Pandering to Geezers
It's a bipartisan problem.
Steve Chapman | October 14, 2010
With less than three weeks to go before Election Day, we can't be certain who will emerge with control of Congress. We can be certain, though, about what the party that wins will do with its power: suck up to Granny.
We know that because candidates are wearing themselves out screaming hysterically at their opponents for allegedly suggesting anyone with white hair should ever be asked to sacrifice in the interest of fiscal balance, economic vitality, or national survival. Not, by the way, that their opponents have actually made any such suggestions.
Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Ill., has an ad in which one old person after another angrily scolds her Republican opponent, Adam Kinzinger, for proposing to raise the retirement age. Their thoughtful critiques include such lines as "Don't you dare!" and "Keep your hands off my Social Security!"
But Kinzinger is not putting his hands on the benefits of frail little old ladies like those seen in this commercial. His stated idea is to gradually increase the future retirement age "to take into account increases in longevity"—not to force 80-year-olds back into the coal mines. No one is talking about increasing the age of eligibility for those already retired or anywhere close to retirement.
Halvorson depicts the very idea as an atrocity that she and her party would never consider. As it happens, though, House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland gave a speech in June asserting that "we could and should consider a higher retirement age, or one pegged to lifespan."
Democrats are not alone in their pandering to retirement home residents. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), who is running for the Senate against state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, attacks the Obama administration for a health care plan that includes "$500 billion in cuts for seniors, who depend on Medicare."
If you are a normal person, you may assume that these cuts mean the government will be spending far less on Medicare benefits. But normal ways of thinking do not apply in the political arena. In truth, those benefits will keep growing at a brisk clip. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that in the next decade, Medicare outlays will increase by 76 percent. Spending per recipient will rise by 36 percent. That sound you hear is the world's smallest violin.
Kirk neglects to mention that even some Republicans favor moderating the growth of (aka "cutting") Medicare spending. Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, one of the party's young visionaries, proposes to save money by replacing the existing entitlement with vouchers, so retirees can buy private coverage.
- rest at http://reason.com/archives/2010/10/14/pandering-to-geezers
Pandering to Geezers
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by KenH, Oct 14, 2010.
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The violin is playing for the majority party.
Unfairly perhaps but the public perception is that they are primarily responsible for the recent 2011 COLA denial (second time around).
HankD -
Geezers always vote and control the money. Young people seldom vote and can't control much of anything.
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It's amazing what can be bought for $250. Take thousands from people year after year and then give them back a couple of hundred and some of them will consider it as manna from heaven! It's cheap and it's wrong but it's worked before for the politicians.
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Part of it has to do with the disconnect that exists regarding Social Security. People think in terms of individual--I put money in for years--now it's time for me to get mine out.
Unfortunately, since it's a Ponzi scheme, the money's not there--it's already been squandered. Furthermore, since it's a collectivist scheme, there is no "my money." It's the government's--and due to economics, demographics, and government greed & mismanagement (not to mention the government allowing the misperceptions about Social Security)--there's some upset folks afoot.
When I get to "geezerhood," it should be an easier task for government: There won't be any SS, and by then, Medicaire failure and bankruptcy will be a distant memory. -
BTW...you realize this thread is "old news," don't you?
(rim shot) -
The problem is, there is a group of politicians who teaches basically that you are greedy. You are greedy because you work hard to earn your own money, and you diligently save and invest your money. That is not fair to all those folks who do not have money like you. Never mind that these folks do not like to work, and that when they do have money they often waste it away quickly on friviolous pleasures.
The solution to these politicians is to take your money that you worked for and give it to those who did not work for it. Take illegal immigrants. They can come across the border and get health care free of charge. Then there are millions of folks on welfare who get not only free healthcare, but foodstamps and very low cost housing. You on the other hand very likely pay for a health plan through your employer. Your health care is not free. Your food is not free. You pay full price for your mortgage or rent.
But health care is not free. It takes many millions of dollars to build a hospital and provide it with all the necessary equipment and even food to feed perhaps thousands of people each day. The expenses an average hospital spends would be mind-boggling to the average person. Then they have to pay the salaries for nurses and doctors, and even those folks who maintain the hospital or make all those meals. They can't work for free, they have homes and families to take care of just like you. And they are working for their money, just like you.
So, why should anybody get this service for free? They shouldn't, and truth is they can't. All these expenses have to be paid for. And guess where they get the money? From you.
That's right, they take the money from hard working persons like yourself. Those illegal immigrants aren't paying for it, and folks on welfare are not paying for it either. So, they get it from you in the form of increased insurance premiums and increased taxes out of your paycheck.
But these politcians who take all your money aren't all that worried about it. Most of them are very wealthy. They can easily afford their own healthcare. They simply want to get reelected. And guess who they depend upon to get them reelected term after term? Why, those folks getting all those free services. Why do you think some are trying to give amnesty and citizenship to illegal immigrants? To get millions of votes, that's why.
And that is the whole deal right there. These folks aren't concerned about folks like you who work. They want to take your hard earned money and give it to others to buy their vote to keep them in office.
And it works too.
And oh, these folks villanize the wealthy. You know, those folks who worked very hard for many years, saved every penny and then often took huge risks in starting their own business. Then they hired you and gave you a job.
Ever have an illegal immigrant give you a job? Ever have somebody on welfare give you a job? Ever have one of these fat cat liberal politicians give you a job?
No, it was those horrible rich people who worked hard, saved and invested, and started a successful business that gave you a job.
But oh, they are evil, they are greedy. Nevermind that they provide hundreds if not thousands of people an honest job so they can earn an honest living.
Yep, just keep voting for those liberal politicians and watch your insurance and taxes keep going up and your paycheck shrinking. And they will increase taxes and regulations on your employer until your employer is faced to lay you off or close up shop.
But don't worry, you can get along quite well if you know how to work the system and your conscience doesn't bother you. -
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I know a person who lives in low cost housing, but it is a very nice 3 bedroom apartment with heat and hot water included. This person pays less than $500 a month. They also get free healthcare for their children and foodstamps. This person works part time, otherwise they would not qualify for these benefits. This person paid no federal or state taxes whatsoever.
Guess how much federal tax refund they got this year?
Over $7,000!!
Now, why should someone who paid no taxes whatsoever get a refund of over $7,000? And where do you think this money came from?
I am not making this up, I know this for a FACT.
Is it right they should take money out of hard working honest people's paychecks to give to someone working the system?
Look, let me keep my money I worked for and I'll spend plenty of it. And if those people who are getting your's and my money for free go out and get a job, they will have plenty of money to spend too. Do you realize there would be far more money in the economy if they did this? When everybody works there is increased demand.
Taking money out of my pocket and giving it to someone else does not increase demand. Sure, they spend, but I have less to spend.
If everybody paid for their own health insurance, then rates go down. But when you and I have to support others who are not putting money into the system, rates go up.
Bet you never really thought about it this way, did you? -
Double post
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Welfare is merely a transfer of wealth from one person to another. The people who paid the taxes to provide the funds for welfare would have spent it or invested it too.
The transfer of money from taxpayers to the welfare class adds nothing to the economy.
Mexican immigrants sent 17 billion dollars back to Mexico in 2005. I have no doubt that it is even more this year.
All of that money being sent back to Mexico adds nothing to the economy - worse it is a drain on the economy.