Comment

Comment by H W Schroeder AXCS(AW) USNRET on July 14, 2011 at 4:33am

While it's commendable that Nelson offered legislation to protect Florida Seniors, all he is doing is trying to save his political arse! I'm wondering if obama may take him to the wood shed--worse yet, obama may send Sherrif Joe instead!

Comment by Kelly Sisson on July 13, 2011 at 10:01pm

The tresury department numbers say SS is solvent. Rubio is correct. If SS checks do not go out then it was Obamas choice. and undeer false pretenses as well. As is the debt cieling. people know our governemtn is out of control and they do not like what they are seeing. BTW Moodys has downgraded Losa Angelos credit rating. I expect more of this soon. From several lefty wingy cities.

Comment by Kelly Sisson on July 13, 2011 at 9:58pm

oh and speaking of SS and medicare medicaid. How many of these SS numbers are getting checks sent to foreign countries to people under the age of 21 by being born here then returning to their original home?Why will diplimats children receive SS and imuniity from our laws here? ( Thats a new one ) Why does a man who9 has been here for five years as a US citizen get to retire at 65 with about 2000 a month when my parents cannot even get that while thy paid into it so much? How many Illegals are on medicaid?

Comment by Kelly Sisson on July 13, 2011 at 9:55pm

end the department of education as a federal agency and see how much we save. Repeal the health care act since it will grow by the trillions each year due to salaries and pensions and unions etc etc. Energy department did nothing to but stop our use of our own oil we have here. TY Jimmah Carter. Stop the oversized salaries and pensions and expenses  enjoyed by Congress itself. Plus the administration. Leave the UN  and stop building beautiful new busdings for them all over the world. Oh honey there are tons of things they could stop right now and we would be better off.

Comment by amanda choate on July 13, 2011 at 5:29pm

The budget could be balanced in 15 minutes if we rid ourselves of social security and medicare, boom we are solvent.

Comment by Patricia M. McBride on July 13, 2011 at 3:38pm

Senator offers way to cover Social Security checks, if government defaults Similar step was taken by Congress in 1996 WASHINGTON, DC – The Treasury Department would be able to cover tens of millions of Social Security checks in the event of a government default, under legislation introduced in the Senate today. Saying nearly four million people in Florida alone rely on Social Security checks, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson ( D-FL ) filed legislation that would temporarily let officials not have to count Social Security obligations against the national debt limit. A similar non-traditional approach was passed by Congress in 1996 during a conflict between then-Democratic President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress over funding for major programs including Medicare.

Nelson disclosed he’s filing an updated version of the 1996 bill to protect Social Security in a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. His letter comes in the wake of President Obama's stark warning this week that Social Security payments may not go out next month, if Congress cannot agree on a package of spending cuts and an increase in the debt ceiling before Aug. 2. A few Social Security measures already have been filed by other lawmakers, but they are generally limited to making benefits a priority among competing government payments. They do not ensure that Social Security checks will be paid. “During the 1996 debt-limit situation Congress passed a special temporary law that said Social Security didn’t count against the debt limit,” Nelson wrote in his letter to Geithner. “Would such a non-traditional measure be needed today? Would pending legislation that prioritizes Social Security obligations suffice? If not, I stand ready with legislation that would temporarily exempt Social Security obligations from the public debt limit. “If congressional leaders fail to get beyond the partisan games and reach an agreement on spending cuts … the stakes are high not only for our economy, but also for the millions of seniors who depend solely on Social Security,” he wrote. The Treasury Secretary anticipates the country will hit the debt limit on Aug. 2. Some benefit checks are supposed to go out as soon as

Comment by robert c tipton on July 13, 2011 at 2:57pm

Help me understand Social Security Insurance--In 1935 when S S was sold to the folks it was simple-- Each person would pay a monthly premium into a S S LOCK BOX  which meant it was to be kept there until each participant was eligible to collect--along the way the treasury at the behest of congress gave the  S S lock box an I O U and borrowed the cash-- Then they gave it to congress who spent it on whatever--the point is its all gone--the only thing left are the notes from the U S treasury which not only has no money it is 14 trillion in debt therefore the note is worthless and can only be paid by current premiums coming in to S S or BORROW some more. If you go back to my beginning remember this program--which was not voluntarily but was illegally forced upon us--

was a form of insurance--All insurance be it life health causality liability ANY insurance is programmed for -certain coverage -certain term to determine a certain premium by actuaries -The basic premise being any payout of benefits has no correlation with other policy holders premiums but in fact the premium collected combined with investment income over the term of the coverage for each individual less expenses will pay every nickle of projected payout.If the S S scheme has been honestly run there is no way the fund can run out of money. Any borrowing by the Govt. to fund S S payments can only be a result of the Treasury being unable to pay off the I O Us .If current S S payments have to be paid in full or in part by current premiums received then this describes a PONZI scheme to the T. Isn't that what Maddoff is in jail for? Move over Bernie you may soon have some new cellmates when Americans take over the senate the presidency and keep control of the house.   

Comment by Elizabeth Ann Rand on July 13, 2011 at 2:54pm

I duplicate the sentiments of Robert G Deardorff.  Kudos to you, Mr Deardorff!

Comment by tamara stephenson on July 13, 2011 at 2:29pm

Don't forget -- medicare will stop being paid as well.  i'm pretty sure that's not funded by anything other than debt.  For Republicans to act as if they are not part of this colossal mess is sickening.  Both parties are to blame.  Ask Eric Cantor how many times he has voted to raise the debt ceiling with absolutely NO strings attached.  Ask the same of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner.  Congress is living in the beautiful bubble, not the real world.  They put us into this mess; all of them.  They need to sit there and get us out of it.  As someone who does nothing but pay in, i.e., receives no social security, no medicare, pays 35% income tax with no loopholes, I am sick of it all; I believe none of them.  And sorry Rubio, I lump you in with the rest of them.  This man couldn't balance a checkbook and was in debt up to his eyeballs until he hit the lottery, I mean, was elected to the Florida legislature.  I have done nothing for the past month except read about the debt ceiling, the debt limit, spending well above the GDP, unfunded wars, unfunded medicare, with nothing but political posturing in response.  Sorry to be such a downer, but I am sitting here writing checks to the state government as we speak, filing papers with DOR and getting my unemployment/worker's comp audit from our agent.

Comment by Robert G. Deardorff on July 13, 2011 at 2:11pm

First, long term solution is change the monetary policy of the United States by placing into circulation the New US Dollar backed by GOLD & SILVER. Second, incorporate the Federal Reserve Federal Charger into the US Government, specifically inside the Department of Treasury. Third-monetize all US Debt public first over a period of one-hundred years, just like Lincoln and Chase did with the financing of the Civil War using the Greenback Dollar. To help pay for the bills let's STOP FOREIGN AID except to Israel, and STOP the WARS and bring our men and women home. Use the money saved from our foreign involvement for the people of the United States of America

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