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I believe if you check civilizations record you will find the human population has steadily risen. Joel Send a noteboard - 04/03/2013 05:08:38 AM

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Social Security was NEVER sustainable. The sustainability of the program when it was presented was an illusion. Its sustainability was based on the US population increasing WITHOUT END. This is a complete physical impossibility, not to mention contrary to all the recorded history of advancing civilizations. It is not now, nor was it ever, a perpetually sustainable program, BECAUSE it is structured as a Ponzi. As long as there is no capital investment and growth, it can not survive, PERIOD. It is simple math (though with VERY big numbers).

A secondary argument against the program is that it is a VERY bad program (just how bad it is becomes hidden behind those same really big numbers). For every person you can point to and say "see it helped this person" or "It kept that person out of poverty" I can point to that same person and run the numbers for them and show you how much money they COULD HAVE HAD instead with a real investment plan. It is a very basic time/value of money calculation.

With the exception of a few first generation SS retiree recipients everyone else for the last 65 years has been hosed.


I believe you will also find the number of people too young, old and/or disabled to work has almost invariably been only a tiny fraction of those who are not.
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This message last edited by Joel on 04/03/2013 at 05:09:04 AM
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Can You Name the Largest US Program to ANNUALLY Collect More Than It Spent for 75 Straight Years? Joel - 28/02/2013 11:03:18 PM 1347 Views
Medicare? *NM* Aisha - 28/02/2013 11:38:22 PM 540 Views
No, Medicare has only been around about half as long. Joel - 28/02/2013 11:56:32 PM 843 Views
Medicare has its own problems, and caused many more. You really do not want to have this debate. HyogaRott - 03/03/2013 03:03:15 PM 770 Views
No, I do not, because Medicare and torts are invariably scapegoated for all problems with healthcare Joel - 04/03/2013 12:52:37 AM 829 Views
I can argue with anyone on this (and have) btut first we need to break out that dictionary HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 04:45:06 AM 753 Views
I am sure you can and have; ability to form arguments does not automatically grant them validity. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:11 PM 819 Views
Like I said, short conversation, once everyone uses the same definitions. HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 03:28:52 PM 819 Views
From the way you're shitting yourself with glee, I'm going to say Social Security. Cannoli - 01/03/2013 12:45:50 AM 940 Views
Hot dog, we have a wiener! Joel - 01/03/2013 01:40:18 AM 878 Views
Also unlike Ponzis, Social Security was not meant to profit—it just did anyway. For 75 years. Joel - 01/03/2013 01:55:46 AM 786 Views
It is a "Ponzi" by definition, any argument to the contrary just makes you look ignorant. HyogaRott - 02/03/2013 12:02:46 PM 854 Views
Wait: An insurer is saying insurance is a Ponzi scheme? Joel - 04/03/2013 12:56:30 AM 819 Views
You are making even lese sense than usual... Quite an acomplishment. *NM* HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 03:31:39 AM 506 Views
Maybe, but my math usually checks, and I never have to explain what I omitted. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:55:50 PM 907 Views
My math ALWAYS "checks" - it isn't personal, you are just making absolutely no sense, *NM* HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 03:27:11 PM 444 Views
It's the world's greatest Ponzi scheme, since the government forces us to give money to it. Anonymous2000 - 01/03/2013 01:05:05 PM 783 Views
Yes, "government forcing people to give money" defines a Ponzi; speeding tickets are Ponzis. Joel - 01/03/2013 03:53:02 PM 885 Views
Good lord my friend..... Anonymous2000 - 02/03/2013 04:19:35 AM 818 Views
I will just link what Isaac said; maybe then you will pay attention to it. Joel - 02/03/2013 04:56:34 AM 862 Views
I really think you terribly misread what I said *NM* Isaac - 02/03/2013 06:59:56 AM 451 Views
Yes he did. He has very poor reading comprehension skills. *NM* Anonymous2000 - 03/03/2013 01:07:59 AM 474 Views
I really do not think I did. Joel - 04/03/2013 01:43:02 AM 897 Views
I'm pretty confident you have Isaac - 04/03/2013 11:49:19 AM 878 Views
We evidently disagree on what constitutes a Ponzi scheme. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:27 PM 808 Views
No, I agree with a clear definiton, you seem not to want to absorb that Isaac - 11/03/2013 10:24:47 PM 952 Views
It is neither an investment nor fraudulent. Joel - 12/03/2013 02:34:09 AM 1023 Views
Re: Yes, "government forcing people to give money" defines a Ponzi; speeding tickets are Ponzis. HyogaRott - 02/03/2013 12:22:34 PM 876 Views
Fraud="money contributed is NOT invested for the contributor, but instead redistributed to others"? Joel - 04/03/2013 12:51:30 AM 807 Views
You can try and misrepresent what I have said all you want, you are still wrong. HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 03:45:24 AM 883 Views
Dude, how is QUOTING you misrepresenting you?! And why must I ALWAYS ask that in these threads? Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:18 PM 846 Views
Well, can you get more wrong? HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 03:45:08 PM 764 Views
Okay, that's a really weird or naive standard to judge SS by Isaac - 01/03/2013 05:25:11 PM 829 Views
Great; will you put that on a postcard to Cannoli, A2K, Rick Perry and the rest of your party? Joel - 01/03/2013 07:39:44 PM 852 Views
I don't think I'd be telling them anything they don't already know... I mostly agree with them Isaac - 02/03/2013 05:38:56 AM 963 Views
Means testing is flat out WRONG, and the contribution limit is a sticky debate HyogaRott - 02/03/2013 12:43:09 PM 784 Views
Tell that to him not me, I didn't express an opinion and my implied one obviously doesn't favor it Isaac - 02/03/2013 05:28:14 PM 904 Views
I was, I just hit the repy under the wrong post. He was the first to bering the two topics up. *NM* HyogaRott - 03/03/2013 04:09:34 AM 443 Views
It is insurance against old age poverty, not a longevity lottery. Joel - 04/03/2013 02:00:24 AM 881 Views
It is not insurance, it is a pension plan, that also contains an overpriced LT disability insurance. HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 04:00:42 AM 886 Views
Social Security Insurance; says so right on the label. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:53:33 PM 1024 Views
You can call it BedroomWindowVitamins but it does not change what it acutally IS. HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 04:34:42 PM 801 Views
"Sustainable"=/="profitable;" bankruptcy was not always a given, as your fellows claim.. Joel - 04/03/2013 01:35:04 AM 785 Views
Sustainable often means profitable, they are not universally synonmous but both at once is ideal Isaac - 04/03/2013 12:25:45 PM 776 Views
That is the IDEAL, but NOT point: Sustainability needs no profit, yet profit ensures sustainability. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:48 PM 1238 Views
Your attacks on republican ideals would have more credit if you understood them random thoughts - 02/03/2013 04:27:34 AM 842 Views
An ironic charge, since their defenses of those ideals typically suffer from the same defect. Joel - 02/03/2013 04:51:32 AM 819 Views
I'm rubber you're glue, whatever you say bounces of me and sticks to you. nyah, nyah, nyah HyogaRott - 02/03/2013 12:58:10 PM 753 Views
"Unsustainable"=/="meeting monthly obligations for 75 YEARS and still having $2.5 trillion left." Joel - 04/03/2013 01:03:09 AM 876 Views
Please look up the definition of sustainable. Hint: "its worked so far" isn't it. HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 04:25:19 AM 841 Views
"As it is currently constructed/funded" is one HELL of a qualifier. Joel - 04/03/2013 04:41:30 AM 903 Views
You just don't get it, or apparently are so in love with your political ideology you won't. HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 04:58:15 AM 707 Views
I believe if you check civilizations record you will find the human population has steadily risen. Joel - 04/03/2013 05:08:38 AM 796 Views
*sigh* HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 12:15:22 PM 769 Views
Birth RATES have fallen; POPULATION steadily rose in every period except the Black Deaths peak. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:36 PM 1040 Views
Re: Declining birth rates are the key HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 04:47:41 PM 873 Views
Ironic that you would make my point while arguing against random thoughts - 04/03/2013 06:12:29 PM 722 Views
? Joel - 11/03/2013 09:56:59 PM 885 Views
you mistate his posistion and then rationalize that you know what he really meant random thoughts - 13/03/2013 12:06:44 PM 735 Views
aH yes the great liberal investmetn/retirement plan that offers me a NEGATIGVE rate of return... HyogaRott - 02/03/2013 11:51:50 AM 754 Views
Do you sincerely believe people earning $14,560/year can afford investing 4% of it? Joel - 04/03/2013 12:53:30 AM 916 Views
*sigh* HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 03:43:08 AM 752 Views
I tried it with compound interest; $44.80/month at 4% for 50 years still does not get to $1.25 mill. Joel - 04/03/2013 04:24:51 AM 824 Views
Here are some clues. HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 04:37:39 AM 695 Views
It is math, not the Riddle of the Sphinx: EIther it adds up or does not. Joel - 04/03/2013 05:02:39 AM 839 Views
Math is simple - Either you know how to calculate it or you don't HyogaRott - 04/03/2013 11:55:24 AM 922 Views
Indeed. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:53:59 PM 834 Views
Re: Indeed. HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 05:00:10 PM 995 Views
SS is supposed to supplement a proper pension, not provide your sole income after retirement moondog - 05/03/2013 03:53:03 AM 707 Views
Did you bother to actually read anything? HyogaRott - 05/03/2013 02:32:16 PM 776 Views
do *YOU* know what "living in poverty" means? moondog - 05/03/2013 05:49:14 PM 841 Views
Re: do *YOU* know what "living in poverty" means? --- yeah, I've BEEN there. HyogaRott - 05/03/2013 08:01:33 PM 810 Views
how about respond to a post with logic and civility instead of being a troll for once? moondog - 05/03/2013 11:03:00 PM 908 Views
All I have used is civility and logic, or least as much civility as was warrented. HyogaRott - 06/03/2013 04:28:04 AM 851 Views
yeah, it's my fault for stooping to your level.... moondog - 08/03/2013 07:22:24 PM 895 Views
Re: yeah, it's my fault for stooping to your level.... HyogaRott - 10/03/2013 01:42:26 PM 769 Views
i'm not going to keep going in circles so i will finish with this.... moondog - 11/03/2013 10:08:53 PM 1090 Views
No loss. HyogaRott - 13/03/2013 04:37:41 PM 704 Views
"Rah! Rah! Rah!" Can we please cut out all this blather and bile? Stephen - 05/03/2013 11:53:41 PM 779 Views
spoken like a true enemy of the state! moondog - 06/03/2013 12:54:38 AM 749 Views
Re: spoken like a true enemy of the state! Stephen - 08/03/2013 03:04:37 PM 801 Views
I was not trolling, but clarifying. Joel - 11/03/2013 09:53:48 PM 835 Views
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