Fixing Social Security - Republican Style

If this does not piss you off, nothing will. Check your pulse, you might already be dead.

We have all been hearing that Social Security is broken. And of course, the Republicans have been saying that they have ALL the answers. We all know about private accounts. But why is the idea not so popular? Obstructionist Democrats thats why!

It has nothing to do with the fact that the more you earn, the more likely you are to opt out of the system, which will mean that those who count on Social Security the most (those with little or no discresionary income to invest) will end up short changed. If you have only a few bucks to set aside for retirement, what is the best move. Put your money in a risk free account, OR go to Vegas and put all your chips on Red 42 (the market)?

Yes, I know that the system is set up to give a larger return to those who earn less. Those at the top of the scale, who have large 401k, Roth IRA, and private pensions already - can not expect better than a break even on Social Security. But so what? Just because some people retire with millions means that other people who work hard all their life have to retire and eat Alpo?

But in case you are my age (early 30s) and you do not care about private accounts - or even support private accounts - think about this.

Republicans ARE TALKING about raising the retirement age to 69. Look it up on Google News yourself. This is their solution, so that people at the top of the income scale can retire with more dollars. Require people to work till they are 69 before they can get full benefits.

Of course, those who earn more money will be able to retire at a reasonable age. They will not really need the Social Security benefits that much.

But lower income workers will be FORCED to work till they drop dead. And if they do work till retirement age, what can they look forward to at age 70? Dream trips to the doctor?

I have a suggestion to the Republicans. Why not just raise Social Security retirement age to 150? That will fix the system. At least as far as the working poor are concerned. Work till you die OR live in poverty.

And if Social Security retirement age goes up, you can bet your ass that companies with pension plans will want to raise the benefit age too. After all, if an employee who pays into the pension plan croaks before they can collect full benefits, the company does not have to shell out the full amount. They get to keep some of it.

Of course those at the top of the income scale could afford to retire at any time. All that keeps the multi millionaires going to work is pure greed. They do not really need their pension, their 401K, or their Social Security. They can afford to just buy bonds and live off the interest - and live pretty high on the hog too.

The rest of us can look forward to a life of servitude, till we die of a heart attack in the office.