Liberal's Two Simple Step Solution To Social Security Solvency

[thinbl...@gmail.com]

Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html


EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/


--------------

Sounds like a plan !

[RichA]

Work till death. Kind of like in the Middle Ages.

[trotsky]

Orman's advice is sound, I don't plan on retiring until I can get the
maximum benefit from Social Security.

[FPP]

That depends upon what you value more... money or time.
You'll never get the time back, and once you run out of that... well,
money doesn't matter much.

I've seen a lot of guys think like that... and they they retire at 68,
or 70, and have more money to spend, but less time to enjoy it.

Waiting until 70 will give you around a 32% increase in benefits. Of
course, at age 70, the down side is you're freakin' seventy!

My wife is retired now... and it's damned attractive to get up every day
when you want, and do what you want. Every day.

--
"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was
their final, most essential command." - George Orwell, 1949

"Just remember: what you’re seeing, and what you're reading is not
what’s happening." - Donald J. Trump, 2018

[TomB...@agent.com]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2018 09:17:12 -0400, FPP <fred...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 8/25/18 8:39 AM, trotsky wrote:
>> On 8/25/18 12:42 AM, RichA wrote:
>>> On Saturday, 25 August 2018 01:14:52 UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com  wrote:
>>>> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
>>>> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------
>>>>
>>>> Sounds like a plan !
>>>
>>> Work till death.  Kind of like in the Middle Ages.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Orman's advice is sound, I don't plan on retiring until I can get the
>> maximum benefit from Social Security.
>
>That depends upon what you value more... money or time.
>You'll never get the time back, and once you run out of that... well,
>money doesn't matter much.
>

That's what I decided, Fred. When I got my first promotion, the guy I
replaced retired and died a year later. I am still healthy enough to
enjoy my retirement. However, I don't know how long that will last.
Everyone's situation is different. You live (or die) with the
consequences of your decisions.

[Nancy2]

I retired at 72 1/2, when my benefit would be highest. After that, I would have received less,
as time passed. Unfortunately, orthopedic problems have kept me from doing the things
I always thought I would do in retirement. Still, at least I don't have to struggle at work every
day with less mobility. And yes, making all my appointments in the afternoon is mighty nice.
;-))

N.

[moviePig]

All kidding aside (well, most, anyway) I've long considered retirement
to be a major cause of death -- and fully warranting countermeasures.

--

- - - - - - - -
YOUR taste at work...
http://www.moviepig.com

[A Friend]

In article <580f6198-b5dd-4a79...@googlegroups.com>,

We both retired this year, but we won't be drawing SS for several years
yet in order to maximize the benefit. We put some money away for this,
and we also made sure to pay off the mortgage first. Many people,
probably most, can't do what we've done, and we're grateful to have had
the ability to get things in order. I'd make a lousy Walmart greeter.

[anim8rfsk]

The Peach and I were looking at my SS yesterday. As far as I can tell, if I
took it *now* (and they raised the 'full boat' age to 66) I'd be ahead of the
game until I was about 90, and there's no way I'm going to live anywhere near
that long.

--
Join your old RAT friends at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1688985234647266/

[FPP]

My brother retired at 55. My in-laws retired in their 50's. (They
owned 2 businesses, so they "retired", but still kept their hands in
both entities.)

I never saw them regret it for a minute.
If you have the money, who in their right mind wants to work for
somebody else?

[FPP]

Exactly. Planning.

We paid off our home, and just finished putting on a new roof and
gutters 2 years ago; $15,000.
We put our home, and all our assets into an irrevocable trust 5 years
ago for $5,500.
Just replaced the HV/AC system last month; $4500.00.
Replaced furnace 2 years ago; $5,000. New generator last year $2,000.
New fencing 3 years ago; $1,200.
New 3 car concrete driveway; $3,500.
I recently bought my 65 in. 4K Sony "retirement" TV.
This fall, we're going to finally connect up to the municipal sewer
system for another $3500.

The point is... if you can get all your bills paid off, and do all the
big projects while you're still working - retirement shouldn't be a big
struggle. That's why I laughed when Rhino called me a "Marxist".

This week is the 12th anniversary of my heart attack, and my
accompanying triple bypass.
I was 53 when that happened... so, no... I'm not planning on waiting for
my kids to enjoy what I've worked 49 years to accumulate.

We may live on our 401K savings for a few years, before actually
invoking SS... but I don't see putting off enjoying what time I have left.

[moviePig]

Well, yeah, it's fine to retire from *that* (unless you love it).

[suzeeq]

My brother retired at 57 because work was taking time away from things
he wanted to do. He probably had a good retirement fund from work and
had made investments on his own.

[RichA]

Your chances of being diagnosed with a terminal illness are 1 in 3 from 70 onward versus 1 in 15 at age 65. So if you love your job no problem, but if you just work to survive, not so great.

[TeeJay1952]

I retired at 50. (UAW 30 and OUT) 66 now. No investments. Everything
paid off and live relatively frugaly. (He said as he dialed up Grubhub)
I got the best deal in town for a dummy like me.

Tee (Streaming, cableing, and missremebering it all) Jay

[trotsky]

On 8/25/18 8:17 AM, FPP wrote:
> On 8/25/18 8:39 AM, trotsky wrote:
>> On 8/25/18 12:42 AM, RichA wrote:
>>> On Saturday, 25 August 2018 01:14:52 UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com  wrote:
>>>> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
>>>> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------
>>>>
>>>> Sounds like a plan !
>>>
>>> Work till death.  Kind of like in the Middle Ages.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Orman's advice is sound, I don't plan on retiring until I can get the
>> maximum benefit from Social Security.
>
> That depends upon what you value more... money or time.
> You'll never get the time back, and once you run out of that... well,
> money doesn't matter much.
>
> I've seen a lot of guys think like that... and they they retire at 68,
> or 70, and have more money to spend, but less time to enjoy it.
>
> Waiting until 70 will give you around a 32% increase in benefits.  Of
> course, at age 70, the down side is you're freakin' seventy!
>
> My wife is retired now... and it's damned attractive to get up every day
> when you want, and do what you want.  Every day.

I think it depends on your health. Being vegan, I think I look and feel
significantly younger than my age. And I work a lot these days, and I
find that I prefer it to being idle. But who knows, in ten years I
might feel completely differently. I'm sure you're familiar with Orman,
all she gives a shit about is money.

[trotsky]

On 8/25/18 8:17 AM, FPP wrote:

> On 8/25/18 8:39 AM, trotsky wrote:
>> On 8/25/18 12:42 AM, RichA wrote:
>>> On Saturday, 25 August 2018 01:14:52 UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com  wrote:
>>>> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
>>>> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------
>>>>
>>>> Sounds like a plan !
>>>
>>> Work till death.  Kind of like in the Middle Ages.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Orman's advice is sound, I don't plan on retiring until I can get the
>> maximum benefit from Social Security.
>
> That depends upon what you value more... money or time.
> You'll never get the time back, and once you run out of that... well,
> money doesn't matter much.
>
> I've seen a lot of guys think like that... and they they retire at 68,
> or 70, and have more money to spend, but less time to enjoy it.
>
> Waiting until 70 will give you around a 32% increase in benefits.  Of
> course, at age 70, the down side is you're freakin' seventy!
>
> My wife is retired now... and it's damned attractive to get up every day
> when you want, and do what you want.  Every day.

But it should be said that I don't really think you're agreeing with
Rich's astute comment.

[trotsky]

On 8/25/18 8:45 AM, TomB...@agent.com wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Aug 2018 09:17:12 -0400, FPP <fred...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 8/25/18 8:39 AM, trotsky wrote:
>>> On 8/25/18 12:42 AM, RichA wrote:
>>>> On Saturday, 25 August 2018 01:14:52 UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com  wrote:
>>>>> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
>>>>> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
>>>>> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --------------
>>>>>
>>>>> Sounds like a plan !
>>>>
>>>> Work till death.  Kind of like in the Middle Ages.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Orman's advice is sound, I don't plan on retiring until I can get the
>>> maximum benefit from Social Security.
>>
>> That depends upon what you value more... money or time.
>> You'll never get the time back, and once you run out of that... well,
>> money doesn't matter much.
>>
>
> That's what I decided, Fred. When I got my first promotion, the guy I
> replaced retired and died a year later. I am still healthy enough to
> enjoy my retirement. However, I don't know how long that will last.
> Everyone's situation is different. You live (or die) with the
> consequences of your decisions.

Did John McCain say that? When your numbers up it's up. Maybe he
should've retired from the Senate? I don't think that would've helped.

[TomB...@agent.com]

As I said, everyone's situation is different. I didn't like my job
all that much and could afford to retire. McCain, I assume, loved his
job. He certainly could have afforded to retire any time he wanted to.

[FPP]

In 10 minutes you might feel completely different. I did.

One August morning, I was getting ready to go to my uncle's funeral...
my two sons and I were to be pall bearers.

I felt a little queasy, and started sweating. But, it WAS August, so it
was hot, and I was working 2nd shit and was up at 7 am for the funeral.

And then I felt a little tightness in the chest. Nothing else. Just a
little tightness, a few sweats an a little queasy. Nothing to get
alarmed about... except that we were all dressed in funeral clothes, and
my family was standing around me while I lying flat on my back dressed
in a black suit.

That picture was enough to make me think somebody was trying to tell me
something... Long story short... the two boys went to the funeral, and
my wife called a rescue.

12 days later, and 3 different hospitals later, I walked out with 3
holes in my chest, and a zipper full of staples down my torso.

So... yeah, you might feel completely different in 10 minutes, if the
circumstances are right. And fuck waiting for anything, if you don't
have to.

[FPP]

You said "Rich" and "astute" in the same sentence. You might need to
get a checkup.

[trotsky]

That's my point, there are many different scenarios. When it comes time
to retire I intend to start writing again and write the great American
novel. Literally. Maybe I'll get a wake up call like you did, maybe I
won't. Trump hasn't dropped dead yet, so who knows what the hell to expect.

[trotsky]

It was sarcasm. Sarcasm doesn't play well on the 'net.

[FPP]

Some years back, thanks Bush's economy, we got really slow at the
shop... and we went on a "week on, week off" schedule. I worked 5 days,
and then had 9 days off (the balance of time off was paid by
unemployment) for about 6 months.

Basically, I was retired a week at a time. And, I'll tell you, there
isn't much that's BAD about that situation. It was heaven!

When you reach you're 60's, the only factor you can count on is that you
have more days behind you than you have ahead of you.

Plan accordingly.

[trotsky]

Thanks, I just turned 56 so that will give me something to look forward to.

[thinbl...@gmail.com]

Who Should Claim Social Security at Age 62?
These three scenarios could make claiming benefits early a smart choice.
Todd Campbell Nov 18, 2018
https://www.fool.com/retirement/2018/11/18/who-should-claim-social-security-at-age-62.aspx



No. 1: Health is an issue

No. 2: Your job security is at risk

No. 3: OH CHIT! DID SOMEONE JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD?


... if you're concerned that Social Security's financial situation is untenable.

Social Security is funded by payroll taxes on current workers, and those taxes have failed to cover the amount of money that's being paid out to Social Security recipients since 2010. The gap is being filled by tapping Social Security's Trust Fund, but that fund is expected to run dry in 2034, causing an across-the-board 25% cut to everyone's benefits.





-----------------


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnDbWqe_kQ


People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

[thinbl...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>
>
> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/

Conventional wisdom about Social Security bites the dust—again.

“If you believe that Uncle Sam, saddled with a $20 trillion—and rapidly rising—national debt, will keep his Social Security promises flawlessly, you might as well wait until age 70 to take your benefits (assuming you’re in normal health.)”

If you’re skeptical, however, you might want to “take the money and run.”



It Might Be Better to Take Social Security at 66 Instead of 70. Here’s Why.
By Mark Hulbert Nov. 25, 2018
https://www.barrons.com/articles/social-security-benefits-best-age-1540586284







----------------


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PRw0OQwnZo

[irishra...@gmail.com]

I do a lot of traveling and love seeing new countries
and interesting places. It's sad to be on a tour of some famous,
exotic place and see people who paid for the trip, but are too old or in such poor health
that they can't make the walk to even see the sights!

It's a wonderful thing to be able to retire at 55. But if you want
to retire at 55, you better start planning for it when you're 25. Unfortunately,
planning for retirement is the last thing most young people think about.

There's an old saying. Make enough bad choices and you'll have no choices left to make.

Irish Mike

Irish Mike

[thinbluemime CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MIME DOWN]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbluemime CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MIME DOWN wrote:

Coronavirus has already dealt a blow to Social Security's finances
By Tami Luhby, CNN 15 hrs ago
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/coronavirus-has-already-dealt-a-blow-to-social-securitys-finances-trumps-payroll-tax-holiday-could-make-it-worse/ar-BB17HpQ5

> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html

Social Security and Medicare are in trouble
The financial crisis the entitlement programs are facing isn't a far-off problem that retirees' grandchildren would face.

If this economic downturn is as bad as the Great Recession a decade ago, then the Social Security trust funds could run out of money in 2029, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. After that, beneficiaries could see a 31% cut in retirement payments.

The program's trustees had projected earlier this year that the trust funds would be depleted in 2035, but that did not take the coronavirus pandemic into account.

It would be the first time the estimated insolvency date was within a decade since the crisis of the 1980s, which prompted several changes, including raising the retirement age, said Shai Akabas, the center's director of economy policy.

"An already urgent situation has become even more pressing," Akabas said, noting the severe drop in payroll tax revenue. "We expect that that trend is going to continue for many years as it takes the labor market to recover."

> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/

https://youtu.be/MgJ9K7cPRKk?t=19

[chromebook test]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbluemime CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MIME DOWN wrote:
> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html

> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/

A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD1; Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH2; Celine R. Gounder, MD, ScM3
Author Affiliations Article Information
JAMA. Published online January 6, 2022
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2787944



Six former Biden health advisers urge him to change his pandemic strategy so the US learns to live with the virus
ROB CRILLY, 6 January 2022
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10376271/Six-former-Biden-health-advisers-urge-change-COVID-strategy.html

[chromebook test]

On Friday, January 7, 2022 at 12:08:30 PM UTC-5, chromebook test wrote:
> On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbluemime CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MIME DOWN wrote:
> > Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> > https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html





EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/





> A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID

> Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD January 6, 2022
> https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2787944



Conclusions

After previous infectious disease threats, the US quickly forgot and failed to institute necessary reforms. That pattern must change with the COVID-19 pandemic. Without a strategic plan for the “new normal” with endemic COVID-19, more people in the US will unnecessarily experience morbidity and mortality, health inequities will widen, and trillions will be lost from the US economy. This time, the nation must learn and prepare effectively for the future.

The resources necessary to build and sustain an effective public health infrastructure will be substantial. Policy makers should weigh not only the costs but also the benefits, including fewer deaths and lost productivity from COVID-19 and all viral respiratory illnesses. Indeed, after more than 800 000 deaths from COVID-19, and a projected loss of $8 trillion in gross domestic product through 2030, these interventions will be immensely valuable.








TAGS: cull the herd, mission accomplished, kiss grandma goodbye

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.tv/c/-lWPK5_uQr8/m/2axLW-BCAgAJ

[chromebook test]

On Friday, January 7, 2022 at 12:30:42 PM UTC-5, chromebook test wrote:
> On Friday, January 7, 2022 at 12:08:30 PM UTC-5, chromebook test wrote:
> > On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbluemime CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MIME DOWN wrote:
> > > Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> > > https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html


> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/


> > A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID
> > Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD January 6, 2022
> > https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2787944


> Conclusions

> Indeed, after more than 800 000 deaths from COVID-19, and a projected loss of $8 trillion in gross domestic product through 2030, these interventions will be immensely valuable.

Joe Biden COVID Adviser Under Fire for 'I Hope to Die at 75' Article
BY BRENDAN COLE ON 11/10/20
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-covid-adviser-ezekial-emmanuel-1546208


Adoctor whom President-elect Joe Biden has appointed to advise about the coronavirus is facing criticism for an article he wrote six years ago in which he argued that he had no aspiration to live beyond the age of 75.

The essay by Ezekiel Emanuel, an oncologist who is one of the 10 advisory board members that Biden appointed to his coronavirus task force this week, outlined how he believed by that age "creativity, originality and productivity are pretty much gone for the vast, vast majority of us."

"Living too long is also a loss. It renders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is nonetheless deprived," he wrote in the piece for the October 2014 edition of The Atlantic headlined, "Why I Hope to Die at 75."

He said that Americans were obsessed with health remedies in a "valiant effort to cheat death and prolong life as long as possible," and that "I reject this aspiration. I think this manic desperation to endlessly extend life is misguided and potentially destructive.

"For many reasons, 75 is a pretty good age to aim to stop," said Emmanuel, who is 63. He wrote he would reject medical treatments like flu shots, and that "if there were to be a flu pandemic, a younger person who has yet to live a complete life ought to get the vaccine or any antiviral drugs."









TAGS: cull the herd, mission accomplished, kiss grandma goodbye, 80% of covid deaths fall in Emanuel's disposable age group







#gawdbleshuhmerka! #whymimeavoidsdoctorsliketheplague

[chromebook test]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com wrote:


> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html


> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/

> Sounds like a plan !

"It's a big one"








Washington teeters on the brink of a Cold War over Social Security
BURGESS EVERETT 03/08/2023
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/08/social-security-medicare-retirement-programs-00085974



Congress, whose members struggle to accomplish simple tasks like funding the government and raising the debt ceiling, is suddenly talking about changes to Medicare and Social Security.

There’s plenty of reasons to be skeptical that any of that big talk will pay off.

Delaware Democrat Chris Coons, for one, has a unique seat at the table as a bipartisan group of his fellow senators meet quietly about potential solutions to shore up Social Security’s long-term fiscal health. Coons, a close ally of President Joe Biden who’s sat in on meetings of the bipartisan Social Security gang, openly admits that changing the popular entitlement “is one of the most difficult things for Congress to do.”

“Democrats, for the whole time I’ve been here, say: ‘Social Security is easy to fix, just raise taxes,’” Coons said, adding that he supports that position. “Republicans refuse to do that. Republicans say ‘this is easy to fix, simply raise the age of eligibility or [otherwise] reduce benefits over time.’ Democrats refuse to do that.”

Coons’ description of the two parties’ entrenched positions helps explain why the Senate entitlements group — led by Angus King (I-Maine) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) — is offering few specifics about what exactly their months-long work entails. Not only is the King-Cassidy gang not done yet, but its members are keenly aware that as soon as they unveil a plan, it’s going to come under immediate attack.

King and Cassidy are taking a “very different” approach to try and avoid those pitfalls, Coons said. But this still isn’t “The West Wing,” the TV show where a fictional president cut a bipartisan Social Security deal in a single day.

“People are a little nervous,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who voted for a Reagan-era Social Security fix in the 1980s. “Right now it’s not a welcoming context for a bipartisan solution with big changes.”

Cassidy’s response: “Is there ever a good time? The answer is always no.”

Meanwhile, their group isn’t the only corner of Washington where there’s fresh interest in changing Medicare, Social Security or both. President Joe Biden will propose raising Medicare taxes on high earners as part of his budget this week. Progressive Democrats want to remove a $160,000 payroll tax cap in order to shore up Social Security.

But when concrete policy ideas get proposed for the two retirement programs, it usually gets ugly, and fast, as King and Cassidy may soon find out. Case in point: Republicans shot down Biden’s Medicare proposal hours after he rolled it out Tuesday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell immediately torched the pitch as “massive tax increases.”

“That is a Band-Aid, that is not a fix … it doesn’t do anything but win him political points,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said of Biden’s plan. “It’s pretending that he’s making headway, but he’s being dishonest with the American people. You can’t fill that bucket with the few drops he’s talking about.”

Tillis also criticized former President Donald Trump for taking a hard line against any structural changes to entitlements. Trump’s attacks on potential 2024 presidential rivals Nikki Haley, Mike Pence and Ron DeSantis have jolted the GOP and divided the party over how to handle popular programs that, according to some estimates, could have serious problems within a decade absent significant changes.

But 10 years might as well be an eon in Congress, where imminent problems are far more likely to force action. Former President Ronald Reagan and former Speaker Tip O’Neill cut their 40-year-old Social Security deal amid fast-approaching fiscal calamity — which today’s negotiators fear may happen again for no reason other than politics.

At the moment, Cassidy said only that his and King’s unfinished proposal may include automatic triggers that would kick in to make necessary fiscal changes to preserve Social Security. Even so, it’s pretty hard for Capitol Hill veterans to envision solving long-running entitlement funding problems while more immediate challenges, like the debt ceiling, remain unaddressed.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy has ruled out entitlement changes as part of this year’s debt limit negotiations. And in the immediate future, most Republicans would much rather look at almost any other kind of spending.

“We need to be working on the national debt. That’s not the place to start,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said. “Social Security/Medicare right now is not in great shape, but it’s not to the point we need to be messing with it.”

The Democratic Party could be even harder to sway. Biden has cast himself as a firm defender of the two programs, and his party marshaled a broadside against Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) for suggesting last year that all government programs should sunset after five years. Recently, Scott clarified that his idea would not pertain to Social Security and Medicare, but he’d already put Democrats on offense on the issue.

Which means anything that smacks of cuts — hitting current or future retirees — is going down in flames with Biden’s party.

“There is zero chance we’re going to reduce Social Security benefits now or in the future,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said. “So if we want to talk about how to make this program stronger, let’s do it. I think we win the argument.”

Schatz’s preferred solution is lifting the cap on payroll taxes that fund Social Security and increasing benefits. But Republicans are generally not in the business of considering tax increases, particularly with a presidential election next year.

So Democrats’ proposal to bolster both Medicare and Social Security with some tax increases is not going to fly with most Republicans.

“No, it’s not,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said. “But what I hope it leads to is a more complete discussion.”

If that’s what’s happening behind closed doors among King and Cassidy’s group — which numbers roughly a dozen senators, according to two people familiar with the talks — then the hardest part is yet to come. Should they eventually agree on any final proposal, King and Cassidy need to create buy-in across Congress, including party leaders in both chambers.

“There’s the policy. There’s the politics and the process. The policy is absolutely ready for primetime,” Cassidy argued. “The politics and the process is what we have to work now. We have a strong bipartisan group in the Senate, but until you get the White House and the House of Representatives … you really can’t go far.”

Both men face their own competing pressures as they lead the group. Cassidy voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial and got intimately involved in the last Congress’ bipartisan gangs, moves that both raised eyebrows among conservatives. And King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, is taking a significant risk looking at entitlements as he pursues a reelection campaign in a state with one of America’s oldest populations.

King said he hasn’t spoken to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer about the group’s work, in part because he doesn’t yet have something concrete to present. But when he does, he seems to think it’s a risk worth taking.

“It’s tough. There’s no question. But to not do anything, there’s no doubt about what’s coming at us,” King said, referring to projections of Medicare and Social Security insolvency. “I came here to try and solve problems. And this is a big one.”

[chromebook test]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>
>
> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>
>

> --------------

>
> Sounds like a plan !

"Democrats must recognize that changes to Social Security and Medicare, the major drivers of federal spending growth going forward, should be on the table. Anything less will prove fiscally sustainable. That will require painful choices. But the failure to make those choices also has a price — and the price tag is increasing rapidly."



THE EDITORIAL BOARD
America Is Living on Borrowed Money
July 5, 2023
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/05/opinion/debt-crisis.html
https://archive.is/9DmYz#selection-349.0-365.12







tags: cull the herd, kiss grandma goodbye





-----------------



keep a song in your heart!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnlTrq6wLf0

[chromebook test]

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:14:52 AM UTC-4, thinbl...@gmail.com wrote:
> Suze Orman: Don't retire, or claim Social Security, until you turn 70
> https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/suze-orman-dont-retire-or-claim-social-security-until-you-turn-70.html
>
>
> EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL: Why I Hope to Die at 75
> https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
>
>
> --------------
>
> Sounds like a plan !

Social Security won’t run out, but your check might not be what you’re expecting.
JUL 13 2023 Emily Lorsch
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/13/why-your-social-security-check-might-not-be-what-youre-expecting.html



Social Security has likely touched your life or the life of someone you know. This safety net provides income for beneficiaries including retired and disabled workers, and their dependents.

While you’re working, a chunk of your paycheck goes toward Social Security. When you’re retired, it’s often a key income stream.

“It’s the biggest single source of income for American retirees,” said Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

“Without Social Security, older Americans would have a poverty rate of 38%. In reality, they have a poverty rate of 10%,” she said.

In 2023, nearly 70 million Americans will receive a Social Security benefit every month. For the year, that’s more than $1 trillion in benefits paid out. The benefit is most crucial for the 22 million Americans it keeps out of poverty. That figure includes nearly 15 million seniors and one million children.

Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Americans, but there are some concerns about the program’s future.

The Social Security Board of Trustees projected in its annual report that the combined asset reserves of the Social Security trust funds will become depleted in 2034, one year sooner than previously projected. At that point, it’s projected that 80% of benefits will be payable.

“Social Security solvency isn’t just a matter of federal bookkeeping. It is a matter of how we protect Americans who depend on this program the most,” said Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

So, is Social Security going to run out? The short answer is no. But if it were as simple as that, we wouldn’t have made the video above.

“It’s not the first time that we’ve had a discussion on a national level about Social Security solvency.


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Joe Biden coronavirus adviser Dr. Zeke Emanuel once argued it's not worth living past 75

keep a song in your heart, grandma !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zochPeuCI5Q