Social Security's Death Warrant Was Just Signed -- Are You Ready?

[CousinIT]

https://hartmannreport.com/p/social-securitys-death-warrant-was-45f

Republicans and their morbidly rich donors have hated Social Security ever since it was first created in 1935. They’ve called it everything from communism to socialism to a Ponzi scheme.

In fact, it has been the most successful anti-poverty program in the history of America, one now emulated by virtually every democracy in the world.

But the rightwing billionaires hate it for several reasons.

The first and most important reason is that it demonstrates that government can actually work for people and society: That then provides credibility for other government programs that billionaires hate even more, like regulating their pollution, breaking up their monopolies, making their social media platforms less toxic, and preventing them from ripping off average American consumers.

. . .

By firing thousands of employees, their evil plan is to make interacting with Social Security such a difficult and painful process — involving months to make an appointment and hours or even days just to get someone on the telephone — that retired Americans will get angry with the government and begin to listen to Republicans and Wall Street bankers who tell us they should run the system. . . .

MORE at link: https://hartmannreport.com/p/social-securitys-death-warrant-was-45f

[Irish_Dem]

1. The goal is to privatize SS with very high management costs.

The billionaires will charge us at least 20% to manage SS.

Now the cost is less than 1% to manage the SS fund.
Very efficient.

This will mean a big reduction in our monthly payments.

They will do the same with Medicare.

[Kid Berwyn]

2. "We'll pour your profits into our pockets."

"You taxpayers are so lucky."

[Irish_Dem]

3. Us govt will scam us every day.

[CousinIT]

5. Not really the government. Rather, the billionaires who now control it. nt

[Irish_Dem]

9. Putin and the billionaires are now the US govt.

[markodochartaigh]

27. With Medicare it starts with "Medicare" Advantage

and they are already well on their way. There are slightly more people on "Medicare" Advantage insurance plans than on actual Medicare. And, of course, because of administrative overhead and profit, the "Medicare" Advantage insurance plans cost the government far more, not to mention the fraud.

[Irish_Dem]

28. Yes we will now all be ripped off by the Advantage obvious scam.

Those of us who did not fall for that scam in the first place will be forced into it.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

33. I know, the Advantage Plans are so terrible.

I have one with no additional charge to me, and about three years ago I paid some seventy-five dollars for everything connected to a broken arm. Instead of several hundred that it would have been without my plan.

Honestly, I do not understand why some people are so opposed to Advantage Plans. Try one. You might like it.

[Sibelius Fan]

40. Agree. My wife had eye surgery last week on both eyes. Cataracts and new lenses.

Cost was around $12,000. Our KP Medicare Advantage copay was $0. What a rip-off!

[Emile]

4. A national 401k will replace SS. The new Advantage Plan

for social security.

[CousinIT]

6. And when SHitler and other idiot MAGAt *residents in the future trash the economy..

....we're all fucked.

[Emile]

8. If enough people who are still working elect to

opt out of SS for the National 401k plan, social security will wither and die on the vine rather quickly.

This must be stopped.

[doc03]

10. I had a 401k but when the company I worked for shut down in

2009 when I was 62 and my 401k was at rock bottom. I was lucky I could live on my defined benefit pension and SS without cashing
out my 401k. I retired and put my 401k into a rollover IRA, since then my balance has tripled even though I have been making
RMD withdrawals for several years. A 401 k can be great, but it is a gamble, you can't always pick when you will need the income.
I am concerned what President Musk may do with the PBGC that guarantees our defined benefit plans.

[DENVERPOPS]

20. I remember when Reagan

and the Corporations got rid of Corporate Retirement plans. The Corporations donated a certain amount to each employees Corporate retirement fund.......the employee could also put money in......
Then, so the they could avoid paying their full contribution to the employee retirement fund, Reagan offered Fed Retirement Fund insurance the Corporation could buy. It was far cheaper than the amount they contributed to the employees Corporate Retirement fund. That way, if a corporation went bust, and then the Corporations Retirement Fund would go bust, the Feds would come in and provide the retirement for the employees. Only problem was, that the amount they payed into the Fed insurance was such a pittance that as the Corps started going bust in the 90's the Fund was only able to provide enough for the first one or two corps that went bust.
The corporations were crying all the way to the bank.
The PTB then decided the employees should invest in their retirement money in a 401K, etc, stock market rather than the "corp" retirement funds. The amount being paid to employees by the Corporations Retirement Fund had far greater than what the private market investments provided.....But the Stock marketeers enjoyed the incredible increase.....

[FakeNoose]

30. But the plan is to exclude everyone THEY DON'T LIKE!

The idea of a "national 401K plan" wouldn't be so bad, if every American (or at least every working American) were to be included in the benefits. But that's not what the billionaires want to do. They want to pick and choose the lucky ones who benefit, and all the rest are screwed.

I say it's time we bring back the guillotines from the French Revolution. I'm so done with billionaires and oligarchs.

[Emile]

32. Post #8 Their plan on how to destroy SS.

[BBbats]

12. Only if we are allowed to have an election.

And if that election isn't hacked.

[dchill]

22. Ay, there's the rub.

[Wednesdays]

13. "...we will have 70 Democrats in the Senate for a generation..."

Not as long as there's Faux Noise and talk radio telling everyone it's all the Democrats' fault.

[CousinIT]

15. Fux Noose will scream that it's "fraud!" (which it is but coming from "DOGE" not Social Security)

And they'll blame Democrats, too.

[kimbutgar]

18. Oh please make it so!

[Hope22]

19. Well you are wishing misery on 70 million people.

The fix is simple. Extend the income limit on SS withholding. People making 30k pay tax on their whole income. It’s crazy to think some making 400k deserves a break. Small business owners pay double so I have no sympathy. Crashing a system that works is so Republican!

[Hope22]

41. Ok but throwing it out to the universe can sometimes backfire.

These people love to cause pain wherever they can.

[S/V Loner]

11. Peter Thiel - "I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible."

This is all about Corporate governance of the Nation. They will not give that up without a bloody fight.
I’m 71 and if there is anything I hate about this country is that very little is done for the citizens without profits fitting somewhere in the analysis.

[CousinIT]

16. Which is why what pissy little social safety nets we have are being destroyed now, too.

So they can be monetized to enrich billionaires.

[BrianTheEVGuy]

34. He is ridiculous

Without democracy you cannot have freedom. The alternative is authoritarianism — he is being Orwellian (“authoritarianism is freedom!”)

[S/V Loner]

37. Yes he is but he is serious. That's why...

he funded his mole Vance.
Trump will be gone soon and his buddy will take over. People like Thiel do not let loose cannons manage their business.

[kimbutgar]

17. How many of those senior magaloons are gong to experience pain from the orange Hitler and be ok with it!

I am so angry now. I’ve worked since I was 17 and was planning on getting it next year now I’m screwed and also not getting Medicare.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

21. Let's just establish as an absolute fact that Social Security is non-negotiable.

That will make enforcing the decision simpler.

[Martin Eden]

25. The biggest change needed is to LIFT THE CAP

Currently, the rich are paying a much smaller percent of their income into Social Security.

Lifting the cap would make SS solvent far beyond what is currently projected.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

29. Absolutely. Redistributive mechanisms are proven benefits to the economy.

It's a travesty that programs like this are forced to limit their distributive impact for corrupt political reasons.

[Skittles]

42. the greedy old pig party will NEVER do that

NOPE

[Emile]

38. Hartmann is a DUer

[Martin Eden]

24. Privatization means SHAREHOLDER VALUE is the highest priority

In other words PROFITS FOR THE RICH who own the corporation running the business.

And just like private health insurance, DENIAL OF BENEFITS improves the profot margin.

[Abstractartist]

26. Anyone

Anyone who screws with social security will sign his/ her political and possible personal death warranty. Screwing with SS has been a no no in congress, and will be protected. These lifelong criminals… uggg sorry, politicians are really deep down scared shitless over what the fringe right and left would do if their grandparents, parents, or their own SS gets cut or pushed into a deep ditch. They see how much support this young kid who is accused of killing the United Healthcare CEO is getting, and they know if their name is connected to cutting Social Security, they could be in the same situation.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

31. The R-Thugs just want us to work 'till both feet are in the grave.

That's it in a nutshell.

But just before that point, we must be sure to transfer ownership of all our assets to private equity.


KY........

[JohnnyRingo]

35. I'm 71 and I'm living as fast as I can.

I feel for my extended family though. Half in dire need of social services and the other half that think they don't have to worry about it. They voted for the guy.

[Mr.Bee]

36. I Live On Social Security

because I believed in this country.
That this country would care for its citizens who are retired.
That this country would care for citizens who worked for their defense contractors.
Who worked in the computer industry to forward all the nice technology used daily.
Who paid into their Social Security all their lives.
Who use their Social Security to support this country's economy.