$45 trillion gap seen in US benefits

[GaryC 7]

Yeah, the root of all evil, people with more money than you. I say great job,others say "fckin rich #######"

The root of all evil, in this case, is poor use of taxpayer money. Federal tax revenues are actually quite large, it should be used in a more judicious manner than it is today.

Troll I totally agree! But unicare isnt judicious.

I'm not advocating unicare. I'm advocating catastrophe care. This is a wealthy country, we can easily afford to take care of people fighting for their lives after an auto accident or similar emergency without them having to worry about spending the rest of their lives in debt or with bankruptcy-tarnished credit history. I am NOT advocating free flu shots for all.

I am also advocating that seniors who have enough to pay their way with their pensions and 401ks, etc., should have their SS benefits cut. There are better uses for the money.

JMHO.

I could go for your idea long before I would go for Unicare. But at what point would you cut it off? If you say the line is here then you will hear sob stories about someone that does not meet the qualifications. So in response they would lower the bar. In the end we would have unicare. You know how things work here.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'm not advocating unicare. I'm advocating catastrophe care. This is a wealthy country, we can easily afford to take care of people fighting for their lives after an auto accident or similar emergency without them having to worry about spending the rest of their lives in debt or with bankruptcy-tarnished credit history. I am NOT advocating free flu shots for all.

I am also advocating that seniors who have enough to pay their way with their pensions and 401ks, etc., should have their SS benefits cut. There are better uses for the money.

JMHO.

I could go for your idea long before I would go for Unicare. But at what point would you cut it off? If you say the line is here then you will hear sob stories about someone that does not meet the qualifications. So in response they would lower the bar. In the end we would have unicare. You know how things work here.

Drawing a line in the sand is always tricky. But this country should do it because it's the right thing to do. As long as people in auto accidents spend the rest of their lives worrying about the debt they've accumulated, it's unconscionable that we as a nation are using taxpayer dollars to fund cruises and trips to Las Vegas.

Will people stop whining? No. But should we let that stop us from doing what I strongly feel is the morally right thing to do?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Yeah, the root of all evil, people with more money than you. I say great job,others say "fckin rich #######"

The root of all evil, in this case, is poor use of taxpayer money. Federal tax revenues are actually quite large, it should be used in a more judicious manner than it is today.

Troll I totally agree! But unicare isnt judicious.

I'm not advocating unicare. I'm advocating catastrophe care. This is a wealthy country, we can easily afford to take care of people fighting for their lives after an auto accident or similar emergency without them having to worry about spending the rest of their lives in debt or with bankruptcy-tarnished credit history. I am NOT advocating free flu shots for all.

I am also advocating that seniors who have enough to pay their way with their pensions and 401ks, etc., should have their SS benefits cut. There are better uses for the money.

JMHO.

I could go for your idea long before I would go for Unicare. But at what point would you cut it off? If you say the line is here then you will hear sob stories about someone that does not meet the qualifications. So in response they would lower the bar. In the end we would have unicare. You know how things work here.

Thats exactly what would happen

[Dan J 277]

We already pay 16% of GDP (which is climbing) to take care of everyone. Right now, its not being paid by everyone (You can wipe out medical bills by declaring bankruptcy) and is overly expensive and inefficient (Too much money spent on advertising, executive compensation and other non-health care related costs).

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

Healthcare anyone?

Yeah, I think we should start another government program that we can't afford.

Government spending needs to be revamped and rethought from the ground up. Catastrophic health care coverage is actually a good use of government money. SS payments to wealthy old people who use the money to take cruises is not.

regardless of what you might think about that, they did pay into it. so what's the problem with them using the payments to "take cruises" if they want?

[no name 1]

Hey GWB thinks we are OK!

---

Bush reassures Americans about economy

President says country will overcome mortgage problems

Dec. 17: Speaking in Virginia to business and community leaders at a gathering of Rotary Club members, President Bush says that "the underpinning" of the economy "is good."

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - President Bush worked to reassure Americans on Monday about the economy but said "there's definitely some storm clouds and concern" because of the nation's credit crunch and mortgage problems.

"But the underpinning is good," Bush told business and community leaders at a gathering of Rotary Club members.

"We've had a pretty good economic run," the president said in a speech intended to show he is aware of the public's edgy mood these days. Consumer confidence has eroded as turmoil in the housing and credit market have battered the economy.

Bush tried to position himself as an advocate for working families by taking aim at his favorite target — the Democratic Congress.

"The Congress cannot take economic vitality for granted," Bush said.

"The most negative thing Congress can do in the face of economic uncertainty is to raise taxes on the American people," Bush said.

The audience of roughly 80 people listened to Bush with respectful silence. Yet a line that normally gets him applause — "I'll veto any tax increase" — drew no reaction at all.

Bush chose to highlight positive economic news, such as job growth. "People are working; productivity is high," Bush said.

He acknowledged the nation's major economic woes — mainly the housing and credit crunch — in the context of explaining what his administration is doing to help.

"We can mitigate some of the issues," Bush said.

"I just want to let you know we've got a strategy. And Congress can help," the president said, citing a list of bills he's proposed to lawmakers.

Bush spoke at the Yak-A-Doo's restaurant inside a Holiday Inn.

The White House wanted to keep the flavor of the local Rotary meeting, so there was no banner or backdrop. Bush was not even introduced; he just showed up, drawing a round of applause. The Christmas music being piped was not cut off until someone pointed that out.

The president watched silently as club members offered a truncated version of their normal business routine, offering the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer.

After months of bickering with Congress, Bush pronounced himself pleased with the shape of spending levels that Congress is expected to approve this week. He said any measure must include money for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We're making some pretty good progress toward coming up with a fiscally sound budget," Bush said. He said that the next couple of days "will be interesting to watch."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Healthcare anyone?

Yeah, I think we should start another government program that we can't afford.

Government spending needs to be revamped and rethought from the ground up. Catastrophic health care coverage is actually a good use of government money. SS payments to wealthy old people who use the money to take cruises is not.

regardless of what you might think about that, they did pay into it. so what's the problem with them using the payments to "take cruises" if they want?

That's the popular misconception with SS. You don't pay into it for yourself. You pay into it for current retirees. It's a pay as you go system.

What I'm advocating is that as the pool of current workers gets smaller in proportion with the pool of current retirees (baby boomer demographics), that we reapportion the increasingly smaller pool of contributions in a manner that benefits those who need it most.

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

Healthcare anyone?

Yeah, I think we should start another government program that we can't afford.

Government spending needs to be revamped and rethought from the ground up. Catastrophic health care coverage is actually a good use of government money. SS payments to wealthy old people who use the money to take cruises is not.

regardless of what you might think about that, they did pay into it. so what's the problem with them using the payments to "take cruises" if they want?

That's the popular misconception with SS. You don't pay into it for yourself. You pay into it for current retirees. It's a pay as you go system.

What I'm advocating is that as the pool of current workers gets smaller in proportion with the pool of current retirees (baby boomer demographics), that we reapportion the increasingly smaller pool of contributions in a manner that benefits those who need it most.

split hairs however you'd like, the fact remains they contibuted money into social security. i don't begrudge them receiving something after all those years of payments.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It's not splitting hairs. It's a basic fact of SS that many do not understand.

[Fandango 1,439]

Healthcare anyone?

Yeah, I think we should start another government program that we can't afford.

Government spending needs to be revamped and rethought from the ground up. Catastrophic health care coverage is actually a good use of government money. SS payments to wealthy old people who use the money to take cruises is not.

regardless of what you might think about that, they did pay into it. so what's the problem with them using the payments to "take cruises" if they want?

ex-freaking-zactly

Honestly, means testing SS is about the most ridiculous thing I've heard...did Fancypants hack G's acct?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Baby Boomers are selfish and their greed is going to destroy this nation.

[Fandango 1,439]

Baby Boomers are selfish and their greed is going to destroy this nation.

Didn't you have the Wall Street 'greed is good' siggy for a while?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It's not splitting hairs. It's a basic fact of SS that many do not understand.

I agree. It's like buying insurance. Wait a sec...that's why it's called SS....I? What a concept.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Baby Boomers are selfish and their greed is going to destroy this nation.

Go spend your own dam money! And quit tryin to spend mine.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Baby Boomers are selfish and their greed is going to destroy this nation.

Go spend your own dam money! And quit tryin to spend mine.

Mine, mine, mine. You need to be sent to communist retraining camp.