I am almost 50 years old. i have been paying into Social Security since days after turning 14

[maui902]

44. What do you propose, then,

That has any chance of getting enough votes to change the status quo (sequestration), which will, unless some bipartisan deal is reached in the future, automatically lead to higher taxes for everyone, and significant cuts to social programs (including, for instance, no extension of unemployment benefits for millions of unemployed Americans beginning January 1, 2013), and in my opinion, shared by many economists, an increase in joblessness and a much greater chance of a double dip recession? If the goal is to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years, and your proposal relies solely on additional taxes and cutting defense spending (or relatively drastic cuts in non-defense spending based programs assuming zero cuts to entitlement programs), do you believe there is a realistic chance of obtaining enough Republican support to pass the legislation required to effect that proposal? Because, respectfully, I don't. And worse yet, if Democrats overplay this hand now, it is likely, in my view, to lead to losses in Democratic seats in the 2014 Congressional elections.