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You consider Social Security and Medicare expanding government projects, t hen?

Posted By: Lila on 2006-06-03
In Reply to: Limited government period. nm - Donna

Help me understand this concept. I am afraid the logic escapes me.


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You don't believe in Social Security and Medicare?

What would your plan be for the elderly population then? 


No drug laws?  I thought libertarians only objected to posession of marijuana as a crime.  I didn't know you actually objected to all drug laws. So then, you believe all drugs should be legalized? 


You don't believe in a standing military.  I am not sure I remember that right. It's hard to remember that very long list without it in front of me.  So is your plan then that we should all live in a drug-haze, leave all other countries to their own devices and we won't need a military because we won't be bothering anyone and who will care anyway because, of course, we will all be stoned?  I can't say that I see any cogent thought behind this list.  It's a morally relative list of Doctor Feel Good.  I thought libertarians had more sense.  What a bummer dude. 


Medicare and social security
This today regarding Social Security and Medicare. For the person below who thought this money could not be used for other purposes, please note the *** paragraphs and the final paragraph stating this administration would run a deficit this year of $1.84 trillion, four times last year's record, and said the deficits will remain above $500 billion every year over the next decade.

Washington – The financial health of Social Security and Medicare, the government's two biggest benefit programs, have worsened because of the severe recession, and Medicare is now paying out more than it receives.
Trustees of the programs said Tuesday that Social Security will start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2016, one year sooner than projected last year, and the giant trust fund will be depleted by 2037, four years sooner. Medicare is in even worse shape. The trustees said the program for hospital expenses will pay out more in benefits than it collects this year and will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than the date projected in last year's report.

*******The trust funds — which exist in paper form in a filing cabinet in Parkersburg, W.Va. — are bonds that are backed by the government's "full faith and credit" but not by any actual assets. That money has been spent over the years to fund other parts of government. To redeem the trust fund bonds, the government would have to borrow in public debt markets or raise taxes.


Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the head of the trustees group, said the new reports were a reminder that "the longer we wait to address the long-term solvency of Medicare and Social Security, the sooner those challenges will be upon us and the harder the options will be." Geithner said that President Barack Obama was committed to working with Congress to find ways to control runaway growth in both public and private health care expenditures, noting the promise Monday by major health care providers to trim costs by $2 trillion over the next decade. However, Republicans pointed to the newly dire assessments as evidence the Obama administration has failed to come forward with actual entitlement reform to close the funding gaps. "Instead of getting existing public programs in order right now, some are saying we should create a new government-run health insurance plan," Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Finance Committee, said in a reference to the administration's health care proposals. "When we can't afford the public health plan we have already, does it make sense to add more?" House Republican leader John Boehner said the trustees report "confirms what we already knew: Our nation cannot afford to continue this reckless borrowing and spending spree." The findings in the trustees report, the annual checkup given the two benefit programs, did not come as a surprise. Private economists had been predicting that the dates the programs would begin to pay out more than they take in and the dates the trust funds would be insolvent would occur sooner given the economic recession.

The deep recession, the worst the country has endured in decades, has resulted in a loss of 5.7 million jobs since it began in December 2007. The unemployment rate hit a 25-year high of 8.9 percent in April.

Fewer people working means less being paid into the trust funds for Social Security and Medicare. The Congressional Budget Office recently projected that Social Security will collect just $3 billion more in 2010 than it will pay out in benefits. A year ago, the CBO had projected that Social Security would have a much higher $86 billion cash surplus for the 2010 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The trustees report projected that Social Security's annual surpluses would "fall sharply this year," then remain at a reduced level in 2010 and be lower in the following years than last year's projections. The report said that the Social Security annual surplus would be eliminated entirely in 2016, reflecting increased demands from the wave of 78 million baby boomers retiring. That means Social Security will have to turn to its trust fund to make up the difference between Social Security taxes and the benefits being paid out beginning in 2016. The trustees projected the trust fund would be depleted in 2037, four years earlier than the 2041 date in last year's report. At that point, the annual Social Security taxes collected would be enough to pay for three-fourths of current benefits through 2083.

*******To tap the trust fund, the government would have to increase borrowing or raise taxes because Social Security bonds exist only as bookkeeping entries. While the government is obligated to redeem those bonds, it has already spent the excess Social Security collections over the years to fund general government operations, providing the trust funds with IOUs.

While the smaller surpluses that will begin this year will not have any impact on Social Security benefit payments, the government will need to borrow more at a time when the federal deficit is already exploding because of the recession and the billions of dollars being spent to prop up a shaky banking system. Medicare's condition is more precarious, reflecting the pressures from soaring health care costs as well as the drop in tax collections. Obama on Monday praised the pledge by the health care industry to achieve $2 trillion in savings on health care costs over the next decade, but it was unclear how much help those pledges would be in achieving Obama's goal of extending coverage to some 50 million uninsured Americans. The administration is pushing Congress to pass legislation in this area this year, preferring to tackle health care before Social Security. The trustees report is likely to set off renewed debate over Social Security and Medicare. Critics have charged that the Obama administration has failed to tackle the most serious problems in the budget — soaring entitlement spending.

*****The administration on Monday revised its federal deficit forecasts upward to project an imbalance this year of $1.84 trillion, four times last year's record, and said the deficits will remain above $500 billion every year over the next decade.
isn't that social security?
We already pay 7.5 of income to social security and employers pay an additional 7.5%. An IC pays the full 15% themself. Is this 5% in addition to that, replacing that or what? Can you provide additional information or a source for such?
Re: Social Security

Yes, I applied in April of 2008.  Was denied.  Filed Request for Reconsideration.  Was denied.  Am now awaiting a hearing, which might take another year.  Since my initial application, I've developed a few more diseases, and I'm hoping to talk with my lawyer today to see if we can send a "Dire Need Letter," since the situation is now dire.


As far as quarters, I have plenty of them and was even told when I applied how much I could expect to receive each month.


I never, EVER thought I would be in a position like this.  If anything, I've softened my attitude about "those people" who are forced to take advantage of government assistance.  You just never know when it might happen to you.


I think the quickest way to fix Social Security...
is to make it so politicians have to rely on it when they are of retirement age instead of us paying them their government salary after they leave office.

I think a lot of economic problems would be solved if politicians would have to play by the same rules as the rest of us.
Do you draw social security or do you know
someone who does?
Post Office, Social Security

Veterans Health care.


 


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.
You might want to Google "mccain privatize social security"
nm
My social security kicks in this April and I am hoping
they have enough left to get me through my life. I am not worried about that basically but I can hardly wait, full retirement age so working, drawing from there- priceless.
A lot of it also has to do with Social Security Disability (SSDI), supposedly the dad......sm
had a back injury years back, so he can also collect SSDI, along with a Worker's Comp claim, along with State supplementation because of the size of the family/income ratio....don't know exactly how it works, really do not want to know, I just see the daughters taking over...as I said, the oldest has two babies a year apart, and the third is on the way, and her little sister is at home, pregnant, no daddies in sight....let's invest in more social workers for each state to work on these cases, cut out the fraud, and can you imagine, state by state, how much money could possibly be recouped this way, medical benefits, food stamps, welfare, rent subsidies...I also have a young woman in the neighborhood living with parents, two small school children, and she gets welfare for the kids and she is on SSDI for "ADHD!" but she goes out and parties!! don't get me started here, I am starting to sound right wing, huh???? ;-)
No need to worry about your 401k, democrats would like to absord it into the Social Security system.
xx
This is not social programs......this is HUGE government
!!
Expanding

on that point.  Never, not once, has McCain topped Obama in the polls since the beginning of the season.  As soon as the SP excitement has diminished and voters begin looking at the issues, Obama's numbers will rise again.  The last I heard (2 days ago) he was up 8 points.  Its nice to see the country engaged in the election.


 


Pet projects
But the true evil of this spending boondoggle is not so much its title as its substance. Virtually every pet project and constituency of the Democratic Party will be at the receiving end of the billions of dollars rushing down this latest federal money sluice. The disaster that is this “recovery and reinvestment act” is made far worse by the fact that every single one of its more than $800 billion bills is borrowed.

When all is said and done according to the government’s own estimate, this spending measure will add more than a trillion dollars to our national debt which already tops $10.2 trillion.

Moreover, this appropriations vehicle comes on top of last year’s “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act” —- the so-called “bailout” —- and the now small, $152 billion 2008 “Economic Stimulus Act.” Thus does the true magnitude of the damage to the value of our currency and to the future economic health of our nation start to come into focus.

State and local government officials, including our own here in the Peach State, are already gleefully counting the billions they are slated to receive from Washington’s “reinvestment” largess.

These are the same spendthrift state and local governments that have failed for decades to keep their own spending under control.

Throwing even more federal money their way simply rewards their irresponsibility, and further disguises the necessity for state and local governments to rein in their own spending.

Some of the details of the “reinvestments” in the House’s version of the stimulus package are truly amazing. For example:

> A billion dollars will continue to subsidize the perennial money loser, Amtrak; $20 billion expands the already bloated food stamp program.

> About $2 billion is diverted from the wallets of hard-working Americans to subsidize childcare. Some $2.8 billion is slipped to global warming advocacy programs.

> $600 million will buy more and newer cars for government bureaucrats, along with $44 million to refurbish the Department of Agriculture, $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, and $150 million to spruce up the Smithsonian buildings.

> Another $650 million is earmarked for helping consumers convert analog TVs to digital (because the government earlier decided to halt analog television broadcasting). More than $400 million promotes anti-smoking programs and programs to fight sexually transmitted diseases. Those are just the tip of the fiscal iceberg.

There are minor differences in the House and Senate versions, but overall the amount of money spent and the amount of pork in each is outrageous and harmful; and besides, the House-Senate conference may very well add back in what the Senate took out but really just shifted around, in a typical example of congressional legerdemain.

When all the dust settles, the only thing this fiscal monstrosity will “stimulate” is making American citizens, businesses and state and local government even more dependent on Uncle Sam than before; even as we and our children and grandchildren are rendered the poorer.
Pet projects...(sm)

By this I'm guessing that you're talking about stuff in the stimulus?  If so, my understanding was that those are "shovel ready" projects that will be immediate.  I think he asked for those in the first meeting he had with the govenors, and I think all states had the opportunity to participate in that.  As far as the longterm goes, if we go with the alternative energy and re-tooling the auto industry (assuming there still is one), then wouldn't that be a start?


Isn't google wonderful? For expanding your narrow scope? sm
I also remember them comparing the two a while back, especially since Studds passed away recently. I guess it does depend on whose imagination you're stretching, doesn't it.

Nice of you to be so graphic about it.
Do you mean because we can figure on 500% cost overruns on all these projects? sm
I use the interstate. After all, I have to visit my vast real estate holdings scattered hither and thither around the state. Us wealthy folks are like that.

Now, I just checked with my chauffeur as to his opinion. "Wigweevil", I said. "Wigweevil, tell me. How is the state of the interstate in your opinion? And take off that cap while you're inside the mansion!"

"Sire", said Wigweevil (he pretends he lives in feudal England). "Sire, what do you mean by the state of the interstate?"

"Well, you know, Wigweevil. That road thingie that runs from one village to the next. Is the concrete, or mortar or whatever you call it. Is it all there? No yawning caverns? And the bridges - not too wobbly, I trust?"

"No, sire. The asphalt or macadam is entirely intact and the bridges seem trustworthy."

"I see, Wigweevil. That greatly relieves my mind. How about animals? No vast herds of buffalo wandering about on the asphalt or macadam? No dodging around charging rhinocerussusses? Everything in order along those lines?"

"Quite, sire."

"Very good, Wigweevil. Well, I am hearing that the interstate is becoming a veritable wilderness, so I want you to put the elephant gun in the car against the eventuality of rhinocerusseses in the future. And you might throw my water wings in the trunk in case a bridge collapses and throws us into the drink. That is all, Wigweevil."

"Very good, sire."



Let me tell you something about Medicare
I am old enough to be on Medicare and thought I was going to have to take it, did not want to as I wanted to stay on my husband's insurance plan. I had heard things Medicare would pay or perhaps not and I have a PPO and wanted to stay that way. You have no choice if not on a company insurance and at 65 or so have to sign up for Medicare. If my husband were to be without his job, I can immediately switch over to Medicare without a break in my coverage. There are probably retirees out there who did not have their insurance continued because of their retirements who did not have the choice but to sign onto Medicare.
Eligible for Medicare.............sm
does not mean free health care. My mother is a widow of almost 4 years now and draws a smidgen over $900 a month in SS benefits. Out of this, she has to pay almost $400 in health insurance, which is Medicare and AARP. She is also on several medications for age-related diseases and disorders. While her Medicare Part D does cover part of the cost of the medicines, it does not cover it all. In addition, she falls in the "donut hole" every fall and has to pay full price for her medications until the new year arrives. While her house is paid for, there are always repairs to be made specific to an aging house. In the last year alone, she has had to replace a dead stove, refrigerator and freezer. She also has to pay around $250 everytime the propane truck fills her tank, which is about every other month, especially in the winter.

Like the other poster mentioned, the reason "they" have their houses paid off is because they managed their money properly and did not live above their means. My dad never made more than $6/hour his entire life and he and mom raised my brother and me on that salary alone. We never knew we were "poor" because mom worked hard to stretch dad's paycheck and didn't spend it on getting her nails done or expensive clothes. She made every stitch of clothing I ever had with the exception of my wedding dress and bought my brother 3 pairs of Sears' Toughskin jeans at the beginning of every school year and they lasted all year. Dad had 3 suits of khaki work clothes most years. Sometimes when there was no money to buy new, she would patch the old ones to make them last. She never bought new clothes for herself but instead made them as she did for me.

While it infuriates me that I likely won't ever draw SS because it will be dried up and gone before I am eligible, it makes me madder still that our generation and the ones after us have caused this problem for our parents. What ungrateful children we are.
I'm quite aware of how Medicare works...
I have been dealing with my mother's for years. You won't have to worry about your mother not being able to afford her medications for 4 months because the way it is being set up, your government will decide if your mother even needs that drug and if so, how many "pills" she can be dispensed and how long she can take it and if the GOVERNMENT doesn't feel it is helping, she will not be allowed to get any of it......PERIOD! They will decide if she is still young enough to make the government's handing her the meds worth their money or not. If not, they will allow her to do without and if that kills her, so be it. They have determined she is a lost case and doesn't deserve her medications, the medications I and you pay for.....but of course, Obama lovers just know their government knows best. Now they can decide if you live or die depending on your age. Just stick around folks.......it's gonna be sickening!!!
they lose a lot of their income and also their Medicare if they marry - nm
x
oh no - social ostracism -- I can't

bear it . . .


 


So, you look forward to paying for more social
xx
Perhaps it was the social and community outreach
1. Can-Cer-Vive support to cancer patients and caregivers.
2. Churh school and youth church.
3. Counseling services, both individual and group.
4. Emmaus Road Ministry, which provides companions, prayer partners, helpers and friends for grieving persons, months after the passing of a loved one. Ongoing contact with the family is maintained.
5. Girl Scouts.
6. Teen choir.
7. Computer classes.
8. Assistance to physically, mentally and emotionally handicapped.
9. Marriage enrichment seminars.
10. Workshops on building and maintaining Christian homes.
11. Men's chorus.
12. Men's fellowship.
13. Bible study.
14. Sanctuary choir.
15. Stewardship.
16. Women's chorus.
17. Women's drill team.
18. Yoga.
19. Youth drill team.
20. Active seniors.
21. Adopt-a-Student.
22. Athletes for Christ.
23. Career development.
24. Church in the community.
25. Domestic violence advocacy and support.
26. Drug and alcohol recovery.
27. Food share.
28. Grandparent's ministry.
29. HIV/AIDS support.
30. Housing workshops.
31. Health and wellness.
32. Legal counseling.
33. Math tutors.
34. Prison ministry.
35. Reading tutors.
36. Drama.
37. Fine arts and literary guild.
38. Quilting.
39. Adult dance.
40. Music.
Compare these ministries with Obama's life experiences, political views and current campaign platform. That is explanation enough for me.
Yeah, they are liberal on social issues. sm
And, they have run amuck chasing the adoption records of Roberts. It's things like this that make people want to lump liberals/democrats all up in one pile when in fact this is one, maybe two journalist starting this up. It gives fuel to the right wing media and the wheels keep on turning.
Correct....or the 3.5 trillion dollar social programs
@
Tax cuts, progressive tax system, social programs
are as American as apple pie and these same policies and initiatives can be found puncuating the pages of our history from the day of our country's inception.

You do not understand Marxism or socialism, or you would be a lot more exercised by the current redistribution of wealth that takes your tax dollars and moves them upward to an elite ruling class that represses and undermines the middle class at the drop of a hat. State ownership of banks, lending institutions and direct personal property "buy outs" (as proposed by McCain certainly smack of Marxism and are not exactly what you could call traditional American values.
So why wasn't social services called on this girl?
So the parents who are involved in the lives of their children should be punished because some are not? Obviously if the parents don't care then something is wrong in the household and their needs to be an investigation or a report.

I just don't think a 14-year-old girl has the maturity to make decisions on her own like that. God knows the stupid things I would have done at 14 if my dad had just let me do whatever I wanted or wasn't informed!

I mean in that case, schools shouldn't call home when we skipped school because we should be allowed to make our own decisions about whether we want to be educated or not.
Exactly! Look what they did to Soc. Security.
nm
O is smarter than JM on nat'l security.
Just for starters, here are a few concepts that would tend to argue in favor of inernational diplomacy...and hes got a brilliantly inspired plan.
2nd clue: He knows that US cannot be a leader in a world that it has alientated.
3rd clue: He understands the concept of common purpose. It is in the best interest of all modern, civilized nations to defeat terrorism.
3rd clue: Understands that securing, destroying and stopping spread of WMDs can only succeed as a a global effort, i.e., we can't be everywhere at once.
4th clue: Recognizes value in renewing and constructing old alliances to meet common challenges and threats.
5th clue: Foreign aid aimed at constructing foundations of sustainable democracies; strong legislatures, independent judiciaries, rule of law, civil society, free press and honest police force.
6th clue: Knows his geography. Appropriage military initiatives against AL Quaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan, their home base.
7th: Securing nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states.
8th: Energy Security.
9th: Obama on diplomacy: "The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don't like. Not talking doesn't make us look tough — it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international support for our leadership. Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe. Reagan did this with Gorbachev, who posed a much greater immediate threat (i.e., "We are going to wipe you off the face of the earth") than Iran, Venezuela or Cuba does (for example). He will do the careful preparation necessary, but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is willing to lead."
10th: Obama: "The United States should have the courage and confidence to talk to its adversaries. Demanding that a country meets all your conditions before you meet with them, that’s not a strategy. It’s just naive, wishful thinking."

I realize this is a bit much for the scorched earth disciples, so it really serves very little purpose to really go to far beyond these basic principles, they way that he has. This is was real leadership looks like.
Well they should have the same security clearance
if they are a threat, as Obama is supposed to be. Okay if he gets in, then the FBI can do their thing and he can get thrown out of office, put in jail? or what? What has he done that is illegal??? Do not get it.

We are screwed with McCain also. Face it.
Security check?

I apologize.  I'm obviously not understanding your statement.


Are you saying that a United States Senator, now internationally known because of his historic run for United States President, who is constantly surrounded by Secret Service people, is unable to pass a SECURITY check?


If that is what you're saying, please provide a link to support that.


Security Clearance
Can you post where you found that he had a security clearance denied? I have not seen that before.

Isn't US Citizenship required for senators? Wouldn't the FBI or the DSS uncovered back when Obama was first elected to senate?
Look what the Govt did to Soc. Security.
nm
So you don't believe we have national security concerns?
If you do believe we have national security issues then what is your answer to keeping us safe?
So no opinion on war and peace, HL security
nm
McCain and National Security

McCain Lobbyist Scandal Continues: Government Warned Senator That Campaign Manager Was Undermining National Interests


The lobbying firm of McCain campaign manager Rick Davis acted in direct opposition to American foreign interests, which prompted a warning to McCain's Senate office from the United States government, according to a recent New York Times article.


Much has been reported about Rick Davis, top McCain adviser and lobbyist whose company, Davis Manafort, made its fortune in part by accepting jobs that didn't require employees to register as lobbyists. Davis has been in particular hot water for his company's work with pro-Russian Ukranian political candidates; Davis arranged for one of Putin's allies to meet with McCain during the time.


However, the New York Times has managed to take that already embarrassing story and make it even worse:


Mr. McCain may have first become aware of Davis Manafort's activities in Ukraine as far back as 2005. At that time, a staff member at the National Security Council called Mr. McCain's Senate office to complain that Mr. Davis's lobbying firm was undercutting American foreign policy in Ukraine, said a person with direct knowledge of the phone call who spoke on condition of anonymity.


A campaign spokesman, when asked whether such a call had occurred, referred a reporter to Mr. McCain's office. The spokesman there, Robert Fischer, did not respond to repeated inquiries.


Such a call might mean that Mr. McCain has been long aware of Mr. Davis's foreign clients. Mr. Davis took a leave from his firm at the end of 2006.



This isn't the only time when Davis' business interests have appeared counter to those of the United States: Davis' Ukranian contacts shared several business ties with Iran.


McCain suffered from a perception problem last month when the extent of his lobbying connection caused his campaign to fire several key staffers, as well as institute a new conflict-of-interest policy. The McCain camp has said that Davis is unaffected by the policy, as its implementation is not retroactive. Davis is no longer registered as a lobbyist.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/12/mccain-lobbyist-scandal-c_n_106832.html






threat to national security
and YOU have undisputed proof of this?
Senators, etc, don't have the same security clearance as
the president. Do a little research on the subject. Face it, if the chosen one gets in we are screwed, without the benefit of dinner and a movie first.
National security and low taxes.. For me, that
nm
Right..and without strong National Security, the
nm
Yes. Natl Security. Biden said O was not
nm
Head of Homeland Security?...nm
//
Does this help. Homeland security force.

KNOWN AS HOMELAND SECURITY FORCE, CIVIL DEFENSE.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwaAVJITx1Y&feature=related


This is about freedom of speech being taken away.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn_llXvTx5g


This is about section 899A (3), developing home grown terrorists in our own land (civil defense).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLQ68jBGK8o&feature=related


 


It's called national security. sm
jm is correct, in that the current administration's plans and policies have kept us safe.

A lot will be revealed, when it is safe to do so, so that our national security is not compromised.


You and I, as citizens, do not have the security clearance to be made aware of what has been averted.
It's not like he skipped a security briefing!
There was nothing in Bush's self-serving farewell speech that would be of any importance to Barack Obama. Obama has much more important things to concentrate on these days. Personally, I would rather have Obama concentrate on issues that will be affecting the future of our country than waste his time listening to a lame duck pat himself on the back!

As far as being disrespectful...respect is something that is earned, and George Bush has done nothing to earn respect from anyone.

Four days and counting till the lame duck gets shipped back to his murky Texas pond...and not one minute too soon, if you ask me!
Yes. President's first job is Natl Security.
nm
Speaking of National Security,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30107040/

I hope we are not having a war on US soil soon.

WASHINGTON - Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls, the newspaper said, citing current and former U.S. national security officials.

The intruders have not sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure but officials said they could try during a crisis or war, the paper said in a report on its website.
"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," a senior intelligence official told the Journal. "So have the Russians."

The espionage appeared pervasive across the United States and does not target a particular company or region, said a former Department of Homeland Security official.

"There are intrusions, and they are growing," the former official told the paper, referring to electrical systems. "There were a lot last year."

Authorities investigating the intrusions have found software tools left behind that could be used to destroy infrastructure components, the senior intelligence official said. He added, "If we go to war with them, they will try to turn them on."

Officials said water, sewage and other infrastructure systems also were at risk.

Protecting the electrical grid and other infrastructure is a key part of the Obama administration's cybersecurity review, which is to be completed next week.
This administration is putting USA security in
nm
No threat to national security?

We just posted where these facilities are and what is going on, but hey....don't worry....no national security risk.  OMG!  What a bunch of flipping morons!!!