what are other ways to fix social security?

[Califooyah Operative]

We have to be able to prove we want to fix it. We can prove its not a crisis, but it's still a problem. What are the solutions to the problem that we can pose as alternatives to privatizing social security?

[inslee08]

1. Obviously you can cut benefits

or raise the age of retirement, or raise taxes. Of course, none of that will ever happen.

[tk2kewl]

7. dont forget you could outlaw reproducing more 2 children per couple

not only good for SS but also good for the environment.

(Of course I wouldnt outlaw it but it is the morraly responsible family model)

[Egalitariat]

21. That would be devastating to the economy and SS

In order to sustain (not grow) the population, each woman needs to average 2.07 live births. If the max was 2 children, and considering many people would have none or one, the population would start shrinking considerably in 1 to 1.5 generations as the more populous generations start dying off. A shrinking population will kill an economy quicker than any other factor.

Old Europe will learn this lesson very, very soon.

[Warpy]

18. WRONG

The Repuglicans want to raise taxes without raising the ridiculously low earnings cap. Repuglicans want to reduce benefits. Repuglicans want to raise the eligibility age. These are the "moderates" who are against piratization.

What they need to do is remove that earnings cap. They need to prevent overpayments from going into the general fund to be used as back door income taxes on the poorest. Then they need to roll back those insane tax cuts to the rich and the corporate.

Social security funding only has a problem because it's been used to mask the true cost of tax cuts for the richest. Even if they do nothing, it's solvent until 2042. It's solvent at 80% of payout until at least 2100. In any case, it's solvent, period, more solvent than the rest of the government.

That's how to fix it. Raise or eliminate the earnings cap. Stop Congress from robbing it. Then, when the true cost of tax cuts to the richest becomes known, roll those tax cuts back.

[blurp]

24. Social Security money is invested in US debt.

Social security funding only has a problem because it's been used to mask the true cost of tax cuts for the richest. Even if they do nothing, it's solvent until 2042.

Social Security money is invested in government debt. Do you really think when 2018 comes around that the federal government will have any money to redeem these bonds?

[GHOSTDANCER]

22. ahh I think they've already done all those things.

As for fixing it, first and foremost don't let a guy who has bankrupted 3 companies and made many of the largest mistakes in US history touch it. 2nd let it ride. This is a fuqin distraction issue to keep our minds of the real problems.

[havocmom]

2. Step One: stop running up the deficit to give tax breaks to the top 1%

Step Two: raise the ceiling for income to be included in SS payroll tax.

Step Three: Stop believing ANYTHING the neocons say

that will get us going in the right direction

[Darkhawk32]

3. THE ANSWER: Increase salary cap by about 10% and raise it each year to ...

match the percentage increase in salaries year-by-year.

Then cut off benefits to those making over, let's say, $300k per year.

[candy]

15. I like your replies and agree with both of them.

I'm on SS now but my kids are concerned and I'm sure something will have to be done before my grandchildren grow old.

[Inland]

4. Two ideas.

1) Gradual increase in retirement age, like a month for every two years that passes, forever

2) Do nothing. If the economy meets the worst case scenario needed to put the system in the red in 2052, then the cut in benefits will be warranted--because everyone is going to be piss broke and in those dire straits, the elderly will only be sharing the poverty with the rest of the country.

And if the economy does as well as the Bush admin. predicts, there will never be a shortfall.

[2Design]

5. have all repubs decide to not take - leave it for the rest of us

there is plenty of money

[vpigrad]

6. Raise the rate from ~15% to about 20% of our pay

That will fix the system. We need to do that to guarantee that the safety net will always be there for us.

[Inland]

12. No, no, no, NO!

Worst of all possible ideas. First, because it is a tax on wages in a time that a wage already can't feed a family.

Second, because it just adds to the surplus that the conservatives want to steal anyway! Making a bigger surplus does no good in the face of Bushian logic, which says that the SS surplus is worthless and won't be paid at all anyway.

[Darkhawk32]

13. Raising the SS "tax" will not garner support from either side ... n/t

[liberal N proud]

8. Make it impossible for Congress and the President to access the funds

The only problem with social security is that congress and presidents have all robbed it to pay other pet projects.
It should be off limits to all parties then there would be no problem
The penalty for any party be it a president of a congressman that even proposes changes to the system or to borrow funds would be automatic expulsion from office. No politics involved.

[stray cat]

9. The first step is to remove the taxation cap of 90,000

I think the money paid into social security should be used for social security and not used as part of the general budget that includes Bush's tax cuts. The money paid in could be invested but benefits still guaranteed.

Americans should be encouraged to invest for retirement separately from social security. The idea of 401K plans with tax deferment up to a certain level is good as is the idea that people making under a minimum amount would have government money added to subsidize the account.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

17. Raising the cap..

($90,000 for 2005) is the most logical way to out more money into the SS funds - but has a snowball's chance in he** to be passed.

BTW - see the Seniors and Aging Forum - we've been posting lots of articles on Social Security situation there

[aquart]

10. Wrong frame. Wrong assumption.

It does not need "fixing."

Want to make absolutely sure? Raise that income cap and have the rich pay in. Presto!

[Darkhawk32]

11. See post #3... see if you agree. n/t

[Lugnut]

14. I'm in agreement with

Post #2 and #3. There's no point in my repeating the exact same opinions.

[Vinca]

16. Our government needs to stop spending money on stupid crap.

A few months ago there was a spending bill being considered that included research on salmon baby food, funding for the B.B. King museum, funding for some kind of study at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, money to keep moose out of a botanical garden somewhere and other equally flush-the-money-down-the-toilet endeavors. It was ludicrous. The social security "trust fund" (i.e.,"leaky piggy bank")should not be pillaged unless there's a dire emergency in our country. I love B.B., but he's got enough of his own money for a damn museum.

[dogman]

19. It really won't matter if Medicare isn't fixed.

The projected premiums for Medicare will consume your total SS payment by the time the surplus is used up.

[mhr]

20. Raise Salary Base - Put SS In Lockbox - Roll Back Bush's Tax Cut To Rich

eom

[GOPBasher]

23. Raise taxes on the rich.

If we raise taxes on the rich, cut some spending in various areas, and somehow stop spending a fortune in Iraq, we can run surplusses, pay down the national debt, and that will free up money from both the general treasury and the SS trust fund. This was Clinton's plan. He had us running surplusses. Now we have the national debt exploding exponentially. THAT is the major problem.

[SharonAnn]

25. IT'S NOT BROKEN! IT'S NOT BROKEN! Rinse, Repeat

For Pete's sake, don't reinforce their lies. It's not broken.

Fix the deficit, it's broken! Fix the low corporate tax rate, it's broken! Fix the tax rate on the peopl who have more than $300,000 a year in income, that's broken! Fix the artificially low tax rate on unearned income (income that the capital owners do not work for), that's broken! Imagine, we tax a low to middle income wage earned at a higher rate than someone who inherited wealth and receives dividends from their inheritance.

Based on an artificially low rate of growth (it's never been that low a rate) there MAY be a limit to the benefits starting in 2052. MAY be. If we have the usual rate of growth, there's no problem in 2052.

OK, further out? Perhaps raise the limit on wages subject to Social Security?