Social Security

• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2012-05-30 00:19
  If social security works the way they say it does, then how is it possible for it to go bankrupt? All they have to do is pay back the same amount that was payed in, and bang! Social security problem solved. I smell a ponzi scheme.
• Yoorah wrote on 2012-05-30 00:29
  A lot in government works in a way that's similar to a ponzi scheme, or a more technical term would be over-provision? Kind of how residential ISPs and web hosting providers can't provide the advertised service to every single customer at the exact same time. Instead, realistic demand is modeled based on statistics and the system is built to support that.
  
  I'm not too familiar with how Social Security in the US works (and I have a feeling that you aren't either, or else you would not be making this thread), but I'm assuming that it works in a similar manner to what's been described above. The idea that everyone pays in to it, but not everyone will actually use it (plus investment-related stuff to generate additional money). If, however, the scenario changes; a bigger percentage of people pay in less, and more people depend on it due to an increasing aging population, then you have to re-adjust the system or you will have a problem.
• rzetlin wrote on 2012-05-30 00:58
  Society Security is not bankrupted, it is a lie!
  
  It's the rich people taking money from poor money.
  
  [video=youtube;4HLAm9Az1iM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HLAm9Az1iM&feature=plcp[/video]
• Hypercombo wrote on 2012-05-30 01:18

  Quote from rzetlin;875781:

  Society Security is not bankrupted, it is a lie!
  It's the rich people taking money from poor money.
  

  
  
  I don't want to get into a debate, but something tells me the government is funding bigger things
  than some oil baron's paycheck.
  
  Also: Social Security is essentially a load of BS. While it is supposed to be a nice idea, making sure people too stupid to plan ahead don't spend so much money that they don't have anymore when they can't work, by the time you are supposed to be able to access that money, well I don't plan on living that long. Heck if I reach the 70 or so years to get the money I put into it I'll probably be spending that cash on novelty bedpans.
• Kingofrunes wrote on 2012-05-30 02:41

  Quote from Yoorah;875750:

  If, however, the scenario changes; a bigger percentage of people pay in less, and more people depend on it due to an increasing aging population, then you have to re-adjust the system or you will have a problem.

  
  
  That's the current situation actually. All the Baby Boomers from the 50's be growing old man and not enough young yun's putting in money.
• Sekwaf wrote on 2012-05-30 03:33
  In theory, but they don't always just pay back what was given in. I live in a border town and it's a great illustration of how it doesn't work. Pregnant moth comes to US to "shop" waits outside hospital until she goes into labor. Doctors are required to help her, the baby is now a US citizen because it was born on US soil. Skip ahead 18 years and the kid can now petition to have his parents and grandparents immigrate really easily. They get social security benefits without putting a dime into it.
  
  There's also the aging Baby-boomers and a lot of other factors. It needs a reform, as does wellfare.
• Claudia wrote on 2012-05-30 19:46

  Quote from Kingofrunes;875857:

  That's the current situation actually. All the Baby Boomers from the 50's be growing old man and not enough young yun's putting in money.

  
  
  And baby boomers complaining when young people complain about it.
  
  The sad part is, both sides are absolutely right - the elderly are 100% entitled to their SS benefits, but younger people are 100% entitled to them as well. Why should we (the younger generation) keep paying into a program that won't help us in any way by the time we're ready to retire?
• Sumpfkraut wrote on 2012-05-30 19:59

  Quote from Claudia;876317:

  Why should we (the younger generation) keep paying into a program that won't help us in any way by the time we're ready to retire?

  
  Solidarity. It might seem a novel Socialist concept, but it's really, really, reeeeeaaaaaaally old. I should elaborate on this all to make it not seem that one-sided, but I'm really too lazy.
• paladin wrote on 2012-05-30 22:13

  Quote from Sumpfkraut;876330:

  Solidarity. It might seem a novel Socialist concept, but it's really, really, reeeeeaaaaaaally old. I should elaborate on this all to make it not seem that one-sided, but I'm really too lazy.

  
  
  maybe its diffrent in germany
  But for all terms,the american youth would laugh in your face