tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post111232668227126885..comments2024-03-19T02:21:47.437-04:00Comments on Viking Pundit: Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911276942829790135noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112385207942239522005-04-01T14:53:00.000-05:002005-04-01T14:53:00.000-05:00Even if the left did not have a position or a plan...Even if the left did not have a position or a plan, it would not be an excuse to adopt the terrible restructuring Bush & Co. are advocating. <BR/><BR/>Blaming the Democrats for "not having a plan" is merely diversion from the fact that the Republican plan is no better, and quite possibly worse, than the current state of things. The Repiblican plan does do one nice thing, though. It isolates Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112384611080386642005-04-01T14:43:00.000-05:002005-04-01T14:43:00.000-05:00“So if the law isn't changed in the next two or th...“So if the law isn't changed in the next two or three DECADES, gee, we might have a problem. Or NOT, since the dates for the impending crisis keep being moved further away.”<BR/><BR/>From ABC News - http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=607204<BR/><BR/>“The U.S. Social Security trust fund <B>will exhaust its assets in 2041 instead of 2042 as forecast last year</B>, …In addition, the Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486910318208004303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112384097346777792005-04-01T14:34:00.000-05:002005-04-01T14:34:00.000-05:00In Social Security, dems have a position. It's ca...In Social Security, dems have a position. It's called "Let Bush and the Repukes hang themselves." So far, it's working fine. The country is firmly, and more firmly every day, convinced that the Dems are correct. The lovely attraction of paying billions of dollars to King Stupid's campaign contributors, which seems to be the entire Repuke plan, is not attractive to real Americans.<BR/><BR/>So,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112383779203493392005-04-01T14:29:00.000-05:002005-04-01T14:29:00.000-05:00Eric, the basis of your entire post is:"Tackling t...Eric, the basis of your entire post is:<BR/><BR/>"Tackling the issue now takes courage; ducking it is cowardice."<BR/><BR/>You seem to think that it takes courage to yell fire, as the republicans have done up to this point. It does not. Courage is when you lead someone out of danger. <BR/><BR/>The SS debate has raged on long enough for everyone to realize that private accounts (or the more Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112378649427925352005-04-01T13:04:00.000-05:002005-04-01T13:04:00.000-05:00Erik tells us, "See the “by law” up there? That me...Erik tells us, "See the “by law” up there? That means automatic cuts for everybody, rich and poor, who receives Social Security."<BR/><BR/>Okay. So if the law isn't changed in the next two or three DECADES, gee, we might have a problem. Or NOT, since the dates for the impending crisis keep being moved further away.<BR/><BR/>So Congress can pass a law for Terry Schaivo in days, but decades are Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112377406506628642005-04-01T12:43:00.000-05:002005-04-01T12:43:00.000-05:00WordWordAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112377046117328712005-04-01T12:37:00.000-05:002005-04-01T12:37:00.000-05:00Jim,It’s a curious semantic game of the Left to di...Jim,<BR/><BR/>It’s a curious semantic game of the Left to dismiss entitlement reform because it’s not yet a “crisis.” It’s only a “problem” or maybe even a “nuisance” – forget it!<BR/><BR/>Once again, here’s a quote from those partisan hacks otherwise known as the Social Security trustees:<BR/><BR/>“Social Security could be brought into actuarial balance over the next 75 years in various ways, Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486910318208004303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112375334963843622005-04-01T12:08:00.000-05:002005-04-01T12:08:00.000-05:00Mr. Pundit's error comes from being unable to dist...Mr. Pundit's error comes from being unable to distinguish "unable" from "unwilling." There are multiple proposals to sustain solvency Out There, the simplest IMO being to just raise the income cap by $20,000 or so. No mess, very little fuss. However, I suspect the Dems are deliberately dragging their feet because they know if more money is added to Social Security Bush will just borrow against Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112374503163554172005-04-01T11:55:00.000-05:002005-04-01T11:55:00.000-05:00Brainless commenter,From the Washington Post:http:...Brainless commenter,<BR/><BR/>From the Washington Post:<BR/>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55797-2005Feb26.html<BR/><BR/>“The Social Security Administration estimates that by 2042, the system will have depleted trillions of dollars worth of Treasury bonds piling up in its trust fund. <B>At that point, BY LAW, the system could pay out in benefits only what it would receive in Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486910318208004303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112374294502377052005-04-01T11:51:00.000-05:002005-04-01T11:51:00.000-05:00"If nothing is done, automatic benefit cuts of 27%..."If nothing is done, automatic benefit cuts of 27% (for everyone) kick in when the trust fund is depleted in 2041."<BR/><BR/>It is amazing how successful Bush's plan to create a crisis has worked on you. The idea that a problem in 2041 is a crisis today - short of a giant meteor screaming towards the earth - is laughable. Especially since a 73% SS benefit in 2041 is probably better then what Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112372870888218752005-04-01T11:27:00.000-05:002005-04-01T11:27:00.000-05:00I like that: one commenter says "The Democrats hav...I like that: one commenter says "The Democrats have a plan" and the other says "Why should the Democrats offer a plan?" Typical.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112371193474390662005-04-01T10:59:00.000-05:002005-04-01T10:59:00.000-05:00You claim, " If nothing is done, automatic benefit...You claim, " If nothing is done, automatic benefit cuts of 27% (for everyone) kick in when the trust fund is depleted in 2041."<BR/><BR/>Automatic cuts? You made that up. The difference can be made up the same way gaps are made up for everything else. SS is not required to be self-supporting.<BR/><BR/>You have no respect for the truth. Why does the right think it can just lie and get away with Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112370948432159052005-04-01T10:55:00.000-05:002005-04-01T10:55:00.000-05:00Bush has a plan, but he has no SOLUTION. He has a...Bush has a plan, but he has no SOLUTION. <BR/><BR/>He has admitted that his plan does nothing to solve the problem, and since it diverts revenue, anyone with a brain can see it makes it worse.<BR/><BR/>When Bush presents a SOLUTION, then it's time to respond.<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, if immigration increases slightly, if the SS tax cap is removed, OR if the economy does as well as the Bushists Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112370578434045582005-04-01T10:49:00.000-05:002005-04-01T10:49:00.000-05:00That's not a plan. That's an outline. Why should...That's not a plan. That's an outline. Why should democrats offer a plan, or provide a political lifeline to Bush, when he's is out there twisting in the wind (owing to the PHENOMENAL popularity of his vague ideas) and wasting his political capital on this whole silly excercise. Other things need fixing first. 60 days out on the hustings are 60 days that could be spent actually DOING something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112370527287515232005-04-01T10:48:00.000-05:002005-04-01T10:48:00.000-05:00What a bizarre statement! There have been multiple...What a bizarre statement! There have been multiple Democratic proposals for fixing Social Security. Unfortunately, they have all been overshadowed by the Red Herring of private accounts, which are being dishonestly promoted as a solution to the problems of Social Security, even though every single economic analysis has shown that even under the most optimistic assumption, private accounts will Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053585.post-1112368596672636502005-04-01T10:16:00.000-05:002005-04-01T10:16:00.000-05:00The left has a position, you moron.Social Security...The left has a position, you moron.<BR/><BR/>Social Security doesn't need immediate fixing.<BR/><BR/>Satisfied? No? Who cares.<BR/><BR/>Sorry, you lose.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com