Republican plan

[Canuck_2]

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@BA Deere wrote:

I`ve never begrudged the unemployed or those on food stamps, say help them more!  Let`s say all farmers didn`t sign up for the program, the government would save $10 billion, the way Obama is blowing money of late, that savings would be gone by 3 pm today.  Don`t give money to alcoholics!!! they just use it to destroy their lives even more.  All I`m saying about those collecting $100,000 plus rent checks and wintering in the south with a $200k Winnebago, there are those more needy of their social security welfare check, that`s all I`m saying....More power to `em. 

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BA you are confusing me, I know some would say that is easy, but you seem to want to means test people and deny them their SS but then you do not want to tax those with higher incomes at a higher rate on their extra money.

[idalivered]

the amount you list for direct payments would be for a very modest operation. what did any of us do to deserve it?

[idalivered]

Just curious, are you on the FERS or the civil service pension? I think you mentioned $274/month is why I asked. My wife (not retired) was told she would not be allowed to collect full S.S.  when also collecting FERS.  Were you a rural carrier or city carrier?

[schnurrbart]

I was civil service and did get cut back on my SS by about 50% because of the postal service retirement.  I could have "bought" my full SS but it would have been too much money for me to come up with and I most likely wouldn't have recouped it.  I only paid into SS on a few jobs and mostly with the army.  I didn't pay in a whole lot and I took it early instead of waiting til 66.  I was only eligible for about $550/mo to begin with.  They said something about WEP which stands for Windfall Elimination Program and is a penalty for being born when I was and Federal retirement or some such crap.  Never did understand all that.  I asked them to just give me back what I paid in and we'd call it even but they refused.  People on FERS pay into SS so I don't know why she wouldn't get whatever she is supposed to.  Better check that out again.  Seriously, check it out.  Go somewhere or talk to someone other than your local office.  I was a city carrier.

[BA Deere]

See Canuck, this is where our ideologies differ, I think you`re saying `Sure give everyone their social security....but if they`re too rich, tax it away from `em plus a little more so that everyone is equal`. I say take care of the poor, but don`t give welfare to people who don`t need it like a $1,900 SS monthly check to Warren Buffet and I might add, local yokel multimillionaires as well.  Don`t give millionaires social security in the first place and don`t tax the bejeebers out of their sweated for money. That is if we want to solve the problem....which we don`t....Grease the printing presses!! 

[kraft-t]

Just a minor clarification. Farmers are not raping the public. The term rape implies a unwilling partner. Farmers are dealing with the FSA and they certaily are complicit in the arrangement.

Your assertian makes as much sense as your grandfather giving you a $500 check and I assuming you stole it.

[Canuck_2]

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@BA Deere wrote:

See Canuck, this is where our ideologies differ, I think you`re saying `Sure give everyone their social security....but if they`re too rich, tax it away from `em plus a little more so that everyone is equal`. I say take care of the poor, but don`t give welfare to people who don`t need it like a $1,900 SS monthly check to Warren Buffet and I might add, local yokel multimillionaires as well.  Don`t give millionaires social security in the first place and don`t tax the bejeebers out of their sweated for money. That is if we want to solve the problem....which we don`t....Grease the printing presses!! 

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Yes I believe in a progressive tax system.

Without some kind of leveling you get more and more of  a class system of haves and have nots. The final outcome of too many have nots is much like what is happening in the mid-east right now.

There is the other point that bringing in a means test will cost more $$ to manage and police. The net result is no better and maybe worse than just allowing the tax system to 'claw back' surplus income.

That is assuming a good tax system.

Greeces problems have developed in many ways from a poor tax system that allows many to avoid paying any tax.