Let's check history. When Medicare began, in 1966, it cost $3 billion. President Johnson and the House Ways and Means Committee estimated that Medicare would--adjusted for inflation--cost $12 billion by 1990. It was more than $107 billion. That's $107,000,000,000.
Another big lie was Social Security. It began in 1936, started gently, and the Congress's promise was that after about twelve years we would pay up to $.03 for each dollar earned, and up to $3000 a year was the most anyone would ever pay. Have you checked your FICA deductions lately? Even worse was the closing line in the original Social Security pamphlet: "...the United States government will set up a Social Security account for you. ...The checks will come to you as a right."
There is no Social Security account containing my money, and the Supreme Court has ruled twice that Americans have to legal right to Social Security payments.
So, I am very skeptical of government promises.
Ask yourself why President Obama (and his colleagues) were in such a hurry to pass "health care" reform. Why was it so important that it get done in August, or before the year's end? The provisions of the bill don't take effect until 2013. If it was so necessary and beneficial, why the wait? If we don't need it until 2013, what's wrong with the normal process of hearings, the study of pros and cons?
I would think, if things are as dire as he says they are, the President would want people to experience the benefits of this package before the next election. Oh, maybe that's just it. Maybe no one is supposed to see how this really works until after the election.
It just seems like our current government is trying to push through things that have not been done in the past, before the people know what is really happening.
Remember, we were assured it was vitally important to get the stimulus approved very quickly. Our economy depended on it. But why? Much of it will not be distributed for more than another year. I guess, for those who are seeking more power over the economy, there was the possibility that things would start to improve on their own--and that would be bad.
When the President's Chief of Staff talks about not letting "a crisis go to waste" or how "it's an opportunity to do things you could not do before." It seems about gathering power and control while circumventing and deceiving the public, not serving the people.
6 comments:
I agree whole heartedly, Jo.
Wow. Have you always hated government, or just this government?
As to the delay in bills passed now taking affect later, it takes that long to get set up, to get all of the systems in place, and to get the insurance companies to comply. After all, they don't want to give up a dollar before they have to.
Rushing to pass health reform? We've been trying since Truman's administration.
You don't have any money in Social Security? That would be true only if you've never had a pay check.
Are you choosing to be misinformed?
Actually, I don't have social security either because of the way our pension systems were set up in Illinois. They've changed it since then, but I'm not able to collect for me or even my husband's if I need survivor's benefits.
As for health care... I really feel we NEED something. We've got too many people who cannot afford health care. I saw somewhere a quote that said, "America will be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens." I believe we certainly are being judged unfavorably right now.
We had enough money to go into Iraq and spend trillions of dollars to fight a war but somehow we haven't had enough money to provide basic health care. Something is wrong.
It's good to talk about this, Jo and get our opinions out.
Thanks for the comment, Jo. I was out cruising for some new blogs to read. I was bored by all of the niceness, I guess, and wanted to stir things up. Sorry if I came on too storng, but I do love a good debate.
I am aghast that some state systems did not pay into Social security. We all may have complained while we were paying it, but boy, we're glad to get it when we're "old".
So thanks to our exchange and Kay's, Ive learned something! Cool. That's always my goal.
Being political occasionally can be a good thing. I've certainly done so from time to time on each of my blogs. The thing that bugs ME about Social Security (outside of the fact I'll never collect because of the way California's Teachers Retirement plan works) is that Congress literally RAIDED the funds (that would have earned compound interest all these years) to make the budget appear more balanced than it actually was (leaving IOUs that will probably never be paid and certainly not at the kind of interest the money would have earned if left alone) because I suspect we might not have the mess we're in today if the money hadn't been borrowed and spent on other things.
As for Health Care Reform ... methinks it's long overdue. Change of any kind is stressful and there's huge pressure from Insurance Companies to maintain the status quo. I'm distressed at the polarization of positions politicians seem to take and would love to see meaningly discourse occur. I don't have answers per se, but like Kay I believe we've spent so much money on WAR that could have been spent differently if we hadn't been RUSHED into Iraq by the former President.
I'm glad you expressed your views and provided a forum for an exchange of ideas here. Thanks.
Hugs and blessings,
I don't have social security either because of the way our pension systems were set up in Illinois. They've changed it since then, but I'm not able to collect for me or even my husband's if I need survivor's benefits
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