[Azred]

Originally Posted by robertthebard The problem with Social Security is that I paid into the system to have that money when I retired. I said this in another topic, but go ahead and stop paying mine, right after you cut a check for what I paid in my whole working life, with interest, and do the same for everyone else that's paid in. Do this, and immediately stop pulling Soc Sec out of the workforce's pay. Do you see the problem here? Social Security, as it was originally written up, is not an entitlement. Food Stamps for that 19 year old girl with 3 kids that simply can't keep her pants on, that's an entitlement. Paying her rent, even if she's living with her mother, that's an entitlement. Paying her health care is an entitlement. Paying money back to people that paid it to you in good faith as a retirement fund, that is not an entitlement, other than they are entitled to get the money they paid back.

Make no mistake about it--I am in total agreement with you. I was merely hyptothesizing that no one is going to be able to resolve our budget problems without extreme draconian measures of some sort. No matter what solution of this type is presented, it will be bad in the short term even if the long term goal is acceptable.

I, myself, would love to have only the principal I have paid into Social Security during my working life (the government may keep the interest on the principal for free), stop withholding that deduction from my paychecks, and then I will never take a single dime from it for as long as I live. I really do wish I could opt out.

Does anyone else think we are already past the point of no return, or am I alone in this?