Greenspan Supports Cuts To Social Security Benefits

[brokensymmetry]

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan urged Congress on Wednesday to deal with the country's escalating budget deficit by cutting benefits for future Social Security retirees rather than raising taxes.

In testimony before the House Budget Committee, Mr. Greenspan said the current deficit situation, with a projected record red ink of $521 billion this year, will worsen dramatically once the baby-boom generation starts becoming eligible for Social Security benefits in just four years.

Mr. Greenspan said that the benefits now received by current retirees should not be touched but he suggested trimming benefits for future retirees and doing it soon enough so that they could begin making adjustments to their own finances to better prepare for retirement.

Copyright © 2004 Associated Press

Updated February 25, 2004 10:21 a.m.

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107772158288038844,00.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

[Beetwasher]

1. Was Only A Matter of Time

Here we go...

[Gothic Sponge]

5. GGRRR!!!! To quote Mike Malloy:

"Have i mentioned how much i hate these people?"

[benfranklin1776]

13. Indeed.

Let's not roll back the tax cuts for the wealthy to reduce the deficit which THOSE CUTS created. No, good old Alan omits that obvious solution in favor of taking away money from those who can least afford it. Pray tell how are those earning bare subsistence wages, whose numbers will increase dramatically thanks to the outsourcing Alan loves so much going to "prepare" for their impoverished retirement when they can barely sustain themselves now? What of those who are disabled? How pray tell are they to prepare? Oh yes we have a splendid display of reverse Robin Hoodism at work. Take from the poor to enrich the already wealthy. Alan has apparently sold his soul to the Bushies in exchange for the pittance of another term as Fed Chairman. Hope he considers it a fair exchange.

On Edit: These comments along with Snow's praising of outsourcing should be broadcast by the nominee far and wide and repeatedly in the Fall for the benefit of those in the undecided electorate who may have missed them.

[Fovea]

15. That's ok

when a poor, sick, non-retiree shoots him on the street for his wallet, he will bleed out, waiting for the non-available ambulance, and still defending the rape and pillage of the middle class, no?

[benfranklin1776]

21. He may have an epiphany at that point

Regrettably it will be too late for the other victims of the policies he grinningly endorses.

[Jackpine Radical]

59. Well, suicide might be a reasonable--and patriotic-- option.

"Pray tell how are those earning bare subsistence wages, whose numbers will increase dramatically thanks to the outsourcing Alan loves so much going to "prepare" for their impoverished retirement when they can barely sustain themselves now?"

[benfranklin1776]

69. I can see the slogans now: "Its patriotic to self terminate"

"Real Americans support the President's Euthanasia plan, only communist radicals would seriously suggest that we should have to support all these disabled and old folks" {SARCASM NOW TURNED OFF}

I say we eliminate Greenspan's pension and benefits and let him subsist on the reduced level of Social Security benefits that he is proposing.

That would be a good demonstration project and would last as long as the stunt pulled by Reagan's cabinet secretary who tried to show how "easy" it was to live on food stamps.

[Thor_MN]

103. Well, now that he's of age,

He says that those younger than him should have their benefits reduced.

[shanti]

80. LOGAN'S RUN

comes to mind...:evilfrown:

[GCP]

89. More like Soylent Green, then we could feed everybody, too

:grr:

[Mozam]

100. Actually

I read an article in a Colorado news paper a few years ago that hinted at something similar...I'll see if I can find it...pretty sad

[schultzee]

82. Old, sick and very poor. Thats what the greed pigs are advocating

and suicide might be an option instead of suffering and not being able to afford medicine or health care. Damn you Greenspan and Damn you all who support this corrupt, elitist, class waring greed pig administration. How I hate these people

[schultzee]

83. Call your congress people! Complain. Write letters to editors.

[SCDem]

2. What an A**HOLE

God these people just make me sick.

[joeunderdog]

62. Here's the pic on yahoo. It's his best side.

Guess whose payroll he's on. He's so overtly going chimp's bidding that he might as well hold a sign.

[skippysmom]

3. Retirement is a pipe dream for me

By the time I get old enough, SS will be gone. And the * administration just doesn't care.

[mhr]

4. Seems All The Cards Are On The Table Now - The Seniors Will Kick Butt

with this news.

GW is toast!

Let's hope that he loses with the largest landslide in electoral history.

One would like to see the fundies and republicans so thoroughly humiliated that their kind is forever shamed out of politics.

[nini]

8. That's how I see it.

This is one of those things you don't f*ck with and the American people will revolt.

[Gothic Sponge]

19. Something is up his sleeve

Why would Bush & Co polarize themselves this way, knowing everything they are doing is going to cost them votes? Something is on the horizon....I smell a big October surprise.

[TacticalPeek]

32. "I smell a big October surprise"

I smell doubt and fear on them.

They are beginning to doubt aWol's chances in November, and will now gut the goose to get what golden eggs they can.

[KansDem]

36. Agreed. The gig is up...

and I believe the term to describe the Bushistas actions of late is "cut and run." Too bad it makes for such rotten domestic and foreign policies...

[Fovea]

56. Wouldnt it be grand if Kansas went Blue

this year?

I think it could happen with the Boeing thing, and the amazing toadying that Roberts has done for *.

[central scrutinizer]

37. not just seniors

If you run into anyone around 30 years old who still supports the mal-administration, ask them how they plan on helping when their parents reach retirement age without Social Security and Medicare. If they don't have a spare bedroom, how often are they going to visit Mom and Dad in their cardboard box Bushville under the bridge?

[varun]

54. FL retirees...

...are you listening?

And remember...look carefully at those butterfly ballots

[Lorien]

67. One word:

Diebold.

[Purveyor]

6. Now this is a issue I hope the GOP runs on...

Cutting Social Security benefits!!!

[denverbill]

7. Hey moron, Social Security is running a surplus.

How about instead of cutting benefits, you cut Social Security payroll taxes and stop using them to fund the war in Iraq?

[wellst0nev0ter]

29. Or Better Yet

Stop using the surpluses to hide a $600-700 billion deficit?

[SeattleDem]

61. thank you, thank you, thank you

for reminding everyone of this fact!!!

Or, stop using the payroll tax to reduce the federal income tax rates for the wealthiest Americans.

Use the payroll tax to fund the very liabilities it was designed for. Seems like common sense to me!

[denverbill]

88. I try to do it as often as possible. I wish others would too.

I had no problem paying a higher social security tax than was necessary in order to save for the future when baby boomers would be retiring. But since that money is not being saved, WTF are we paying that tax for?

[Insider]

9. check prince george's phone records

weren't they hugging each other a day or so after inauguration?

they are indeed disgusting. THEY have federal retirements, don't they?

[htuttle]

10. Whoa! Mr. Magoo just stepped on the third rail!

Stand back while the sparks fly.

[Elidor]

105. Best Summary

Actually, he just pissed on the third rail, but he hasn't felt it yet.

If they've chosen Greenspan to float this balloon, he must be announcing his retirement very soon.

[TacticalPeek]

11. "begin making adjustments to their own finances"

They truly have no shame.

Adjust THIS, MF!

[Mountainman]

25. Yes make adjustments to your Walmart greeter's salary

Let's see, should I save for retirement or eat?

[Blue_Roses]

50. If this wasn't such a serious matter

"yes, make adjustments to your Walmart greeter's salary," so true...

that is the funniest thing I've heard today:) Maybe it's my hysteria sinking in...

[SeattleDem]

63. defeats the purpose of SS

which was designed to keep people out of abject poverty when they are older.

If you have no real means to save, what is there to adjust??

So they are just going to reduce the safety net that SS provides for many older Americans?

[sadiesworld]

12. This issue drives me absolutely insane...

How in the hell can the government use SS surplus to fund income tax cuts and then say there isn't enough $ to fund SS.

[SeattleDem]

65. Yup, here's the solution

Get rid of the payroll tax. Increase federal rates in a progressive fashion then means test Social Security benefits.

There is no point to having a separate payroll tax when they just roll that money into the general fund anyway.

Stop lying to us. There is enough money in SS to cover benefits if they would just keep their hands out of that cookie jar.

[RobertSeattle]

14. The retirement age has already gone from 65 to 67

http://www.ssa.gov/retirechartred.htm

Me thinks this chart will get extended to 70 over time.

[sadiesworld]

16. And what the hell...

we'll all own our own health insurance so most won't make it to 70--problem solved.

[leetrisck]

17. Sounds like a tax raise to me

Greenspan just has to spout the bush line - am sick of it - bush spends all our money then decides we should pull ourselves out of the mess he has created.

[UpInArms]

18. this mal-administration has been trying to destroy

social security (which by the way - is not an entitlement program, but a trust fund which is funded by the workers) forever

see http://www.sonic.net/~doretk/Issues/01-09%20FALL/political.html

this referenced a report at

http://www.fair.org/

June 13, 2001

When a high-level government official calls for drastic changes in U.S. law, it ought to be big news. But in an interview reported by the Financial Times' Amity Shlaes (5/19/01 & 5/22/01), treasury secretary Paul O'Neill called for sweeping changes in U.S. tax and social policy, and some three weeks later, those statements have made hardly a ripple in the U.S. media. Most Americans have probably not heard a word about them.

In the interview, O'Neill called the current U.S. tax system "an abomination" that required changes to its "very structure." His preferred changes? O'Neill "absolutely" supports the elimination of taxes on corporations-- and the shifting of the tax burden to individuals, saying government would work better if it "collected taxes in a more direct way from the people."

He also called for the abolition of Social Security and Medicare, on the grounds that "able-bodied adults should save enough on a regular basis so that they can provide for their own retirement, and, for that matter, health and medical needs." In fact, O'Neill believes the U.S. should reconsider the whole purpose of taxation: "National defense is a federal responsibility," Shlaes paraphrases O'Neill as saying, "but all other outlays need review."

And O'Neill assured Shlaes he was not speaking only for himself: "Not only am I committed to working on this issue, the president is also intrigued about the possibility of fixing this mess."

[74dodgedart]

20. Return of "Starve the Beast"

The ridiculous thing to me, is that we end up paying for people who don't have medical insurance or adequate retirement income anyway.

Pay now, or pay later...

[maddogesq]

22. Rover to *:

"Awww hell W, them gray-heads won't remember this come November any damn way, especially with those surprises I got lined up. Don't ya see why I told Al to announce it now?"

The hell they won't. Methinks the seniors--still reeling from the Medicare debacle--be all over this like flies on doo-doo.

[bluedog]

23. SOB republicans.....how I HATE thee

I guess when you're old and digging through ash-cans looking for something to eat, you'll realize gay marriage was the least of your concerns, eh, you republican asses!!!

would make a great campaign ad though

[Superfly]

24. The only good thing I can see in this announcement

is that this administration is *really* not winning over the hearts and minds of fence-sitters and moderate republicans. It's going to be a tight race...

[shanti]

81. a tight race, huh?

just what diebold ordered!

[cherylmarie]

26. Greenspan does not work for the chimp

I'd suggest reading Suskind's book on O'Neil, The Price of Loyalty, to understand the relationship better. Greenspan doesn't want to alienate the chimp, but he plants seeds in an attempt to get people thinking. Now he has made a suggestion, the Congress has something to chew on and argue about. Nothing could be better than intelligent conversation, and we aren't going to find that in the White House!

I'm not sure if Reagan or Bush Sr. first appointed Greenspan, but I have read that fiscal policy he initiated hurt the Bush Sr. re-election campaign. I know he served Clinton well, so I don't think we can paint him with the same brush as Chimp administration.

If you can get it at your library, The Price of Loyalty is really an outstanding book!

[loftycity]

30. Thanks for the information.. A wake up Call for American's

I thought that might be what Greenspan was doing. A wake up call to Americans.
Welcome to DU
Reading American Dynasty right now--another great one

[wryter2000]

41. Welcome to DU

:hi: CherylMarie

This isn't going to tick off the current seniors. It's going to hit people like me, 55 and starting to think of retiring. Adjust my finances, my *ss. How in hell am I supposed to do that?

[llmart]

92. I agree.

It's not the people who are seniors right now who will be hurt but our generation (I'm 55 also). I'm sick and tired of them trying to tell us that it'll be "good for us" to work until we drop. Why, we can't have anyone with too much leisure time on their hands now could we? All us baby boomers with too much time on our hands might get politically active and you know what happened when we were youngsters and wrecked havoc with all our protesting and whatnot. Nooooo....keep 'em working and too busy for that. Kiss my 55-year old ass, Repugs and you, too, Greenscam!

[JPace]

55. Greenspan....

"but he plants seeds in an attempt to get people thinking."

I wonder why he could not just as easily suggested (planted
a seed) that we quit cutting taxes for the rich? Now isn't
that also a way of balancing the budget?

He's a repug that is why....he does not believe in social
justice.

[Lars39]

57. Greenspan and O'Neil both want SS privatised.

Devil's in the details.

[Shakespeare]

64. Exactly right--AND....

Greenspan praised Bush's tax cuts for the rich after initially criticizing them. Greenspan's not a Bush opponent in any way--he may not willingly be in Bush's camp, but whether by choice or by force or by convenience, he's certainly doing their bidding.

What's really specious about his suggestion is that it panders to the self-interest of current seniors. Don't cut current benefits, just the ones down the road that don't effect the current crop of beneficiaries.

The whole thing stinks.

[SeattleDem]

68. fortunately, "smart" seniors see thru this

"it panders to the self-interest of current seniors. Don't cut current benefits, just the ones down the road that don't effect the current crop of beneficiaries."

luckily, there are some current beneficiaries who recognize that their money each month comes from current workers, some of whom happen to be their children and grandchildren. They may vote AGAINST something that appears to harm their offspring.

My parents get SS but they've told me they don't want to see me or my new baby paying more to get less benefit down the road. Let's hope a lot of them vote their conscience in November.

[Emboldened Chimp]

72. Yeah, and that detail is in Suskind's book, too

[loftycity]

77. Why would Greenspan want to draw out this plan out so Publicly

Wouldn't you think this Dis-Administration would want to do some secret deal on SS. Steal the money.
It sure is the Attention winner of 2004 so far.
Watch Bush's poll numbers drop like a rock.
I still think Greenspan is a sociopath and he's a republican. Hey, this is not good PR at all. In fact it puts Bush into trying to explain something else that he can't.

[Mountainman]

27. Is this the real Greenspan or a clone?

It seems he has been given a brain transplant or something. Bushco probably promised to keep him on if he would support the wingnut agenda.

[proud patriot]

28. Idiot son of an asshole

I blame the entire bush administration .

[yellowcanine]

31. Does Greenspan want Bush to lose?

That is the only reason I can think of for him to say this now. Either that or he is the most honest person I know in government. Now that we are taking the honesty route, Mr. Greenspan, what would be so bad about scaling back the tax cuts for the most wealthy?

[loftycity]

33. If Bush wins Greenspan is out and a ...crazy hack...will take

his place. To keep empire on track.

[yellowcanine]

86. We could start the rumor Kenny Lay will replace Greenspan

if Bush wins. That ought to stir the pot a little.

[ThoughtCriminal]

34. Soylent Greenspan

Now there's a plan to save Social Security!

[skippysmom]

35. Bush on CNN now

Sounds like he supports Greenspan's idea -- some blather about privatizing.

[NeoConsSuck]

42. Fidelity Investments would love privatization..

why do you think over 90% of their contributions went to the Republican party? Same goes for Charles Schwab. Neo-con investment companies. They can't wait to start pulling in those management fees.

[teryang]

38. This is a real lovefest!

Greenspan and the repuke rump legislature gorging themselves on regressive FICA revenues while telling the serfs they have no right to healthcare or a social security safety net.

No one dare mention the highly corrupt and inefficient national security and defense contractor establishment which daily converts FICA revenues to their own uses while telling working class taxpayers to F..k off.

We are a third world economy in the making. Why don't millionaires like Greenspan renouce their social security benefits and increase their taxes to fix the deficit?

[KayLaw]

39. This seems unfair

If we have to cut back on Social Security benefits, it should apply to all, including those who are receiving benefits now. I know the theory is that someone not yet over 60 has time to earn more, save more, but, in many cases, that's not true, especially with the jobs situation in this country.

According to his plan, my husband who struggles to support our family , including our disabled son, will continue to pay high Social Security taxes each month so people like my wealthy father and his girlfriend, and other millionaires who need Social Security like they need a hole in the head, can fly First Class, and nicer staterooms, and continue to vote Republican.

[mbperrin]

40. FIRST, put Congress on Social Security instead of the wonderful plan

they've made for themselves!

SECOND, PAY BACK the trillions taken from the SS surplus to pay for Star Wars under Reagan (btw, where IS Star Wars that we paid $2 Trillion for?) and then the trillions more used to fund the current deficit!

Anyone interested in forming a new organization called something like: To Serve Congress.....make them well done!?

[Paganini]

43. Why don't they just raise the cap above 80K

Right now SS taxes are capped at 80K so if you make 80k or 80 million you pay the same amount in SS taxes. Why don't we just raise the cap to 100k or higher that would add a bit more funds. Do any of the candidates propose anything similar?

Also, for gods sake put the funds in Al Gore's lock box.

[KayLaw]

46. I agree

Lose the cap.

[markses]

44. OHHAHAHAH - He said LOCKBOX!!! OHAHAHA, that wacky Gore

You laughing now, shineholes?.......

[Cooley Hurd]

45. WTF is the Fed Reserve chairman doing commenting on...

...budget matters? It's the Treasury Secretary and the OMB's job to make policy. Greenspan should stick to interest rate adjusting and keep his beak out of the federal budget process!

Greenspan has way too much power... :grr:

[onehandle]

47. Bush is toast!

This is wonderful news! And Bush supports it!!??

Imagine the issues ads.

[Blue_Roses]

48. this makes me literally

sick to my stomach

[mumon]

49. Let that C*cksucker give up all his wealth except for SS income

and get back to us.

[BadGimp]

51. Well at least they "got it in the water"

This is the drip drip full on admission that they have been denying was their intention all along. They intend to provide max tax breaks for the rich and cut SS for the rest of us.

End of f&$@(ng story.

[cmf]

52. And so it begins

It all goes in line with the Republicans' master plan - to bankrupt the government so that social spending can be eliminated.

Not fighting pre-emptive unnecessary wars and avoiding the resulting occupation of those countries afterward would do wonders for reducing the deficit. Why doesn't Greenspan mention that?

[trixie]

53. AAAhhhh so they tricked us

Well I for one new Bush was nuts but the backhanded way to end SS is stunning. Idiots!!!!!!!!!!!:puke:

[dawn]

58. WTF?! What a bastard!

Can't we have one day where there's no BAD NEWS?!?!?!

[The_Casual_Observer]

66. Not a day goes by with our "leader" the Chimp-in-chief

Where some new plan to screw the common man isn't proffered.
They work overtime on this, since they know their time is growing short.

[Merlin]

60. How many minutes do you predict it will be before JK responds?

I say 90.

It's time for Mr. McGoo to hang up his specs.

This is truly an outrage.

[Malva Zebrina]

70. they are going to erase the entire new deal

in this illustration, the Nazis demonstrated that the daily cost to the state of maintaining one chronically ill person (5.5 marks) could be better spent supporting an entire healthy German family

http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/gallery/pg01/pg9/pg01936.html

This is a country fast becoming barbaric, uneducated, dedicated to shallow ideals, violent, uncaring and unconcerned about others, seeking to keep "their" money for their own purposes. "Why should my money go to an elderly person whose heart needs to be fixed?" as was asked of me once by a younger member of this society.

Society , and those in it that are the weakest and the most exploiited, that is a concerned and demonstrates love for it's citizens, in this country has gone totally selfish.

We invest our money in people because it is the people who are important along with the roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Our citizens welfare needs to be looked upon as an "infrastructure" also. No one can live on an island and ignore those it it's society that need the helping arm of the people through the government because they simply cannot survive on their own.

At the age of seventy my husband had to return to work in the local supermarket. This bitter cold winter really took a toll on us. The furnace went, and we had several pipes freeze up. He is well known there, having worked there for almost fifteen years since we moved here.

Last week, the supermarket cut his hours down from four hours a day to three. :shrug:

We invest in education for the younger people, because we older citizens understand that in the children lies the future success of the nation. We invest in them because we are mature and care that be successful and able to compete world wide with comparable education and skills.

. I never would have thought they would turn against the eldertly and social security like this. They have. Someone has mismanged this, and if a Republican is involved, I would think it was done purposely.

It is time to refuse to pay school tax any longer. I have no children going to school. Why should I pay for the little brats to take advantage of my money. I need every penny of it myself. Further why should I pay for roads I never travel on, or the bridges I never cross?

SS is going the way of the public school system. Starved to death, then alarm at how incompetent it has become.

Public education for each and every child in this country is practically a thing of the past now and tumbling downhill at an ever faster rate.



It as been weakened to the point where it is almost useless by Republicans seeking to install their business buddies in the private school business,and the various fringe businesses that deal with the education system, and I will add, it seems to me that since eighty percent of the private schools are Catholic parochial schools, this also consititutes the tax payer paying for the religious education of the children

This is not acceptable to me.

[JPZenger]

71. Raiding Social Security Trust Fund - the data

Bush's tax cuts will consume 3/4 of the surplus that is supposed to be placed in the Social Security Trust Fund from Social Security taxes. This surplus is needed to pay for future retirees, particularly the Baby Boom Generation.

Don't believe me? Here's the data:

http://www.ctj.org/html/bush02an.htm

[Langis]

73. This is great news!

The Dems need to hit on this in all of their stump speeches. “Bush's failed tax cut has endangered YOUR retirement.” They need to repeat it over and over, and then people might believe it.

[bspence]

75. Yeesh, watch the 'great' stuff

Lots of people really depend on Social Security, not to mention that I'd like to see a little sliver of retirement income myself (not that I'm holding my breath).

Yes, it's good news for a Democrats election chances, but not really 'good' news.

[Langis]

79. We all knew this was coming

At least greenspand decided to say something now and not wait until after the election. If Bush is re-selected I know I can kiss my SS good bye. But if we get him out we have a chance to save it.

[indepat]

74. Has the Fed Chairman become senile or just ideologically-driven by

recommending that the Bush II tax cuts, which heavily benefit the most affluent, be paid for by reducing the promised SS benefits of those retiring baby-boomer's, those who have paid through the nose in after-tax payroll taxes sufficiently to have funded a really good personal retirement plan? Hopefully he is senile, else he is, IMHO, ruthlessly and diabolically sans a soul.

[grasswire]

76. this is beginning to look like eugenics, isn't it?

A war on the infirm, the elderly, the poor, the handicapped?

Isn't it a covert eugenics movement?

The Bush family has been enamored of eugenics for generations. Seriously.

How is this different?

[bain_sidhe]

84. eugenics works at the other end

by not letting people with "undesirable" genes breed. This is social darwinism: let those who can't "succeed" (i.e., earn enough to survive without any help at any time in their lives) die off.

[eablair3]

78. The Bush/Repub strategy at work

Spend on corporate giveaways, on huge increases in spending to defense contractors, and then when you get huge deficits ... start to look at cutting other programs like Social Security that they are opposed to.

[neverforget]

85. Welcome to the Brave New World of the "compassionate conservative"

Tax cuts for the wealthy and benefit cuts for everyone else.! :grr: :argh:

[Rex]

87. How bout we cut corporate welfare?

How bout we cut corporate welfare?

How bout we trim CEO salaries (with entitlements)?

How bout stopping this insane outsourcing and make "made in the USA" mean something?

How bout we bring back the practice of financial responsibility in our government spending/expenditures (anyone remember the $50 dollar hammer?)

How bout we put a stop to Washington lobbyist getting every dam thing they want for their corporate masters, while we the people get the shaft.

NAH...let's just place the burden on the backs of the working class and their future offspring.

FUCK THE ESTABLISHMENT, MAY IT ROT IN HELL!

[Lindsay]

90. Soylent Greenspan!

That is absolutely classic!

Engineered Social Darwinism...these clowns are doing everything they can to stack the deck. They have GOT to go!

[Chicago Democrat]

91. Steal from Social Security - Pay for tax cuts for the Rich!

Sure that will be a very popular policy.

When are we gonna storm the Bastille and bring out M.Guillotine? The Haitian Revolution may be a vision of things to come.

[1971]

93. Greenspan has done us a BIG favor!

I'm guessing that Mr. Greenspan is as apalled as we are at the lack of fiscal responsibility perpetrated by the Bush administration.

I think Mr. Greenspan has just shot a poison-tipped arrow into the heart of the Bush campaign strategy of tax cuts.

Why? Because now Bush has to make a choice: raise taxes or cut SS.

If he cuts SS, then millions will condemn him for it.
If he raises taxes, then Bush cannot condemn the Dems for wanting to repeal his tax cuts for the wealthy.

Dems win.

Thanks Mr. Greenspan!

[Mozam]

94. No surprise

My 2003 Soc Sec Statement had a new statement that said something like "given the current situation, by the year 2024 (I think that was the year) that there will only be enough money within Soc Sec to fund 74% of your projected benefit....congress can alter benefit payments at any time.

What can you say

[FlaGranny]

95. Have you called the SS office?

While they have you on hold, recorded messages keep running. They sound like commercials for how good they are for giving you SS. By the time you've heard the messages, you feel guilty and ashamed for collecting.

[Mozam]

96. No

I think that would be too depressing

[quaker bill]

97. The time for realignment is at hand

It is time to put these bozos in their place. We must drive the barbarians from the gates.

Just electing a Democratic President is not enough. Just electing a Democratic Congress is not enough. Starting with Reagan we have been set up for this over the last 20 years. Tinkering around the edges will not be good enough.

The entire repug policy agenda, tax cuts and all must be flushed. Their entire philosophy of governance must be purged from the system.

The ultimate endpoint of the "you can have your tax cuts and benefits too" policy has been announced. If you don't like the sound of it, then work for radical change at all levels of government, from the Schoolboard to the Whitehouse.

Just say no to republicans anytime and anywhere for any office.

[Mozam]

99. What's wrong

is that Soc Sec was sold for years by the government as an individual retirement benefit giving people the false idea to trust the government for retirement benefits. Look to some of the protests going on in Europe over benefit reductions. I don't expect to be paid a dime from Soc Sec despite paying into it until I stop working. It going to get ugly and a lot of folks will suffer.

[PartyPooper]

98. FDR is spinning in his grave!

:grr:

[osaMABUSh]

101. Sure knocked Bush's Marriage Amendent off the headlines

Shrub was trying to change the subject from war, the economy, jobs and the deficit with his timely No Gay marriage amendment but, of course, there are way too many other issues more important to the nation.

Thanks, Al, keep it up. His words are taken as Admin policy so now Bush has distance himself from Greenspan.

God, did this SS comment play into the Dems' hands, or what?

[doc03]

102. Dan Rather lead with the story keep talking Al!

[tedzbear]

104. Over my dead body!

Cut the deficit to protect the investments of the rich while the rest of us suffer? No way! If we go down, they're going down with us!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

:kick:

[fortyfeetunder]

106. Time for American Revolution II

We need another frickin

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

with a Boston Pee Party (piss on it, Greenspan) not to mention other acts of rebellion aimed at the * administration

Better yet, the best revolution is at the voting booth in November.

[Chicago Democrat]

107. YES

This is serious!

[rfkrocks]

108. how much more do we take?

Rich get the tax cuts and we get the bill. Listen to spin crap-Bushie says "we will not touch the benefits of those who rare ready to retire" Translation I will screw you if I get reelected. Greenspan complaining about the debt but wants the tax cuts permanent. I can't believe people don't demonstrate in the streets over this! They have stolen from the fund-here in pa we have retired elderly steelworkers who don't have a private pension because the steel company went belly up. no security now for when corporate take over screw the workers. I guess we better just die and decrease the surplus population.please tell me me will take back our country please:scared:

[MrTriumph]

109. Media blows it AGAIN!

Tonight on all-talking-heads cable TV, did we see any clips of right-wingers & Republicans talking about how we could easily afford $150 billion to rebuild Iraq? Even though that was only a few months ago, of course MSNBC, CNN, & Fox conveniently elected not to remind us of those statements. This is called giving cover at best or aiding and abetting at worst.

Liberal media? Hardly.

[Spring]

110. Fire Greenspan

Fire Greenspan. Find out why the US intel community has 27.5 Trillion
Dollars hid in offshore accounts to finance their one world government. Title 18 Sec 6 companies. USG Propietary Companies protected by the company.Greenspan involved.