XPost: or.politics, alt.economics, seattle.politics   
   XPost: alt.law-enforcement, rec.aviation.military   
   From: bax02_spamblock@baxcode.com   
      
   a425couple  wrote in   
   news:KwoAP.814872$TBhc.560073@fx16.iad:   
      
   > On 3/12/25 08:10, Baxter wrote:   
   >> "three key points:   
   >>   
   >> 1. Social Security isn’t a Ponzi scheme or a scam; it’s just a   
   >> government program supported by a dedicated tax, which is perfectly   
   >> normal   
   >>   
   >> 2. It’s a highly successful program, which has vastly improved   
   >> older Americans’ lives   
   >>   
   >> 3. It faces a financial shortfall, but the shortfall isn’t that   
   >> big, and sustaining Social Security is well within America’s   
   >> means."   
   >>   
   >> https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-clean-little-secret-of-social?   
   >> utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email   
   >   
   > Krugman is smart (although often wrong) and he does a pretty good   
   > job trying to put lipstick on a pig.   
   >   
   > Yes, Social Security is "a government   
   > > program supported by a dedicated tax,   
   >   
   > That forces working age citizens to pay in, and gives their   
   > money, mostly to "baby boomers" who are retired.   
   > The love of youth, to give to their elders seems to   
   > me to be wearing a bit thin.   
   >   
   > Yes, Social Security "which has vastly improved older   
   > > Americans’ lives", especially those who DID NOT properly   
   > invest and save for their older years.   
   >   
   > Have you checked the birth rates lately?   
   >   
   > Yes, it faces a shortfall.  "but the shortfall isn’t   
   > that big, and sustaining Social Security is well within   
   > America’s means."  OK, depending on your  view of "means".   
   >   
   > Are the young workers, who are also voters, going to be   
   > willing to pay increasing amounts for the future payouts   
   > that are going to be reduced?  (The starting age is   
   > going to have to be increased.)   
   >   
   > I hope they will.  But I am very glad that the   
   > MRDs (Minimum Required Distributions) from my   
   > IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is a higher   
   > amount than my SS income.   
   >   
   > As the trust fund gets spent down, Social Security's   
   > similarity to a Ponzi Scheme will become more obvious   
   > to all.  I note that even Krugman did not call it   
   > an "insurance plan".   
   >   
   >   
      
   SS functions like insurance.   
      
   And if the trust fund gets spent down, benefit payouts get reduced - it   
   is a pay-as-you-go system.   
      
   It is NOT a ponzi scheme.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)