The Other McCain

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Social Security Is Popular?

Posted on | April 22, 2010 | 14 Comments

by Smitty (h/t Insty)

Legal hero Randy Barnett has a couple of clips discussing ObamaCare’s Constitutionality.

He makes the claim that Social Security is popular at the end of the second clip. With whom? Lots of people are cigarette smokers, and I submit that the godforsaken Ponzi scheme that is Social Security is popular, relatively speaking, compared to reform the way avoiding withdrawal symptoms is to breaking the nicotine shackles.

This Congress and Administration’s morbid fascination with policy that has such a proven lousy track record, e.g. the VAT, also continues to astound. There is some political Eye of the Beholder mechanism at work.

Category: Health Care

Comments

14 Responses to “Social Security Is Popular?”

  1. Lazarus Long
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 12:36 pm

    RSM, lots of people still think of SocSec as s a sort of savings plan, not understanding it for the Ponzi scheme it really is.

  2. Lazarus Long
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 7:36 am

    RSM, lots of people still think of SocSec as s a sort of savings plan, not understanding it for the Ponzi scheme it really is.

  3. McGehee
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 1:16 pm

    A lot of people are also open to reform, while also wanting recompense for all the money SS has already taken from them.

    I can understand the insistence that the money in question is rightfully theirs, given the promises made about the program — but that’s all they ever were, promises.

    Every penny paid into SS today is paid out again by the end of the week; it’s an entitlement program now, not a pension plan or whatever — and I’ve long since decided I have as much chance of getting it back as I do what’s been spent on outright welfare.

  4. McGehee
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 8:16 am

    A lot of people are also open to reform, while also wanting recompense for all the money SS has already taken from them.

    I can understand the insistence that the money in question is rightfully theirs, given the promises made about the program — but that’s all they ever were, promises.

    Every penny paid into SS today is paid out again by the end of the week; it’s an entitlement program now, not a pension plan or whatever — and I’ve long since decided I have as much chance of getting it back as I do what’s been spent on outright welfare.

  5. Ira
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 2:26 pm

    Stacey, this is off-topic, but could you read this article

    http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2181538,african-american-vote-gop-steele-042110.article

    and then try to tell us, what the hell is wrong with Michael Steele..?

  6. Ira
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 9:26 am

    Stacey, this is off-topic, but could you read this article

    http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2181538,african-american-vote-gop-steele-042110.article

    and then try to tell us, what the hell is wrong with Michael Steele..?

  7. Jeff
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 3:28 pm

    many under 30’s today already understand that SS will not be there for them in its current form … they will accept changes that make is sustainable …

  8. Thrasymachus
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 3:28 pm

    The Constitution and the rule of law will not save us, quite the opposite. The Constitution and the law mean whatever liberals want them to mean, and for the last 50 years this has been used offensively to grow the state.

    People view Social Security according to what they paid in FICA and what they get in payments. For the early recipients it was great- they paid little and got much. Later cohorts want to get out what they “put in.” Late boomers despair of getting anything at all. As this group gets older, Social Security politics will change, but how exactly? Will they fatalistically give it up or fight for the last scraps?

  9. Jeff
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 10:28 am

    many under 30’s today already understand that SS will not be there for them in its current form … they will accept changes that make is sustainable …

  10. Thrasymachus
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 10:28 am

    The Constitution and the rule of law will not save us, quite the opposite. The Constitution and the law mean whatever liberals want them to mean, and for the last 50 years this has been used offensively to grow the state.

    People view Social Security according to what they paid in FICA and what they get in payments. For the early recipients it was great- they paid little and got much. Later cohorts want to get out what they “put in.” Late boomers despair of getting anything at all. As this group gets older, Social Security politics will change, but how exactly? Will they fatalistically give it up or fight for the last scraps?

  11. Roxeanne de Luca
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 5:32 pm

    It’s “popular” in the sense that the elderly like it and people think that anyone who proposes doing away with the monstrosity wants grandmothers to spend their golden years eating cat food.

    As others have mentioned, we also put a lot into it and expect at least something in return.

  12. Roxeanne de Luca
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

    It’s “popular” in the sense that the elderly like it and people think that anyone who proposes doing away with the monstrosity wants grandmothers to spend their golden years eating cat food.

    As others have mentioned, we also put a lot into it and expect at least something in return.

  13. Joe
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 6:24 pm

    Social security checks are popular, if only to cut the losses from a life time of paying into a ponzi scheme.

  14. Joe
    April 22nd, 2010 @ 1:24 pm

    Social security checks are popular, if only to cut the losses from a life time of paying into a ponzi scheme.