Archive for the ‘Social Security’ Category

“Middle class welfare”

Friday, July 29th, 2011

It was my corporate executive spouse who first described the “turd on the table” effect to me. Simply put its the really awful thing that is on everybody’s mind in a meeting (and who wouldn’t notice a turd on the meeting room table?) but that no one will bring up as far less pressing subjects on the agenda are ticked off. In the debt ceiling talks the turd is the baby boom. Robert Samuelson points this out. Here’s his column on the turd that my buddy sent me:

The essential budget question is how much we allow federal spending on the elderly to crowd out other national priorities. All else is subordinate. Yet, our “leaders” don’t debate this question with candor or intelligence. We have a generation of politicians cowed and controlled by AARP.

For the GOP, however, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh are even more terrifying. Rush and company talked the GOP out of a short term solution that would have given them a lot of what they wanted. Instead they will take us to a budget crisis that will make solving the problems Samuelson outlines just that much harder to accomplish. We civilians, in turn, will get the pleasure of a year’s worth of partisan finger pointing until the 2112 election.

Next year I will only get to point my finger at one Congressman – mine. He can be sure I’ll give it to him.

Nice to have Bill Clinton agree with me

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

“I’m afraid the Democrats will draw the conclusion that because Congressman Ryan’s proposal is not the right one, that we shouldn’t do anything. I completely disagree with that,” - Bill Clinton.

Social Security

Friday, October 29th, 2010

US citizens not only live longer they are taking their Social Security earlier. This means the Federal Goverment/taxpayers will need to cover their social security for an increasingly long span of time even while they become a larger share of the population and a greater burden.

I’ll be eligible to take early retirement in a little over two years. Somebody stop me before my fellow old codgers and I ruin our Grandchildren. Quick, sign them up for the Future Tea Partiers of America.

Shame on Baby Boomers

Friday, January 12th, 2007

Amen to Newsweek’s Robert Samuelson