NationStates Jolt Archive

COMMENTARY: I got this in my email in-box today and just wondered what you think of it. As far as I can tell, it's historically accurate, although a bit overstated. Do try to be as objective as possible and avoid excessive partisanship. :p


We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like
a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the
handle.--Winston Churchill

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the
Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be
completely voluntary,

2.) That the participants would only have to pay
1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into
the Program,

3.) That the money the participants elected to
put into the Program would be deductible 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 program, and,

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

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and
are now receiving a Social Security check every
month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed
on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal
government to "put away," you may be interested in
the following:

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from
the independent "Trust" fund and put it into the
General fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the
Democratically-controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax
deduction for Social Security (FICA) 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 President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the U.S.

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving
annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic
Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at
age 65, began to receive SSI Social Security
payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments
to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

I would say that I have no idea why people would send these things. Bush was already elected, and it'll be two more years until you get to choose again.

(Unless Bush is impeached and Cheney tries for new elections, if that's possible - here's to hope)

As for the facts in the statement...probably true, but one-sidedly reported. Chances are that various Republicans did the same sort of things at some point or another.

Weren't the Republicans and Democrats in reverse ideological standpoints for quite sometime even up to the days of JFK and such? And wouldn't that make it an argument against neither party's current ideology?

We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the
handle.--Winston Churchill
That's way more fun than the sack race.

Chances are that various Republicans did the same sort of things at some point or another.
I think you're correct. Neither party has a monopoly on either venality or stupidity.

I think articles like this have formulated your political opinions your whole life Eut.
Im wondering if you could give a good demcratic candidate an honest shake, provided of course, they could produce one that wasnt a spineless douche.

I think the article is Republican propoganda.

Its about equal to that "Bush's resume" one that used to circulate.
Historically accurate, but so one sided, the words fall off the screen.

I think you're correct. Neither party has a monopoly on either venality or stupidity.
Although they'd disagree with you on that. Obviously 'the other party' has that monopoly ;)

Eutrusca, are you telling me you still havn't figured out that chain letters are 99.9% of the time bullshit?

Eutrusca, are you telling me you still havn't figured out that chain letters are 99.9% of the time bullshit?

I got a chain letter a while ago that said the ghost of a murdered girl would strangle me in my sleep if I didn't send it on to five people. I sent it on and I haven't been strangled so it must have been true.

QED

Most, if not all of that is true, as far as I know. So the democrats created the system, and also screwed up the system. But the republicans aren't fixing it any more than the democrats are.

The democratic party isn't where it used to be - neither is the republican party. They've both moved since those days. I think what we really need is a viable, substantial third party movement. Someone who can win and make things happen.

I can't speak for the article. It's seems factually accurate, and yes, maybe a bit one sided.

I would like to chime in my 2 cents on S.S. though. It's pure bullshit. I can save my own damn money, thank you. I don't need the damn government to hold my hand through life, especially when they are spending my money that they are supposed to be holding on for me.

I say that most people who don't have any money saved by the time they retire are too stupid to enjoy retirement.

I'm 26 years old, and I already have retirement savings. Not a 401k, considering the volatility of them sometimes. Actually cash money, saved in a very safe place, and growing every day.

The government can take their S.S. scam and shove it up their ass. I can triple the returns myself.

Stay the fuck out of my wallet, and no one gets hurt! ;)

Stay the fuck out of my wallet, and no one gets hurt! ;)
Ah, good old selfless Americans. Always thinking of their fellow countrymen!

(Unless Bush is impeached and Cheney tries for new elections, if that's possible - here's to hope)

no thats not possible. if bush left office for any reason, cheney would become president and serve the remainder of bush's term. elections would proceed as always on the first tuesday in november 2008 (or is it the first tuesday after the first monday?)

COMMENTARY: I got this in my email in-box today and just wondered what you think of it. As far as I can tell, it's historically accurate, although a bit overstated. Do try to be as objective as possible and avoid excessive partisanship. :p


We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like
a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the
handle.--Winston Churchill

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the
Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be
completely voluntary,

2.) That the participants would only have to pay
1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into
the Program,

3.) That the money the participants elected to
put into the Program would be deductible 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 program, and,

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

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and
are now receiving a Social Security check every
month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed
on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal
government to "put away," you may be interested in
the following:

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from
the independent "Trust" fund and put it into the
General fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the
Democratically-controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax
deduction for Social Security (FICA) 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 President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the U.S.

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving
annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic
Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at
age 65, began to receive SSI Social Security
payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments
to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

When it says "The Democrats" did something... does that, therefore, mean that the Republicans had no Senators or Representatives?

If Al Gore cast a "tie-breaking" vote.... there must have been a tie, yes? Thus - some members of one party, or another, must have voted against the proposition against 'party lines' or for the proposition against party lines.

It is this nebulous way of talking about political responsibility that most distresses me about US politics. The Republicans ran ads before the last election about how Kerry voted this or that way... and ignored the fact that crap gets tacked onto all kinds of bills, all the time.

So - on one occasion, a member of Party A might vote against... say, body armour for troops. But, what ELSE was in that bill? As unhappy as it might make the front-line soldier, it is possible that body-armour is less important than some other issue.

When a political system allows 'bill-loading', and forces participants to vote on ENTIRE packages, it is insensible to draw any hard conclusions about the positions of voters, based on that system.

Ah, good old selfless Americans. Always thinking of their fellow countrymen!
I do plenty for my fellow Americans. As if you know shit about be.
I don't mind helping, but when someone tells me I HAVE to do something, they can kiss my American ass!