Am I missing some bigger picture? I'm serious with that question.
Last night Barrack mentioned how he's against the raising of the retirement age. Hillary didn't really speak to it, but I got the impression that she also doesn't want to see that happen. Is there some reason other than AARPs very powerful lobby? I mean, in the 60's, the average life expectancy was about 70 years, now it's close to 78. Why shouldn't retirement age be raised? We are not only living longer, but we're living healthy longer. I do realize that not all will remain healthy, but for those there is disability also.
SS is in so much trouble, it just seems to me to be a no brainer that by raising the retirement age, even by just a couple of years, some of those problems can be lessened.
People near retirement age will be put out on the
ice floe to die. But since out country is a little short of ice floes, those who have reached the end of their 'productive lives' will be denied medical care and allowed to seek whatever undignified death seems appropriate to them. Adapt or die. Next question?
I am a PT MT receiving my retirement
social security benefits. Here is what the letter I received from the SSA stated:
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Among its provisions are one-time payments to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries, as well as funding to help the agency address critical needs.
One-Time Payments of $250 For Social Security and SSI Beneficiaries
Nearly 55 million people who receive Social Security and SSI benefits will get a special one-time payment of $250. They should receive the one-time payment by late May 2009. 401K/retirement fund
You can't "take" your pension and 401K out of the stock market if you are not retirement age. We are stuck with whatever the companies we work for invest in. my husband and I have some choices about where we invest our 401K but they all involve mutual funds, stocks, bonds, etc.
That's where DH is. Forced to retire because of no work (road construction). The stimulus money went to 2 cities in my state. The rest of the state got nothing towards road construction or very little.
We didn't get last year's stimulus check because we owed taxes and they put the money towards that. Now he's getting screwed out of the $250 because he wasn't retired when this happened. Never fails.
Remember that cartoon of the guy always under the grey cloud? That's us.
Aaaagggggg!!!! I know, I shouldn't of done it. But I just HAD to take a peek. And what I saw was almost too depressing for mere words to describe.
So, this afternoon I logged on to my 401K, just to see how the poor thing has been faring these past coupla weeks. It started hemorrhaging pretty badly a couple of months back, lost first 1/4, and then about 1/3 of its value. But oh, my GOD..... today it's down just a few dollars shy of being only HALF it's former value. A mere shadow of its former self. Now there's not even enough money left in it to buy a decent used car.
I guess now there's only one thing left to do when we reach a point in our lives when we can no longer work, and need to retire. That would involve a gun and a single bullet. Well, mabe 2 bullets. (My aim is pretty bad.....)
Social Security is a retirement "insurance" sm
as with any insurance you usally do draw more than you pay in! If you have a (for example) $250,000 life insurance policy, do you think you are going to pay in $250,000 for it?
All this complaining about people drawing SS but I tell you if you are paying in and happen to have a catastrophic illness and have to draw disability benefits, you will be glad you paid in.
Exxon CEO's retirement package and talks of reform..sm
Senator rips ex Exxon CEO's retirement package
By Tom Doggett Tue Apr 18, 4:53 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amid record oil prices and soaring gasoline costs, Exxon Mobil's $400 million retirement package to its former CEO is a shameful display of greed that should be reviewed by Congress and investigated by federal regulators, Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan (news, bio, voting record) said on Tuesday.
Dorgan said he wants Exxon Mobil officials to appear at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing to explain how the corporation justifies giving its former boss, Lee Raymond, such a huge retirement package.
There can be no more compelling evidence that the price gouging and market manipulation which has produced record oil prices is out of control, and is working to serve the forces of individual greed and corporate gluttony at the painful expense of millions of American consumers, Dorgan said.
Dorgan's criticism of Raymond's financial package came on the same day that U.S. crude oil prices hit a record high of more than $71 a barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Higher crude oil prices are helping to push of up gasoline costs. The Energy Department reported prices jumped 10 cents over the last week to a national average of $2.78 a gallon, up 55 cents from a year ago.
President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he was concerned about the impact high gasoline prices were having on families and businesses.
Exxon earned the wrath of many lawmakers when it reported more than $36 billion in profits last year as energy prices paid by consumers soared.
Dorgan said he will push to win passage of his legislation that would impose a windfall profits tax on big oil companies and rebate that money to consumers, unless the companies used their earnings to explore for and produce more energy.
I think a sensible public policy would insist that the big oil companies either invest those windfall profits in things that will increase our own domestic energy supplies, or we should return some of that money to consumers, Dorgan said.
Using them to drop $400 million dollars in the pocket of a big oil executive is simply unacceptable, he added.
Exxon Mobil has defended Raymond's retirement package, saying it was pegged to the rise in the company's profit and market capitalization that occurred during his tenure.
On a weekend when we are all preparing to celebrate our independence, some of us can get ready to kiss that very same independence goodbye.
If Bush stays true to his "base" and the Democrats are unsuccessful in what I hope will be a very aggressive filibuster (if the candidate does turn out to be someone who is unwilling to substitute the Constitution for the Bible), we will have conservatives chipping away at our independence: controlling our lives, our deaths, defining which God is "politically correct," who people with the "wrong" orientation are "allowed" to love, etc., etc., etc.
I wonder how much "independence" we will have left to celebrate on July 4, 2006.
My goodness, what it
to open their eyes! Remember when Pat Robertson said hurricanes were God's way of punishing Florida for Disney World allowing gay partners medical benefits? What do you think he thinks now...oh wait a minute, think..he thinks? OMG, they've confused me so!!!! LOL....Karma wagon comin' round...dum de dum. See, now if Katrina or Rita were to go to Venezuela!
Yes, thank goodness for
the others you mentioned. The so-called liberal media have given these clowns a free ride. At least a few have awakened after a very deep sleep. I especially love Ms.Thomas; leave it to a tough old broad (and I mean this with great affection and admiration) to have the b***s to call them on their BS.
Goodness me.......
Yikes! That quiz is too scary!
I was toying with the idea that I might change candidates....now? No way!!
Obma thinks babies are punishment? I can't believe it. I have contri buted over $300 to his campaign. I have worked a phone bank in his honor. No one told he thought BABYs were PUNISHment. Well, I don;'t care anymore, wall street crumbing be darned, a war that never seems to end or pause, none of that matters now that I know he said such a heartless cruel thing. He probably pinches kittens when no one is looking. Thanks for the info, my head is on straight about this election now. Whooh.
I was not jumping on anyone. I simply said that those who do not believe in Jesus would go to h*ll. That you do not get to h*ll by just being good. How is that being angry? And as far as I knew, not wanting someone to go to h*ll because of their lack of belief, is the strongest form of love that you can show anyone. These days, every one including a lot of Christians are so concerned about being politically correct and not offending anyone. I mean come ON. This behavior and lack of drive has gotten prayer taken out of schools and God taken out of our country.
Just because a Christian says hey, if you are not saved, you arent going to heaven doesnt mean that they are speaking out of anger or that they are sinning. It means they are speaking THE TRUTH. There is no more time for sugar coating things. This is reality and for every person that you gloss over the scripture to, it is on your head before God. So, I will handle things the way that I feel God leads me, and leave the judgment of my actions up to you.
Thank goodness!!! s/m
Good to see another write-in voter. Maybe if we get enough converts to common sense we can really make a change in our government.
goodness
I didnt read anywhere where gourdpainter said that we dont all have rights. I didnt even see her mention minorities. I did see her imply that someone who doesnt believe in Jesus is amoral either. Just jump all over her for her beliefs. Talk about being supressed and rights being violated. She is receiving that from you.
My goodness....sm
Struck a chord somewhere with you?
Obama is no JFK. Period. JFK did have the greatness you mention, but again, Obama doesn't even come close.
Obama wants to take away your civil rights, and you're okay with that. I feel sorry for what you'll get if he's elected, by hook or crook.
If you think Obama challenging the American people to become a great socialist nation, for that's what's he doing, by any name other than socialism...., you're definitely in for a big disappointment. You have no idea what hope and change this man will wrought.
I'm not wallowing in anything at all. Interesting how you didn't dispute the fact that both JFK and BO elections were/are rigged.
(and maybe the LSD line was a bit cheap, but hey....you brought up the expanding the mind thing, not me....lol....)
p.s. I think you got that negative energy thing wrong, though. There's at least half of this nation putting out positive energy to counter all the bias that the media and blind followers have for this man. It's hardly negative. It's a big positive, and I'm willing to bet that the person who wins the White House next week, is not Obama.
Just wait till we get behind the curtain to cast our votes. My goodness....sm
I don't think I'm even going to try to follow what has just gone on here below, as it is now almost the entire page listed....my head is spinning.... with it all.
I will say that I am glad to see both sides of the political spectrum come to the defense of others though.....I have come too late, and will just stay out of it all.
I need an aspirin now! Maybe I'll just go get some ice cream instead....or chocolate.....
If your personal beliefs exempt you from being able to perform your duties, then find another line of work.
My goodness,
Guess you don't understand that what happens in the U.S., in some areas, determines what happens outside the U.S. Your stance on the president doesn't need to be accountable to the citizens who pay his salary, is truly scary. Whether reported on Fox, or any other news station, we have no idea what is going on behind closed doors. O is making decisions that are going to put this country in great jeopardy. How do you not see that?
My goodness, it's so obvious
that you have blinders on! Wake up!
Thank goodness, no more political ads! nm
))
Thank goodness someone has some sense on here
Heaven forbid I bring up welfare.....crazy posters pounce on ya like you're a horrible person. Welfare is NOT for the moochers of this country and believe me, there are plenty of those. And I'll give you one more .....the welfare system wasn't just for single mothers with children; it was for single mothers who lost their jobs in the first place. Most of them around here have no jobs, have NEVER had a job, and have absolutely no desire to work. They just keep having babies, usually by several different guys who have already populated our town with many other career welfare mothers..... I'm with you. Hire MORE caseworkers who actually do their job and cut the free ride off when they find several different family members living together off the government, several NICE vehicles sitting in front of their HUD homes, everything paid for by me and then there might actually be some money for those truly in need.
All those daddies standing on the corner holding their britches up all day instead of working makes me want to puke! GET A JOB!
HCA at least has Frisk.....thank goodness!
nm
Thank goodness we got out of the market
in September. Heard Jim Cramer at that time say the economy was going to tank soon; heeded the advice and pulled out that day. O is certainly bringing hope and change to the masses, isn't he? You better hope you have some money to retire on and change your retirement plan!
My goodness - you'd better write and tell someone
Hardly quite that simple or people way smarter than you or I would have solved it. The studies on the effectiveness of preventive measures, incidentally, study people who DO participate in prevention - not those who don't.
Goodness I meant memo!
When I told them to carry on, they reallllyyyyy carried on.....lol....
Gotta love those dems....
For goodness sakes...he's already put his foot
And I suppose you're okay with the comment he let slip out when he said "spread the wealth" when asked by a plumber how he was supposed to keep his business open with higher taxes, that he wouldn't be able to employ more people and would end up losing is business. Obama did not care at all. He very callously smirked and opening admitted he needs to "spread the wealth".
You do understand that concept? It means NO TAX CUTS FOR YOU but you will be seeing large sums of money being used to put more and more on the welfare payroll. He has disguised these at "tax credits". Well, got a news flash for ya. YOU won't be getting a tax credit but someone you know might be getting a paycheck for doing nothing at all.
There is NO SUCH THING. MY goodness, you people
should not take stuff so literally. Of course, there is no "pool" of any sort. Maybe that poster was joking. Lighten up!
Oh my goodness! Chillax people!
You don't even know what color my skin is so how dare you! I feel sorry for you because obviously YOUR racism is showing. Yes, the man hasn't even been in office for a full week but MY POINT was that even with that little amount of time....look at the huge list of promises he has made with 2 already broken.
This is not a race thing. This is staying informed on stuff because I refuse to let government screw me again.
FYI gt, using vulgar language or posting pictures of vulgar hand gestures is against the rules, not that you care, but I think the board monitor is on to ya.
Thought you guys liked foul mouthed hand gesturing people. I don't understand why you think this is some kind of ammo.
For goodness' sake, where did critical thinking go?
It's an editorialized article that includes many statements and facts meant for the reader to consider. It's not something intended to be only true or not true. You're supposed to THINK about it and measure it against what you know and come to your own opinion about it, and if it jars you, check out the facts for accuracy yourself. What has happened to the right's ability to think soundly?
My goodness. This must be the rude anonymous dem poster...sm
. Constantly putting my posts down. Seems to be your goal in life lately.
Excuse me? My goodness, aren't we the bitter one?
of all time. The challenge he laid down to Americans put us on the moon before his 10 year prediction...an awesome feat that no doubt was accomplished within that time frame to honor his memory. His legacy is the stuff legends are made of, a view that is shared with us by people worldwide. His initiatives to advance freedom, civil rights and equality were unparalled in the history of our country, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln.
Obama inspires literally MILLIONS of Americans in much the same way and for much the same reasons that JFK did. I have no doubt that he will be the transformational leader Colin Powell predicts he will be.
Your petty pot shot about the LSD trip is hateful and uncalled for. There is no way you could have possibly been around for the 1960 election...you demonstrate the maturity of a 2-year old and the ignorance (especially regarding your ill-informed comment about the 1960 election)....well, that's another story.
The old guard is going down. It is likely not to see the light of day again for quite some time. If you want to wallow around in all that negative energy, go fo it, but you have no right to begrudge ANYBODY the right to hope.
And thank goodness California's failed; dont want
.
I read your post and thank goodness you are not in charge sm
Do you not understand that it is not okay to imprison people who are innocent? Do you not understand that his is a human rights issue that affects each and every one of us on this planet? Do you think beyond your own fears?
Answer me! I hope you are being sarcastic - my goodness - they are kids! nm
x
My goodness. O witch hunt sure is keeping you busy.
It is in its 3rd day. No comments on the discussions regarding party revamp? How about today's agenda? Keep your eye on Jindel. He did a great job in Louisiana with disaster mgmt...and GOP will be neding plenty of that in the 2008 election aftermath. Seriously, as a left-wing commie Marxist terrorist unAmerican anti-patriot, he has GOP leadership written all over him. Mayb you should take a hate break and take a look at him.
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