For my Libertarian friends

Well what about......*checks wikipedia*  Ida Fuller.

The first person to receive SS.
She only worked for 3 years, (while contributing to the fund) before she retired, and started receiving SS.
Put $24.75 into the system and collected $22,888.92 from it!

Just how it worked out but that is a lucky woman!

JJLehto wrote: manofmystery wrote: Got my annual letter from Social Security telling me what I've "paid into" (like it was my choice) the system so far in my life.  Sigh, do they really have to waste more of my money taunting me with paperwork telling me exactly how much money I'll never get to actually see?  Hell, with my limited needs I could damn near retire on what they've taken from me already. But you did agree to it! The government asked you the day you were born, they took your response as "sounded like yes" and there you go. And I was joking about my taxes, but I remember it used to be clear...like I thought it said "medicaid" and all that. This makes no sense....all I see is "fed withholding" "fed MED/EE" "NJ Unempl EE" "NJ withholding" "NJ OASDI/EE" and so on At least I wish I knew what all that sh*t is. I am assuming the fed and state witholdings are...income tax? A payroll tax, but MED....ugh...what is this? I don't even....

Dean wrote: Padraic wrote: JJLehto wrote: manofmystery wrote: Got my annual letter from Social Security telling me what I've "paid into" (like it was my choice) the system so far in my life.  Sigh, do they really have to waste more of my money taunting me with paperwork telling me exactly how much money I'll never get to actually see?  Hell, with my limited needs I could damn near retire on what they've taken from me already. But you did agree to it! The government asked you the day you were born, they took your response as "sounded like yes" and there you go. And I was joking about my taxes, but I remember it used to be clear...like I thought it said "medicaid" and all that. This makes no sense....all I see is "fed withholding" "fed MED/EE" "NJ Unempl EE" "NJ withholding" "NJ OASDI/EE" and so on At least I wish I knew what all that sh*t is. I am assuming the fed and state witholdings are...income tax? A payroll tax, but MED....ugh...what is this? I don't even.... Yeesh, JJ, you can't even read your paycheck?  Kids today...  I mean seriously go ask your Dad or something. Or just take a wild guess ... MED  medical...medicare?... OASDI  Old Age something Disability Insurance?   Or just look it up on the internets: Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance     ..and I've never seen a USA paycheck.

Neither have I. 

Henry Plainview wrote: Nah, I watched a bunch of Futurama on Netflix but then I got over it, Matt Groening's style of humor gets really repetitive. Seriously though, look at this guy Doesn't anybody else want to punch him? Although he's probably dead now so I guess that's some consolation.

Boo FDR! Boo, I say.

I'm not sure what you mean by seeing it as all politics.

SS was never intended to be temporary. FDR actually wanted SS to be funded via a nation payroll tax to give the facade of it being self-financing insurance and more difficult to politically repeal. His programs were never meant to be temporary. In fact, a majority of the time they were never meant to recover the economy. His primary interest was reform, not recovery. His policies were certainly not taken further than he wanted. They were taken much shorter than what he wanted. Because of dwindling political support and Constitutionality issues many of his most desired reforms were struck down or had to be compromised. I know much less about LBJ's presidency, but I'd be surprised if he went to greater lengths to win votes through fraud than FDR.

I certainly dislike LBJ and Nixon, but they simply don't compare to FDR.

True communism is a Utopia?

Of course I believe its doable. It'll be mighty hard to sustain in its pure form, but it doesn't need to be perfect to be better than what we have.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: True communism is a Utopia? Of course I believe its doable. It'll be mighty hard to sustain in its pure form, but it doesn't need to be perfect to be better than what we have.

Edited by The T - July 14 2010 at 12:03

The T wrote: Equality 7-2521 wrote: True communism is a Utopia? Of course I believe its doable. It'll be mighty hard to sustain in its pure form, but it doesn't need to be perfect to be better than what we have. Of course it was. It was never a reality. If you had read the communist manifesto (maybe you have) you know what I mean. Socialism existed. Communism never.  And your system better be perfect if it's to replace one that has brought a certain degree of prosperity (a little) and well being to the nation...

I understand that, but as Pat said I wouldn't consider that a Utopia.

"My" system is what caused the prosperity that we have enjoyed here. Further adherence to "my" principles will only bring us more of it. The more libertarian our economic system the better, even if it never goes to pure free market.

Padraic wrote: The T wrote: Equality 7-2521 wrote: True communism is a Utopia? Of course I believe its doable. It'll be mighty hard to sustain in its pure form, but it doesn't need to be perfect to be better than what we have. Of course it was. It was never a reality.  I think Pat meant are you sure it's a utopia and not a dystopia.