for your Social Security money. They want your fucking retirement money, they want it back, so they can give to their criminal friends on Wall Street. And you know something? They'll get it. They'll get it all from you sooner or later."

[stage left]

11. K&R

Thanks so much Scuba for sharing this. This is a terrific graphic that everyone should see and understand.

[Scuba]

12. You're welcome. And a (slightly belated) welcome to DU too!!

[stage left]

16. Thanks

Glad to be here.

[blue14u]

40. Welcome to DU stage left!!!

[stage left]

45. Thanks, blue14u

[Packerowner740]

13. Somehow someone needs to stop the raiding of the SS treasure chest

You never hear anyone talk about that though, only about doing away with SS.

[hfojvt]

14. kinda silly

After all, this "Federal Government" thingy is ALSO

funded by American workers.

Or what, do they fund the rest of the budget by selling candy corn to the EU?

Of course, when it comes to "Did you know?" then I might ask this -

Did you know?

The bottom 40% of workers would be BETTER OFF if Social Security WAS funded by progressive income taxes instead of by regressive payroll taxes on wages.

[Scuba]

15. Not entirely. Some of the federal goverment is funded by corporations and stock owners.

Only payroll taxes would fall under the "American workers" umbrella.

[dchill]

17. K & R.

[bvar22]

18. This President explained that clearly.

#t=26

Is an unambiguous statement like this too much to expect from a Democratic President?

Why are cuts to Social Security On-the-Table in "Budget Negotiations"?

[Scuba]

19. + Eighty Gazillion

[druidity33]

34. that clip should be replayed over and over...

and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over..........


truly...


over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over....

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. Did you know that Republicans who claim the Social Security fund is "filled with IOUs",...

...are talking about U. S. Treasury Bonds?

These bonds are traded daily on the bond market for long term investment.

The Bond Market is a RIVAL to the Stock Market.

Republicans want investors to believe those Treasury Bonds could become worthless so there is a big incentive for Republicans to run up the debt and talk about "Out of control spending in Washington" and throw out doomsday predictions about the fiscal failure of the United States. Republicans want investors to believe those Treasury Bonds could become worthless and to move their money into the safety and security of,...the Stock Market.

I know....

[woo me with science]

22. Time to shut down the corporate thieves in both parties. nt

[Uncle Joe]

24. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Scuba.

[LibDemAlways]

25. I think that even most thick-headed

people who vote R understand this. I know my elderly aunt who is a die-hard FAUX viewer doesn't want anyone messing with her SS, because, as she will tell you, she earned it. Only the wealthy politicians and 1%ers who'll never need it are in favor of cutting it.

[angrychair]

28. China!!!!!

CHINA! CHINA! China owns all of America! We must cut SS because of China!!!!

[Jenoch]

30. The graphic in the OP is not entirely accurate.

Social Security is also funded by employers.

[Divine Discontent]

33. good catch

[Warren Stupidity]

31. Well, we do have to make a critical budget policy choice with respect to SS.

We can keep in place the gigantic tax cuts given to billionaires over the last 30 years, or we can pay back the SS bonds held by the government in trust for future retirees. We cannot do both.

Given that this government is owned by the people who will suffer the outrage of a restoration of their tax rates to pre-Reagan levels, how this issue will be decided, absent a fundamental re-alignment of our government, is clear.

There is probably a third choice where taxes are raised on working people instead of the fucking filthy rich, that is also an interesting option for our owners.

[Divine Discontent]

32. these kind of posts

give me hope that most people on DU are liberal. we know there's a few percentage that aren't, but this and that other pic about where tax money goes are great! thank you!



Get it here -> http://www.zazzle.com/youre_not_in_the_1_why_vote_like_you_are_bumpe_bumper_sticker-128479630785214922?rf=238107662556833486

[spin]

35. It often surprises me how conservatives hate Obama's "socialized medicine"plan ...

but those who are retired really appreciate Social Security and Medicare.

There does seem to be a bit of a disconnect in that viewpoint.

[cheapdate]

36. There are two kinds of government debt.

There's public debt, which is owed to holders of government notes, and intergovernmental debt, which is owed by the government to itself.

Most ordinary discussions of "America's debt" refer to the first kind -- our public debt.

[Scuba]

37. Actually, most of those discussing the debt work hard to conflate the two.

[cheapdate]

38. Yes, there are many tricks and outright falsehoods that are used to confuse the discussion.

It would be comforting to believe that intelligent and reasonable people with a sound understanding of the situation are in charge, but they're not.

[mother earth]

39. Once again, Scuba, K & R!

[WillyT]

41. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[Curmudgeoness]

42. Not only does the federal government not fund SS, but

most of us have been paying an additional amount into SS to insure that we have enough money to finance OUR retirement as well as the people who were getting the benefits at the time.

[liberal_at_heart]

43. They only thing we should allow them to do to SS is increase funding to it. You are absolutely

correct when you say the government owes money to SS. Increase funding to SS. Cuts are not acceptable.