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Some points.
1) Actually, it's not certain if you will get back more or less money because you don't know how long you will live. If you live to 90+, you will probably pull more out of social security than you put in.

2) You don't know that there will not be a 1931 or 2000 level stock crash right as you retire, wiping out your benefits and leaving you to starve (which is what the state SHOULD do if you opt out of the state's contract).

3) You don't know you wouldn't outlive your savings. You don't know you would not get an illness or accidentally kill someone and lose all of your savings.

4) I do not see why the rich should inherently pay MORE than a fixed amount. A "flat tax" could just as easily be "2000 dollars per person". I know some rich people pay little tax- usually because they own a lot of tax-free bonds- but those who are earning money already pay the vast majority of our national tax bill.

5) I agree that it is wrong that congress is spending money they should be setting aside.

6) The current SS is a massive wealth transfer to the poor. People who do pay the maximum rate are not getting an appropriate amount of benefits. People who barely qualify (10 years work) get a lot more than the put in. But the deal is- we all share the load and support a minimum poverty standard of living for our poor.

---

All that being said. I'm FOR allowing us to slide SOME of our retirement from SS into a private savings account provided that:

1) You can't lose the account through bankruptcy.
2) You can't be SUED for the money in your retirement account, leaving you a ward of the state (in other words, leaving ME to pay for YOUR retirement).
3) You can't touch the account except to take the money out at a measured rate after retirement age.

I would support everyone having the choice to put from 1% to 5% of their income into such a fund.
Posted by: maxo_z   Posted on: 01/30/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Who gives a @#$% about the Spanish American war!  Jeff Spicoli | 01/28/05
You never know  Bill4 | 01/28/05
Los conquiscadores!! (NT)  Hugh Jass | 01/28/05
Bwahahahaha!! Precisely dude!  Jeff Spicoli | 01/29/05
Just more evidence  frgough@... | 01/29/05
Yeah, just like temp troop takeup, temp "Patriot" Act..  Jeff Spicoli | 01/29/05
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!  Linux User 147560 | 01/28/05
RE: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!"  ajapierce | 01/28/05
So kill the rich  Linux User 147560 | 01/28/05
Carp happens!  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
I like the flat tax idea also.  el1jones | 01/29/05
Look at the numbers  seosamh_z | 01/29/05
Bill Gates SS  maxo_z | 01/29/05
Isn't that what SS does to the rest of us?  enduser_z | 01/29/05
Thanks for making my point  seosamh_z | 01/30/05
Some points.  maxo_z | 01/30/05
As long as its a TRANSACTION tax  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
And you took statistics from where?  AbsolutelyNot | 01/31/05
http://fairtax.org/  sullivanjc | 01/31/05
Yes, but NOT a sales tax  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
sales transaction income  hipparchus2000 | 01/31/05
Not Exactly  Roger Ramjet | 02/01/05
Flat Taxes  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/31/05
TRANSACTION tax  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
"tax management industry is a multi-billion industry, and vested interests"  hipparchus2000 | 01/31/05
YOU WILL NOT TAX MY DATA  Jim@... | 01/28/05
Expect more taxes like this  mvaar | 01/28/05
Inevitability.  Letophoro | 01/28/05
its through indirect taxes that governments control behaviour  hipparchus2000 | 01/29/05
I agree  alan-white | 01/31/05
Yes, interesting!  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
You obviously have no military experience  Linux User 147560 | 01/31/05
Missed the point  Roger Ramjet | 02/01/05
set up an alternative web through WiFi  hipparchus2000 | 01/29/05
Great idea except...  Linux User 147560 | 01/29/05
huh?  hipparchus2000 | 01/29/05
I guess this is the Iraq War Tax now?  BitTwiddler | 01/29/05
No, the unborn have to pay for that (NT)  seosamh_z | 01/29/05
Yes and no my friend....for "IF" you think in SANE  Laff | 01/30/05
Realistically  seosamh_z | 01/30/05
Heh heh heh....reality? Silly....:)  Laff | 01/31/05
yes it is worrying  hipparchus2000 | 01/31/05
Go Figure...  DragonBRockin | 01/29/05
DON'T WORRY--THIS ARTICLE IS BOGUS  zippety | 01/29/05
Not gonna pass  CobraA1 | 01/30/05
What ever happened to REAL Republicans?  Laff | 01/30/05
They became Libertarians  Linux User 147560 | 01/30/05
And libertarianism is unrealistic given any concentration of wealth.  maxo_z | 01/30/05
One single tax  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
Would that also get rid of all fee's as well as Taxes?  Laff | 01/31/05
Nope  Roger Ramjet | 02/01/05
The tentacles of totalitarianism [NT]  Omch'Ar | 01/30/05
Internet Tax ... more indirect taxes...  gmmonko | 01/30/05
Just in time for the steamroller  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
Huh? What is that?  Laff | 01/31/05
The MESH  Roger Ramjet | 01/31/05
Anything that keeps Big Brother out of my life is COOL!  Laff | 01/31/05
Let's be honest here ...  mwagner@... | 01/31/05
Outside of the Liberal box  Progress_z | 01/31/05
Funny...I always thought that  Laff | 01/31/05
look at the whole picture ladyes!  webblogger | 01/31/05
we want honesty. Not these damn stealth taxes  hipparchus2000 | 01/31/05
It had to eventually happen  jwschull@... | 01/31/05
Tax What???  alan-white | 01/31/05
Congress doing a tax raise.  Ernest of Canada | 01/31/05
3% communication tax  unknownmee@... | 01/31/05
Taxing the internet?  James Mitchem | 01/31/05
When is this Tax supposed to end  D93328 | 02/01/05
Federal Excise Tax  manitto | 05/30/05

What do you think?

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