Why do Politicians want to privitize social security so badly?
353968
The Social Security crisis is not a myth, it's an inevitability of demographics that there will be more people drawing than paying in to it in the future.  The so called trust fund has been invested in very low yielding bonds for a long time, mostly so Congress could have access to the money to hide deficits (both parties share blame equally for this).  Generally speaking the average person  would be able to get a better return on on that money in a self directed IRA, 401K plan, or buying annuities.
734732
I only resent ignorant knucklehead's who's irresponsible actions waste our limited resources while giving back little, if anything in return, and the crooked politicians who's give away programs in exchange for their votes perpetuate the problem. Hey dude, if you work and take care of yourself and your family and help to pay for the services that we all enjoy as a civilized society you are ok with me. But don't expect me to embrace the people that cause the government to tell me they need me to  pay more in taxes for the mistakes or exclusive interests of others. That goes for the politicians too, and I don't care what their political affiliation is. The political hacks that sign off on $500 toilet seats, the ones that sneak excessive riders inside good legislative proposals inflating the cost to the tax payers while benefiting constituents of the person drafting such legislation. There is a long list of past and present politicians, and those yet to come who have, and will,  put their own special interests ahead of the common good of the country. One mans floor is another mans ceiling, and I like the idea that I, and not the government, should be in control of my own personal destiny and I should be able to earn as much money as I legally can without having the government progressivly over taxing my extra effort.
340953
Yes, Stupid,Why Do You Think They Invented Social Security # For
1152965
The Congressmen retain their present salary for life that a pool fund. This includes them even if they serve one term. They don't draw off the Social Security system but making $100,000+ a year plus benifits sure makes ya wonder why they don't work for us huh.But yet always blame the President for everything its called politics.
415178
They can't justify it that's why they do it, politicians are contrary creatures!\n\nActually, I agree with you, all governments seem to spend more money on stupid things than on something that's actually pertinant to their society!  I think there's a certain amount of one-up-manship, but perhaps also the fact that politicians are so well paid that they don't care about real issues, they just care about themselves!
461127
The one thing you are not factoring into your formula are the billions upon billions of investment dollars that the Boomers will soon be drawing out of retirement accounts. Most of that money will be taxable.\n\nBesides that fact, social security is not something guaranteed under the Constitution and should be done away with. The 10th Amendment states:\n\n"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."\n\nSocial security was an ill-thought out program rushed through Congress with FDR's New Deal. Many of the problems we face as a nation have their roots in the New Deal. Any governmental program that is based on open or enforced enrollment is doomed to fail at some point - the rolls just grow too large for the base to handle.\n\nWhat this country needs to do is teach people fiscal responsibility and how to prepare for their own retirement. PRIVATIZING social security is the first step. The program that was suggested was a mirror image of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) available to every Federal government employee. I have two such accounts (one for my civilian job and one for my National Guard job), and BOTH accounts have grown by an average of 60% over the last two years. They do not allow people to invest in whatever they want - contrary to what the Democrats and liberals would have you believe. They consist of five very structured mutual funds based on market indexes. If it is good enough for the President and for Congress, it is good enough for me.\n\nPhasing it in - as was proposed - is the right answer, too. It allows people to keep receiving social security benefits but eventually weans people off of the government rolls.\n\nThe irony of liberals and Democrats not supporting privatized social security is this: They are the first ones that claim you cannot trust the government, yet they want the entire nation to trust the government with their retirement.
1142927
Because our government isn't about alleviating poverty.  Its about getting government off the backs of the rich.
416759
It becomes an issue of public priority. There is an underlying American opinion that your supposed to be able to make it on your own if you work hard enough (even though this is some times a very silly theory in praxis). So theres a general discontent for things which some people see as freerider type things. You could argue there is probably a lack of empathy as many people favor as little government as possible by cutting social safety net programs for the poor. When people keep blaming the victim, these type of injustices occur. Not to mention there are quite a few government expenses that are on the board right now, so people who see us in a defecit think, well now certainly isnt the time to help these people out. It is certainly frusterating and sad but its a part of the american psyche and probably wont change any time soon.
586555
I think that, one way or another, there are some politicians in every government who are going to mis-use the revenues of the country.  Personal gain can come by them taking the actual money or as is the case in the U.S. the politicians pass laws to spend money on groups they want to get votes from.  It is called buying power or buying votes.
574584
The Republicans fished out the funds, and sent Social Security to the General Fund. That's the problem, and there was nobody to oppose them. They control Congress. All the other was a cover up for the funds removal.
522764
Absolutely! If employers were (they are suppose to)made to check ss# and other forms of pos. ID and pay legal wages,americans would be more than willling to do the work the gov. claims they won't.I haven't known anyone who wants to be on WELFARE.
578198
The idea of reserving a no of seats in the private sector itself is ridiculous.Nothing but another so called strategy by   incompetent and old politicians who have never ever got a job in their life so all they can do is ruin some others futures.
569877
because most of them (if not all) are corrupt. they'd rather keep thier money somewhere else and most often under someone else's name to avoid detection by thier political enemies or rivals.
528466
I think the way to fix social security is to put a lid on benefits. Why? I'll tell you.\n\nRemember that big news story where they talked about marketing targeted at kids, for cereal, and toys etc? Ok.\nHow's granny different? Rascal scooters, medications, rubber underwear, canes, in-home medical services, vitamin drinks, assisted-living homes, goods and services. You never see a price tag on stuff like that on TV anymore, it's assumed you'll find out how much it costs and pay it if you want to. The other assumption is that you'll just 'pass the savings' on to medicare. Medicare, mediscare, mediscam, whatever. Social security is 'free money for old people', and so's medicare. SO: You're out to make money. Old people can be kind of dim-witted, they'll sign anything, right? Not really a lot out there in the way of consumer protections for em. Medicine's Big Business these days. It's GOOD for them when granny gets sick, because whether she pays, or the government pays, they're still gettin' paid, at the end of the day. These guys will charge whatever they want. Why? Because they understand the power of the vote, too, and that it's legal for people to basically vote themselves more money. So, they jack up their fees, granny needs more money, her family helps her out, government gives an extra supplement, all's well with the world...until NEXT year, when they do it AGAIN. There's patterns, here, and they've already taken down a couple HMO's for this stuff, but to my knowledge there's no anti-elderly-racketeering laws out there. Probably hellishly hard to prove, too. I think oversight's a stony bitch of a job, and since everyone wants granny to be 'safe' from this stuff, they call on the government to try and sort it out. \nDoctors dont' go into medicine to serve humanity, they go into medicine to make a buck. Several HUNDRED thousand dollars a year, in some cases, if not more. Medicine's highly profitable, and it cuts right to the heart of the matter, no pun intended. How much are YOUR friends and relatives worth? \n\nBottom line, as usual, americans are being sold a bill of goods, for too high a price. Promises, promises.
9599
1) Because politicians are afraid voters will punish anyone who suggests more progressive and fair taxes;\n2) Because smoking is bad for you and others, and there is no right to smoke at a cheap price.
369152
Most people have been scared off of this half-baked ideas for various reasons.\n\nFirst, alot of people feel very uncomfortable giving the cornerstone of their retirement to the same people who stole the retirement accounts at Enron, Worldcom, etc.\n\nSecond, there were too many foolish promises made by the President, who said people could be as reckless as they wanted and still have some minimum guaranteed amount at retirement.\n\nMy personal feeling, however, is that the government has grown too addicted to skimming off of the Social Security collections in order to hide how much in debt we truly are. The government currently works with two sets of figures, the debt amount we admit to and the total debt we really owe which is much scarier.
805736
Because they're pathetic hypocrites.\n\nDon't forget, they also allow corporate welfare in the form of massive tax breaks. While the rest of us pay and pay and pay. Not fair.