Politics Thread

**GoMuskies** · 06-27-2018, 01:35 PM

Justice Kennedy is retiring. NOW shit is getting real!

LOL

**boozehound** · 06-27-2018, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

The "major" cuts need to come out of defense.

On SS, in theory I like the idea of a "donut" on the payroll tax. You know, a hole in the middle where the payroll tax doesn't apply from like $125k to $250k then kicks back in. But I don't trust the government to stop there and know they'd eventually apply the payroll tax to 100% of W-2 income.

Absolutely. It'll never happen though.

Regarding SS: While I do really enjoy the part of the year where I'm done paying payroll taxes and get another 6% added to my income, I'd probably be willing to give that up to get the budget under control.

**GoMuskies** · 06-27-2018, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by boozehound

Regarding SS: While I do really enjoy the part of the year where I'm done paying payroll taxes and get another 6% added to my income, I'd probably be willing to give that up to get the budget under control.

If you uncap the tax like that, you've got to uncap the benefits accordingly.

**bobbiemcgee** · 06-27-2018, 02:43 PM

The govt has already stolen 3 Trillion from the SS "Trust" fund, so maybe they should pay it back.

**GoMuskies** · 06-27-2018, 02:55 PM

No matter what they do, they're going to keep "stealing" from the SS fund by spending the money and giving the SS fund government debt. They don't put that money in a bank account for a rainy day.

**GoMuskies** · 06-27-2018, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by ChicagoX

it's been more than 43 years since Roe v. Wade, and it will never, ever be overturned.

Bump. Would Roberts really be the 5th vote to uphold R v. W? Looks like we'll find out.

**noteggs** · 06-27-2018, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

No matter what they do, they're going to keep "stealing" from the SS fund by spending the money and giving the SS fund government debt. They don't put that money in a bank account for a rainy day.

Hmmm... you mean it’s not sitting in a lock box as promised?

**X-man** · 06-27-2018, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

No matter what they do, they're going to keep "stealing" from the SS fund by spending the money and giving the SS fund government debt. They don't put that money in a bank account for a rainy day.

By law, SS surpluses (like those they have been running for the last 25+ years until this year) must be invested in government securities. What has always annoyed me is the fact that the government treated these surpluses as part of a unified public budget (and therefore spendable rather than put aside, like the "lock box" analogy) but when the fund starts needing to tap those surpluses, Republicans (e.g. G W bush) argue that it's not part of a unified budget. The argument is therefore that SS must be self-funded but isn't entitled to any surpluses it might run to help the program fund itself.