Traffic for 2005 February 2 (entry 0)

(8) Wed Feb 02 2005 20:53 PST Things that make me puzzled: Watched Mr. Bush's little speech tonight. I cannot help but find many parallels between a children's playtime sandbox group and the US political arena. What I mean is, one side claps because Mr. Bush pronounced a word right, and the other side adamantly refuses to acknolwedge that they are even alive during such a feat. For all we know, the manequins at that Old Navy in SF that Sumana and her coworkers ransacked could have filled the seats of our donkey neighbors.

But what puzzles me more is Social Security. I for one am a cynic and never expect to see a penny of that money ever again. I become even more cynical when I think of my parents receiving my money when they so openly refused to support me growing up. As an aside, I have suppressed anger to my mother who gets her nails and hair done every Saturday yet had no money to put me through college.

So privitization of Social Security sounds like a nice program to me. It's just another 401(k), basically. Though I haven't fully investigated the idea, I am glad to have a President who recognizes the future calamity and wants to fix it NOW. Why the Democrats oppose this I don't understand. Is it simply because he is their "arch nemesis," like that bully that threw sand in your eyes when you were five, or am I missing something?

Of course, if the major body of Americans could handle saving their own money in the first place, the whole system wouldn't exist, and we would be left to our own designs. Having a bit of the Protestant ethic in me, I naturally save more than I spend, and wish everyone was responsible enough to take care of themselves without "Big Brother." But having spent the summer in LA, I realize the temptations of that new BMW now are way too tempting for many, even if it means living in a smelly rest home when they are eighty.

A final note: Does anyone else beside my wife cry at those silly OnStar commercials? It feels like the first "reality commercial" has made some headway with my wife.

Comments:

Posted by Joe Walch at Thu Feb 03 2005 10:18

John, if I am not mistaken, your father is on SSDI, No? I think that is important. I think that whatever they do, SSDI should be left intact, but I agree and wonder at the wisdom of handing a SS check to people like my grandpa who has probably a half million in assets, and pulls in more than 80 K a year by doing nothing.

The problem with SS is that the "Gray Panthers" are an incredibly powerful group, and in 2019 (or before) when SS goes into the Red, the people who are under SSDI are going to be crushed being so small a group. When benefits are cut, SS life insurance is going first, then Disability, and that is the group who need the help the most.

Posted by Sumana at Thu Feb 03 2005 15:15

John, you have gotten me to imagine torsoless, headless legs filling the seats of an auditorium.

I cry at ads all the time - Sylvan Learning Center, OnStar, trailers for sad movies, probably at least one car insurance ad.

I'm collecting my thoughts on Social Security so I can explain why I'm cautious regarding Bush's proposals. I may send you or post a link or two to economists' explanations.

Posted by Susie at Fri Feb 04 2005 09:19

Thank you, Sumana, for validating my emotional side.

Posted by Sumana at Fri Feb 04 2005 11:39

Yes! I am terribly sentimental over those ads, and thoughts of heroism and sacrifice and loss and birth. But I am not fond of animals and the day before yesterday I got into an argument with a jerk on the train to work. My heart selectively bleeds.

Posted by Kristen at Fri Feb 04 2005 18:12

Isn't SSDI the Social Security Death Index? Also, Grandpa doesn't make that much a year. At least reported income.

Posted by Joe Walch at Fri Feb 04 2005 19:00

SSDI is Social Security Disablity Insurance: http://www.kidsource.com/nfpa/social.html.

I admit, I don't know exactly how much G-pa makes. There is a significant positive cashflow there, however, and I was just saying that when greater than 95% of people take out SS at his age, not all of them need it (just as Grandpa doesn't exactly "need" Social Security). They did pay into the system, however, and it is right that they get something back for paying into the system all of those years.

Posted by Joe Walch at Fri Feb 04 2005 19:01

Opps, I put up a broken link.

Posted by Sumana at Mon Feb 14 2005 11:24

Ah, here's an explanation or two of why we need to reform a lot of things but that Social Security should actually be way down on our priority list, way under the general fund crisis:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_01/005446.php