All I will add to that Bev is - we need to ask them how they prefer their 'crow' cooked!

Pair it with a lovely Merlot and an Arugula salad and the righties will have quite the 'feast'!

It isn't over until the 'fat' lady sings and JoAnna Smith couldn't carry a tune if her life depended on it! Although the lipstick is a sweet touch! lol

SOOOEEEE!

WTF? the right is in trouble this year, everyone keeps pointing to history, to 1994 blah blah. american's know that they don't want to go back to right. the republican haven't done a damn thing when ever they have the power, they just give the fat cat wall street friends more of our money in tax cut. people tax cut is not the answer to everything nor is it to any of the problem facing the country. why don't you come up an idea that doesn't involved tax cut for the rich.

How- high are ya?

Scaring old people? 'zat like "Death Panels" or something??

I guess the Democrats will finally start to deal with Social Security when the checks start bouncing.

Nice to see'ya again drive-thru. How's things in back of that barn of yours? Those sheep you bring back there okay? They don't seem to want to sit down when your done with them. Why is that?

Yeah, pretty much Drive-By, quite a bit like "Death Panels".

Your point is?

The Democrats never seem to miss an opportunity to throw out all of those stupid slogans and display signs. They are a lost people.

When SS runs out of money and they are forced to cut benefits; they will take it seriously.

Speaking of slogans......All rhetoric aside, the GOP is in trouble with Seniors (the main voting group in a mid-term election) if they tout privatization or dismanteling it, they lose. Thats why when you ask them about it, they freeze or distract.

Ill say it again...Tea Baggers who are running from the press...and GOPers running from their own policy proposals (if they even have any) will have to divulge their plans sooner or later to the voters.

Sooner or later, your gonna have to be specific about what you will do and let voters ponder the 'alternative' before they go into the booth.

People want to reform SS and guarantee its longevity.

What the GOP (Corporations) want is your investment in their stocks so they can offshore more jobs. They have no interest whatsoever in your retirement security.

If you LIBERALS want to have the country to do as you wish and you want to rid the United States of this Consertitive and my vote you can make a small donation to my ESCAPE FUND. That fund is at Paypal JoeThe1Mac@gmail.com . Remember the next election I could be the deciding vote to have a GOP member remove your guy.

JoAnnaSmith--I got tired of being censored by the Huffington Post moderators, so I thought I would try this place out for a while. Since your sheep comment passed muster, it looks like I'll fit right in.

So we see the Democrats scaring old people with lies and fringe arguments.

Other scare tactics in recent GOP history:

'Obama will take your gun away"

'We will all be socialists'

'Death Panels'

'Hes not one of us'

'Hes a Muslim'

'He pals around with terrorists'

'He hates white people'

'Obam is the anti-christ'

Need I say more you stupid hack?

who is the one scaring people, the right, death panel, tax hike, etc. republican are still the party of no, no new idea, no change, no moving forward, no, no, no. have you ever noticed that all republican leader sound the same. white old men from the south trying to keep the country from moving forward.

No Richard you got that back a@@wards. Dems dont trade on fear, that is a Goper tactic, it is part of their basic playbook. It plays to those who listen to Faux News, dont read or research much and appeals to their deepseated beliefs. You know, the ones that cling to their guns and religion, never have left the area they were born in or traveled nowhere.

I dont get the impression you are one, your postings are intelligent.....where does your anger and cynacism come from?

IntheMiddle,Tx I remember my mother being worried about Social Security "running out ot money" and she would not be able to collect. She didn't collect because she died 34 years ago! So come up with another one.

look up FERS retirement. they get 1% of their base pay for every year of service along with social security. thats the current government retirement. the old system was phased out in 1983. so their retirement isnt any better than anyone else. now back to reality. what do the dems have to save social security. more taxes on the working class. the new thing , the VAT, or value added tax, which will add to the cost of everything you buy. it will be taxed at every step of production, so you could possibly see 10-20% increases in every product you buy. and the producers wont be making any more money, so no more jobs. tax and spend is all these clowns know how to do. and they like spending someone elses money.

That's not totally true... According to the government website...

Member of Congress or Congressional Employee (or any combination of the two)
Must have at least 5 years of service as Member and/or Congressional Employee

1.7% of your high-3 average salary multiplied by your years of service as a Member of Congress or Congressional Employee which do not exceed 20,
plus
1% of your high-3 average salary multiplied by your years of other service

Since most seem to serve 20+ years, that amounts to at least an additional 10K to their social security income... The rest of the 'little people' should have it that good...

an arbitrary cut-off, say 55 and up get it, 54 and under do not. It sucks, but at least we'll know what's coming.

You just lost the Senior vote and the baby boomer vote. You know, the ones that vote in mid-terms. Nice job!

And what do we do about all the money those under 55 have been paying in? Can you say RIOT?

shut if off, you are not only going to see rioting in the street by the 45 and younger who have being paying, the old are going to come camp out at your mansion. there would be people on your street, chasing your luxury car, there would be people on your boat, every where you rich sad selfish people go, there would be people than depend on SS attacking you.

oh do remember that the rich only make up 1% of the country. so that means over 300 million people are going coming after you.

Go ahead and try to riot Mr.Obama within a few weeks of taking over the White House quickly & quietly signed into effect that the International Police(Interpol)could be called into this country at his request to be used to put down any civil unrest(because that is what he fears)and do you know they are not subject to the laws that protect the citizens from the gov't. Hhmmm pretty interesting and pretty scary.Whoever gets into power next I hope they have the good sense and B_lls to repeal this potential crime against the american people.Go ahead try and riot you will get the change you so desire.!!

@Dave:

Interpol would never intervene:

It is strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. - Article 3 of Interpol's constitution

And since the civil unrest would never escape the US, it would also be outside Interpol's jurisdiction.

If you care to keep this up, I demand you show proof of your allegations.

Let's try the old left wing tactics of always scaring. It has happened thousands of times with little or no merit. The democrats want to do nothing! Just like when Barney Frank, Maxine Waters, Chris Dodd and the rest of the democrats, on camera stated that our financial system was not in trouble. Just months before it crashed. Remember this left wing radicals:

1. When Franklin Roosevelt first introduced Social Security, he stated it would be voluntary.

2. That the participants would only have to pay 1% of their annual incomes in to the program.

3. That the money the participants elected to put in to the program would be decuctible from their income for tax purposes each year.

4. That the money the participants put into the independent "Trust Fund" rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the social security retirement program, and no other government programs.

5. That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

Since many of have paid into the FICA for years and are now receiving benefits and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the federal government to put away you may like the following.

Q: Which political party took social security from the Independent "Trust Fund" and putit into the General fund so that congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson adn the democratically controlled congress.

Q: Which political party eliminated the income tax deduction for social security withholding?

A: The democratic party.

Q: Which political party started taxing Social Security annuities?

A: The democratic party with Al Gore casting the "tie-breaking" deciding vote as teh President of the Senate.

Q: Whcih political party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?

A: Jimmy Carter and the democratic party. Immigrants moved into this, country and at age 65, began to receive social security payments. The democratic party gave these payments to the, even though they never paid in to the system.

You would be a little bit more credible Mark, if you didn't cut and paste right wing chain e-mail!

As it is... now you come across as lazy & ignorant!

Here's the link debunking your lie if you care to learn something today!

http://www.socialsecurityinsider.com/2009/03/email-claims-social-security-voluntary-and-tax-deductible-true-or-false/

You can also go to FactCheck or Snopes...

Actually Spanky, I think they'd be better off going with a slightly elevated retirement age, and using "means" testing to identify who will, and who will not, receive the benefits. Unfortunately for me, that probably means no Social Security for me, but if they'd let me know now, I'd at least have the next twelve years or so to make my (somewhat more frugal) plans.

To Sean..

Thank you for calling me out, after alittle study I see I was mistaken by the comments that I made above I was not correct in my understanding of what Mr Obama actually has done.All he really did was give Interpol a law enforcement org. authority to act within the U.S. and do so outside the 4th Amendant.I mean that is all.Don't you think this is scarry? I do.These are police and they can do what they want and there is nothing no nothing we can do about it.

The only reason fox exists is because right wing zealots need validation. Fox gives it to them.

Great So you will give up your SS check, then ,right? For the 'good of the country'?

Why should he have to give up what he paid in... What about the ones who never paid in, or recieved more benefits that what they contributed?

How about the flip side, and give people back right now what they have paid in for their lifetime in exchange for them never claiming when they retired? I'd do that in a moment.

How about the flip side, and give people back right now what they have paid in for their lifetime in exchange for them never claiming when they retired? I'd do that in a moment.

SURE YOU WOULD....lol

So how would you get the money for a lump sum to over 100 million Americans? The nation doesnt have it. False choice. FAIL

Hence then Ponzi Scheme. Thanks for making my point.

I am with you I have paid in a bundle I am 53 I don't expect much of it back eventhough I am counting on it.I agree they have been stealing us blind.They haven't hidden the fact they were and we the people have been telling them to stop for years,neither side has been listening.I am fed up with the lot of them Dem/Rep they only think of their own agendas screw the average american.We need some independants or some people that are not all tangled up in the big money of the political systems that have morphed into what is ruining this great country of ours.God Help Us! I think we are on that o so slippery slope.

Dave-

If you recall, President Bush made a very public attempt to privatize Social Security during his 2nd term in office. While I agree there is a lot of fear mongering on BOTH sides, the Social Security argument is a valid one the Dems have. Republicans have long loathed Social Security- right or wrong- so you really can't argue against that with any real traction. No one wants to deal with the problem because everyone knows (Republicans and Dems alike) that there are some hard choices ahead: Raise the age when benefits kick in, raise the taxes collected, or reduce the benefits. All of those things are tough pills for the public to swallow and thus a losing pratform for any politician.

Jeff T. The Social Security Administration has already stated that it will be paying out more than it is taking in when 2016 gets here. It will go bankrupt in 2037. What are the democrats proposing? NOTHING!!!! Except to put fear in to millions of Americans. They have been so busy passing legislation that the majority of Americans do not want, that they have done nothing to fix this problem. You sure as heck know what is coming. Raise the age. Who cares about quantity of life, it is the quality of life that matters. People working longer? Higher unemployment rate. They will want to increase taxes again on the wealthy. But, we all know it will come down to the middle class. Lastly, the left wing will want to put in a means test. If you have a pension or have a large savings/401k, guess what? You will not receive any money from a system you paid in to for decades.

what investment. that money has been borrowed many times over by the dems to pay for welfare. and how about all those who never paid in and still get money because of alcohol or drug addiction which is deemed a disability.

hahaha, dale that's funny...

SS is a Ponzi scheme... there is a reason why changes to the retirement age keep coming. there is not enough money coming in to support what has been promised...

Here's to 75 years (and counting) without a check bouncing! I guess we were supposed to be bullish on Enron and BP!!

Debt is a wonderful thing Auntie...

Hope you enjoyed your tax cuts, paid for by the $2.5 Trillion surplus that Social Security built up over the past 25 years Spdockery. You Pugs robbed the Social Security piggy bank so now you want to do away with it, throw the American workers under the bus just so you can keep your tax cuts.

Hi Al,

I'll be glad to compare SS statements indicating how much i have paid in. but thanks for the standard BS spin.

Hey Al, remember when Clinton had a supposed budget surplus? Where the hell do you think he got it? By adding Social Security funds into the budget. It has been standard practice for a long damn time. Stealing from Peter to pay Paul. The US Congress has been stealing for years from Social security, replacing it with IOU's. As a matter of fact, they still do it today!

Dale, what investment? Where have you been? It is going bankrupt and the democrats have proposed nothing to fix this problem. They are still in denial stage. They think there is not a problem. The same thing happened with the financial crisis. Frank, Waters, Dodd, and the rest of the dems stated just months before the collapse that there was no problem. What will the dems tell the millions of people collecting now, when they no longer have money to pay their benefits?

Not only NO, but HELL NO... If Blunt gets elected in MO, we're screwed... again...

And you will dutifully report such earnings to the IRS as self employment income and pay all taxes on that income won't you.

Please do escape. The less Middle Class Republicans there are, the better this country becomes. All you do is the dirty work for the rich. I guess you like having a two class system (rich and poor). I hope you are the deciding vote. We can all watch as the Republican finish giving this country and all the money to the rich 2 percent. Way to screw yourself sir. Oh, by the way, if you get sick and your Health Insurance company dumps you, I hope you don't turn to Medicare or Social Security Disability. That makes you a hypocrite- which would be par for any Republican.

Al this comment was not intended for you. It was for Joe Mac

Al, the so-called social security shortfall can be solved when the people who stole it (congress) pays it back. The federal government owes several trillion to social security and if congress had not spent the SS is would be solvent for many years. Remember it was the members of congress, both democrats & republicans, that borrowed the money from SS with no idea of how to pay it back.

sfcret:

Good point and it addresses the other poster who asked if anyone under 45 was going to get Social Security.

You already have! Congress spends all dollars wisely so you have already benefitted in other ways without even knowing it.

Nice strawman Bob. You do know that taxes are at their lowest rate in 50 years and the percentage of workers belonging to unions is at a low also don't you? Try a little harder next time.

We have the highest corporate tax rates in the world. I refer you to Nashville's link to the Forbes article that contradicts her assertion that Exxon pays no income taxes.

Rand Paul is as much of a nothing as you are.

Tim,

Yes, those pesky facts do get in the way. No Republican has presented a plan that takes Social Security benefits away from Seniors already receiving them. And no Republican has presented a plan that ends Social Security.

There are Republican plans that offer some age groups the OPTION of PARTIALLY participating in private plans in which benefits or earnings would be guaranteed so there would be assurance the money would be available upon retirement. Kind of like those pension plans the unions like to have.

Nice list of names but show me a Republican that's hollering verbatim :"We want to end Social Security! We will take benefits from Seniors!" And show me their plan to that. Otherwise......it's just slogans, Tim.

It's just lies.

Don't bother Candice. Tim is just screaming the standard BS.

Add me to the privatize list. I would love to know I control what should be my money... At least I would be accountable for it's growth or not.

spdockery, If you would have had a chance (when the Republicans first tried) you would be dirt poor! Just look at what happened to all the 401K's in 2008. Everything went into the toilet. My in-laws lost a huge amount of money! They were only saved by there Social Security. Social Security is in place to protect Americans from the greed of Wall Street and the banks. By the way, they haven't change a bit since the 30's. They were only waiting for a chance to do it again.

I know, spdockery.

However, there would have to be some guarantee on earnings and a lot of restrictions on pre-mature withdrawals.

President Bush's plan had a provision too that if you die before collecting your benefits you could leave what's left to your kids or heirs. That's a great idea. I know someone who died after collecting just one check. Her family sure could have used the money the government took out of her checks her whole working life. Wouldn't it be great to have unused benefits take care of your spouse or your kids or someone needy? Instead of going back into the black hole?

Dano SanDiego,

That's why there has to be a guarantee on investment -- an annuity type contract, for example. And rules in place to keep folks from raiding their accounts in hard times like these.

Remember, though, Social Security is supposed to be a supplement to personal retirement savings. Too bad about your in-laws. 2008 was a horrible time. If they hadn't sold their investments, they'd be slightly ahead right now. Can't blame people for jumping off that roller coaster though. It was nasty.

Dano,

It is all in where you put your money. http://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=maximized&chdeh=0&chfdeh=0&chdet=1280364592776&chddm=494224&chls=IntervalBasedLine&q=NASDAQ:AAPL&ntsp=0

Take a finance course before you spew your dribble. Hey, it's not for anyone, if your inlaws can't handle it then fine, but why handicap the balance?

They didn't jump off the roller coaster Candice. Still riding it. They are just too scared to enjoy themselves like they deserve. Just good people who can't do all they wish to do. I for one give them anything I can no matter where it leaves me. I respect good people and would lay down my life for my in-laws.

Glad they're hanging in. You're right. Lot's of people are too scared right now. No one knows where things are going and nothing seems to be getting any better and time soon. That's why we're all frustrated, Dano - because we're scared. Many of us feel unrepresented and as if neither the Administration nor Congress are listening. The policies in place aren't working and people are getting hurt - people like you and me, our families and friends and your in laws. Something has to change.

Huh?

Wow, that one made my head spin! Replace "Republicans" with "Democrats" in your post, and you'd be on topic. The 1930's Germany reference is a little extreme.

Dano - Both sides could use a little training in articulating facts; develop a little respect for the people - not lie to them to scare them, and the country has certainly become divided and hateful. Very sad.

You are wrong Candice. Democrats are not spreading fear like the tea party and the rest of the Republicans. I have not heard a detailed plan from the Republicans on how they plan to change things for the better. All you hear from them are, as you say "slogans". No details. Just the same old communist, Nazi, the Mexicans are coming, and the unemployed are lazy. Where are the details? When asked on CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC (PLEASE forget about Fox and MSNBC for once) not one Republican can state details. It's as if they are afraid their tongues will get sunburned. Explain the details that you and the rest of the Republicans here know. Write/type them out. Yes a challenge that I will read when posted.

No, I don't think I'm wrong. The Democrats are not only spreading fear (as described in the article above), but they are also inciting divisiveness. They are categorizing people and industries (banking, Wall Street, insurance companies, doctors, health care workers, Tea Partiers and Republicans), and telling the country to demonize these groups and to hate them. The President himself never misses an opportunity to slam the other side. Not very presidential. Someone should tell him he won --- he's supposed to be leading the whole country.

The Republicans have had detailed plans. They've submitted them to the President and Congress but they've been ignored. Your side, on the other hand, has passed major legislation that will effect the lives and livelihoods of a lot of people and they didn't even bother to read the details before voting! The Financial Reform Bill was very general and the bill itself states that the new regulatory bodies it creates will figure out the details later! So much for the importance of details.

I will grant you the Republicans seem to have a hard time articulating. I don't know if they just don't get the air time or if their "leadership" (Mitchell, Boehner) are simply incoherent. Maybe a little bit of both. We all get sick of talking points from both sides. And the Republicans get a lot of press when they say stupid things (like the unemployed are lazy).

The Republican plans are out there. They just don't seem to make the news.

Candice,

Show me a picture of a Democrat holding up a sign that degrades someones race (like the tea party-white face pics, Nazi symbols and communist statements). The President has tried to include the Republican party. His reward, mud in his face. But that didn't stop him from trying again. When has the democratic Party promised to pass a bill and at the last minute change their minds (and more than once)? Show me where the insurance giants have not cut people's insurance just as they need it (Colorado recently-lady loses insurance coverage of a penny just as she needs it for a life threatening illness). Tell me how those big bonuses to a few rich people (plus all the money they took from America during the last 8 years-betting on a financial collapse) aids us all. As for Boehner, too much sun tanning. He's doesn't have to worry about health scares like cancer. He got great coverage for life.

Show you a picture? How about Move On.org and Code Pink? More recently during a Tea Party rally near the White House, a group was hanging an effigy of V.P. Cheney.

The President has not tried to include Republican ideas. He has only demeaned those ideas and belittled those who disagree with him. Insurance companies need reform and the Health Care bill has some good provisions. 6 out of 8 years of the Bush Administration the majority of people, middle class, Democrats and Republicans, and the wealthy had it pretty good. I have a long list of who was responsible for the financial collapse. It's very encompassing.

I don't like Boehner either.

The right isn't as bad and evil as you're being told, Dano. We all want the same things. We just have different ideas on how to get there. Everyone would be better off if they were more reasonable, empathetic and open to new ideas.

Thank you Candice. Gotta run. Will return later. Thank you so much. I enjoy the debating. Hope to see you here soon. Take Care and have fun.

Sweet dreams, and a glorious tomorrow, Dano.

Yes Al, there are winners and losers in any measurement. Let's go

Then of course you should have known better then shouldn't you...

Wow. Quick to judgement Spdockery. I did plan and very well I might add. I was and still am not harmed by this downturn (it's a depression just the words are change to keep us happy). Seen this coming back in 2006 (housing bubble was to big to ignore even back then). People laughed at me then. But I'm laughing now and especially at people who are short sided and blinded by Republican talking points. It amazes me how many of the Republican Middle Class who lost everything would still back a party that would slit your throat on command of the rich and their corporations. Talk about who should know better. Take a look at yourself.

Congrats, and I am fine as well, and like you it was because of my foresight, and not because I waited for someone to take care of me.

My point is why would we not give those who can a choice?

Spdockery,

I will state this issue. Everybody (Me included) blows off History Courses. We are taught history so we do not forget the wrongs we've made in the past. Correct? Please, if choice was the answer, then Social Security would not been needed. Look back at the Great Depression. Before it occurred, people had that choice. However, not everyone is entitled to a good education. Thus, people get taken for a ride (shirts sold off their backs). If Americans were to be given that choice you so cherish, I think this country would have face many more civil unrest periods than have occurred. This country became a great country after the Great Depression (with Social Security in place). I believe we can do it again. But removing a whole class of people (the middle class) makes us a Third World Country. That's embarrassing to me.

So is your point is those who have equiped themselves are responsible for those who haven't? Or is it your point that "it's not your fault that you can't equip yourself, so we will do it for you"?

Either way I see your point as it's a tax (which the SS contribution/tax does go up every year for many Americans), so just call it that.

For the record however, IMO it was just a great of a country before the Great Depression and SS...

Nice twist spdockery. I like how you try to make it about me. Is that all you have? To try and lower others. Maybe you are just using the word "you" incorrectly. I, don't need your help if that is your point. You lower yourself by accusing others of being something they are not.

Just trying to understand YOUR point, which is more than you appear to have done with mine. Didn't call you a name, didn't bash a political party, and I did not accuse anyone of anything. Take a breath.

Then I apologize sp. Hey gotta run for awhile. Have a good time and thanks! Hope to see you here soon.

I enjoyed it. Good night.

Peter17,

Please explain to me why we went from a surplus to a deficit during the Bush years? Why did the rich get a tax break that lead to a huge deficit (nothing to offset)? How come less jobs where created during the Bush years? Where's the money and jobs he promised? Lastly, tell me how the Republicans are going to fix everything without taking us back to those ideas that lead us to the predicament? What's new that the Republicans are offering?

To keep your prices low at the stores but you will see that when the quadruple taxes kick in you will be paying for it big time at the stores.

The republicans are offering a lower cost of living lower prices at the stores by not increasing taxes.

The only people who have lead us behind the berlin wall and spent three times what the dreaded bush had spent is the democrats. YOU wont be able to afford their future no ordinary person will.

If you think big business has to stay here you are increadably wrong and the ones who have to stay here will reflect the price of the taxes your foolishness imposses on them.

We will be lucky if we have any jobs in this country in the very near future.

On to social security. WHAT has the democratic majority done about the 750.000 theft the social security administration has imposed on the people of this country and how many times has this happened? We will never know until we rid ourselves of this monsterous mess in office.

If you ever had a dream of being rich or of your children being rich in this country the democrats have robbed you of that dream.

Thanks FirstTimer - I was not aware, and so I couldn't help to debunk his lies as much as you have. Point for you.

SHEESH! You nuts just won't quit!

You would be a little bit more credible JSchmidt2, if you didn't cut and paste right wing chain e-mail!

As it is... now you come across as lazy & ignorant!

Here's the link debunking your lie if you care to learn something today!

http://www.socialsecurityinsider.com/2009/03/email-claims-social-security-voluntary-and-tax-deductible-true-or-false/

You can also go to FactCheck or Snopes... although somehow I think you looking for the truth is highly doubtful!