Unemployment Extension PASSED!!!!!!! so did extended TAX cuts!!!

[tobee43]

Well, Social Security is a farce, anyway. It's nothing but the world's biggest Ponzi scheme. I've been paying into it for... let's see... 34 years, and I'd gladly opt out of receiving benefits in return for getting back what I've paid in. Anyone under 40 or so who thinks they're going to collect a penny in Social Security should call me about a bridge I have for sale.

The deficit is a bigger problem. For the first time in history the U.S. government is at risk of losing its AAA bond rating. That means major rating houses are actually considering the possibility of the government defaulting on its obligations. The government is essentially bankrupt. Regardless of party, politicians keep insisting on taking money out of circulation through absurdly high taxes, and yet still manage to run deficits by spending it like drunken sailors. Worse, in fact: I spent several years of my youth as a drunken sailor, and I never spent money the way the government does.

Few people seem to get it: This country now has a consumer economy. We don't produce much of anything anymore because we'd rather buy cheap shit from China. Our economy is driven by consumer spending, and every dollar we take out of consumers' hands through taxation is a dollar less they can spend. Massive tax cuts are needed to stimulate the economy -- but they need to start from the bottom of the income scale, not the top.

But at the same time, spending has to be cut, even if it hurts. Unless the Libertarians take power and manage to avoid becoming as corrupt as the present bunch of hypocrites in Congress, our government is well on its way to bankruptcy; and when that happens, the collapse of the world economy will follow within minutes.

With a little luck I'll be dead by then, but I do wish we could leave a more promising future to the next generations.

-Rich

rich makes some really valid points here...remember social security was NEVER designed to be a retirement plan for the masses of this country....

spending MUST be cut...i think one of the thoughts people are so frightened about is this word "privatizing"....when actually that would in fact, create more jobs....less government spending..i.e. and i'm not saying i agree or disagree but just as an example the FTA....or let's use another example of some of the social services being privatized....more jobs...less taxes for government support of these services...services NOT being cut...most likely even being more effective since now they are someone's "business"....like....maybe someone may even go pubic and get on the stock market with child care services......just a thought or two.

i'm so tired of this corruptness...this unfairness...this sickness really.

rich, i hope you're not dead by then really....but something and someone needs to change this system that's for certain!

[helpme2010]

Well I disagree with you about Social Security, but you are right about everything else. However, unless you are going to also put military spending on the chopping block then none of the other cuts will matter.

I get the point by rich and that is social security really doesn't exist anymore, congress stole the money from it a long time ago and we simply borrow peter to pay paul. I think there will be a social security system for those under 40 when they retire, only they will have to retire at a later age and get a lot less money and coverage. Plus we will continue to borrow to pay for social security. This is truly sad.

This also scares me because I cashed out my 401k just to survive when I was out of work. I know I won't be able to build a fortune in my 401k plan before retiring, but I am going to try my best to get some money back into it with what little time I have left.

[msm859]

you know at this point msm...i'm thinking i just want to bury my head in the sand....i suppose that's what this is all about anyway....

we mostly are...LOL...remember i'm saying MOSTLY...are basically intelligent and educated people here and they have us spinning with this bill...nothing is clear, i attempted the research just a bit this morning and read so many contradictions it was incredible...

Actually the sad part is when you hear that actually some members of the Senate originally voted against the extension of unemployment because THEY thought it was going to extend the 99ers. It's pretty frightening when these people are allowed to vote and they don't even understand what they are voted for/against.

[tobee43]

Actually the sad part is when you hear that actually some members of the Senate originally voted against the extension of unemployment because THEY thought it was going to extend the 99ers. It's pretty frightening when these people are allowed to vote and they don't even understand what they are voted for/against.

you got that right...i think they are just voting because of all the pressure....all the voices out there screaming foul!!!!

i think we are all fed up and want some REAL and CLEAR answers...i'm certain we will be waiting a while.

[tobee43]

I get the point by rich and that is social security really doesn't exist anymore, congress stole the money from it a long time ago and we simply borrow peter to pay paul. I think there will be a social security system for those under 40 when they retire, only they will have to retire at a later age and get a lot less money and coverage. Plus we will continue to borrow to pay for social security. This is truly sad.

This also scares me because I cashed out my 401k just to survive when I was out of work. I know I won't be able to build a fortune in my 401k plan before retiring, but I am going to try my best to get some money back into it with what little time I have left.

helpme....we did the SAME thing with our 401 and i KNEW better....but the quilt got to me....what a mistake that was!

[helpme2010]

Actually the sad part is when you hear that actually some members of the Senate originally voted against the extension of unemployment because THEY thought it was going to extend the 99ers. It's pretty frightening when these people are allowed to vote and they don't even understand what they are voted for/against.

msm, what angers me so much about this is the double standard with those people. If they are against the 99ers because they think this adds to the deficit, then don't vote for tax cut extensions for the rich, or inheritance amount extensions or other loopholes for the rich and corporations. This double standard makes me angry.

If they are just cold blooded people completely disconnected from the suffering of the masses, then they can bite me!

Either way, they can just bite me. It's amazing that they don't even read their own bills.

[helpme2010]

I think every member of the house and senate and everyone in government should be forced to sit down in session and watch the movie a Christmas Carol. Not just watch the movie, but be quizzed at the end of the movie with a few questions:

1. "Mr. or Ms. Senator, did you understand the movie?"

2. Did it actually affect you, are you touched by the movie? What did you learn from it?

3. How are you going to change the way you vote for legislation affecting the poor people, especially during Christmas time you fricken scrooges!

[RichM]

rich makes some really valid points here...remember social security was NEVER designed to be a retirement plan for the masses of this country....

spending MUST be cut...i think one of the thoughts people are so frightened about is this word "privatizing"....when actually that would in fact, create more jobs....less government spending..i.e. and i'm not saying i agree or disagree but just as an example the FTA....or let's use another example of some of the social services being privatized....more jobs...less taxes for government support of these services...services NOT being cut...most likely even being more effective since now they are someone's "business"....like....maybe someone may even go pubic and get on the stock market with child care services......just a thought or two.

i'm so tired of this corruptness...this unfairness...this sickness really.

rich, i hope you're not dead by then really....but something and someone needs to change this system that's for certain!

Thanks for the wishes of long life. My family also feels that way... most of them, anyway.

As for privatization, those of us who support privatization in general feel that way not only because it usually costs less and shrinks the size of government, but also because private agencies and companies usually do the jobs better. This includes providing services to the poor. I support organizations like Catholic Charities and The Salvation Army, for example, because their programs actually seem to work. I know quite a few people whose lives were swirling around in the toilet and about to go down the tubes, but who were plucked out, cleaned up, and given a new lease on life by "The Sally." And for ordinary families who need help, it's hard to beat Catholic Charities. If they can't help you, they'll know who can.

At least that's the case around here. If you send someone down to Social Services, they'll get to stand on line and get forms, forms, and more forms. If you send them to Catholic Charities or The Sally, they'll get help.

-Rich

[tobee43]

Thanks for the wishes of long life. My family also feels that way... most of them, anyway.

As for privatization, those of us who support privatization in general feel that way not only because it usually costs less and shrinks the size of government, but also because private agencies and companies usually do the jobs better. This includes providing services to the poor. I support organizations like Catholic Charities and The Salvation Army, for example, because their programs actually seem to work. I know quite a few people whose lives were swirling around in the toilet and about to go down the tubes, but who were plucked out, cleaned up, and given a new lease on life by "The Sally." And for ordinary families who need help, it's hard to beat Catholic Charities. If they can't help you, they'll know who can.

At least that's the case around here. If you send someone down to Social Services, they'll get to stand on line and get forms, forms, and more forms. If you send them to Catholic Charities or The Sally, they'll get help.

-Rich

you hit the nail on the head...however, many of those agencies are non profit....how about a few "for" profit....get those small business people going by providing social service direction....partner with meals on wheels....home healthcare etc....it can be done!!

i know it can!!! but i'm too old and tired to do it myself...ROFL!!!!!!

[RichM]

you hit the nail on the head...however, many of those agencies are non profit....how about a few "for" profit....get those small business people going by providing social service direction....partner with meals on wheels....home healthcare etc....it can be done!!

i know it can!!! but i'm too old and tired to do it myself...ROFL!!!!!!

I agree... including with your last statement.

-Rich

[tobee43]

I agree... including with your last statement.

-Rich

by the way rich...can you send me a pizza for xmas?????

since moving to florida it just isn't working out in the pizza category....

actually, anyone looking for a job in the NY area certainly could make a fortune shipping pizza!!!!

[RichM]

by the way rich...can you send me a pizza for xmas?????

since moving to florida it just isn't working out in the pizza category....

actually, anyone looking for a job in the NY area certainly could make a fortune shipping pizza!!!!

Sure. The problem, however, is how to keep it fresh in shipping without freezing it, because as any Italian kid from Brooklyn know, frozen pizza is an infamnia.

Within a five-minute walk from my humble abode in my little corner of Queens, one can find four very nice pizzerias, three chicken places, two Chinese restaurants, one very nice diner, one passable diner, an Afghan restaurant that serves only soup and bread, and a Thai restaurant. There also are five corner delis (of which two are open 24/7/365 and will happily cook you a cheeseburger at 4:26 a.m., and deliver it to you), three Italian Salumerie, a poultry shop, two butcher shops, a small supermarket, two "general" bakeries, a cheese cake bakery (that's all they bake and sell -- cheesecake), and a 7-11.

Say what you will about New York, but it does have its advantages. And this is Queens, mind you, not Manhattan.

All these food places don't do much for the diet, however...

-Rich

[tobee43]

Sure. The problem, however, is how to keep it fresh in shipping without freezing it, because as any Italian kid from Brooklyn know, frozen pizza is an infamnia.

Within a five-minute walk from my humble abode in my little corner of Queens, one can find four very nice pizzerias, three chicken places, two Chinese restaurants, one very nice diner, one passable diner, an Afghan restaurant that serves only soup and bread, and a Thai restaurant. There also are five corner delis (of which two are open 24/7/365 and will happily cook you a cheeseburger at 4:26 a.m., and deliver it to you), three Italian Salumerie, a poultry shop, two butcher shops, a small supermarket, two "general" bakeries, a cheese cake bakery (that's all they bake and sell -- cheesecake), and a 7-11.

Say what you will about New York, but it does have its advantages. And this is Queens, mind you, not Manhattan.

All these food places don't do much for the diet, however...

-Rich

well....although born and raised in san fran i spent 30 plus years in jersey.....and queens has the BEST pizza on this earth....and CAN you please stop with the food list...it's so sad here for us....well for me, because now i have to cook all the time to get great Italian food....as i married one of you...had i known i married the flag and the red sauce i may have thought twice...after all i was from san fran what the heck did i know what it meant to marry an Italian person other than a few extra vowels here and there...LOL!!!

i am happy to report after 40 years i am now number 1 in the cooking area, or so told... one knows that when the older ladies in the family ask...you made that??? how do YOU know how do to that.... you're NOT even Italian (i would say after 40 years i do qualify)...and i know that since all the bearded aunts have told me so..and i adore every one of them...