General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Ok.. Fuck You Lawrence O'Donnell and MSNBC [View all]Larkspur
(12,804 posts)were made or what assumptions were held when they made them.
In the 1980's, SS had to change to pay for the Baby Boomers and their parents generations. WE Baby Boomers accepted the increase in SS tax. Raising the age to 67 from 65 was under the assumption that SS would be 1 of 3 legs of retirement funds for working Americans and that Americans would be living longer. But today, most Americans only have SS and are not living longer than their parents. The wealthy are living long but not the working poor nor the middle class. Unlike, when Tip O'Neil was Speaker of the House, today's workers are either losing their pensions or not getting one to begin with. So that leaves 401ks, which were just beginning at the time of that SS change, and SS for retirement savings for American workers. With the recent economic disaster, many working Americans have devoured their 401ks so now only have SS to look forward to.
O'Donnell has always been a shill for the Dem Establishment. He began his career as an aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY). He served him from 1989 - 1995. From 1993 to 1995 O'Donnell was Staff Director for the Senate Finance Committee.
While I agree that SS has been changed in the past and that there were benefit cuts to retirees, SS was also expanded to include disabled Americans and widows/widowers and their children. Just ask Paul Ryan about the SS benefit checks he got after his father died. I got them because my father died when I was 2.5 years old.
I challenge O'Donnell to invite Sen. Bernie Sanders on his show to debate SS cuts.