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@n8nrgim
That doesn't answer the trillion dollar question: What benefit is it to raise taxes to fund waste and fraud?
And the corollary:
What benefit is it to remove the taxes funding waste and fraud?
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@n8nrgim
The U.S. already taxes less than other developed countries but gets worse results.
I'm surprised AI didn't point out that this statement alone justifies everything Trump is doing. Nearly every category of government spending gets worse results compared to other countries (including education)
Raising taxes just funnels that money to those who benefit from the current waste. (mostly rich people) which explains why Democrats never actually tax the rich when they have a congressional majority, but gladly accept campaign donations from Billionaires while they increase wasteful spending and increase taxes on the poor and middle class.
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@n8nrgim
if the private sector did social security, it would probably use annuities.
I just read this.... your original presumption is laughably false.
Estimates suggest that only about 2-5% of 401(k) participants use annuities as part of their retirement portfolio. While some 401(k) plans may offer annuities as an option, the vast majority of people choose to invest in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, which are typically seen as better options for growth and flexibility in retirement savings. Why would you claim this would be the "probable private sector investment?"
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@ILikePie5
The stock market isn’t a ponzi scheme lol. Youre also forgetting that stocks aren’t perpetual. Some go away and new ones take its place. So on and so forth. And people get to choose where to put their money.
Bonds are such a garbage investment and usually only included in a diversified 401K as a poor hedge against predictable inflation.
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@n8nrgim
The guarantees it provides...
Like the guarantee that the SS trust fund will run out of money in 2033?
According to the 2024 Social Security Trustees Report, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund is projected to be depleted in 2033. At that time, incoming revenues would cover approximately 79% of scheduled benefits.
Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the OASI Trust Fund will be exhausted in fiscal year 2033. The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is expected to remain solvent until 2064.
These projections indicate that, without legislative action, Social Security may face significant funding shortfalls starting in 2033.
the problem, is that most people lose money in stocks
False. If that was the case, your 401k manager would have an entire portfolio with a 100% investment in government bonds.
Yes, Social Security (SS) is essentially an investment in government bonds, specifically special-issue U.S. Treasury securities. These are non-marketable bonds that the SS Trust Fund holds, earning interest at an average rate of around 2% to 3% annually. This yield is low but stable, as government bonds are considered a low-risk investment. In contrast, the stock market, represented by the S&P 500, has historically returned around 7% to 10% annually over the long term (after inflation), making it a far more profitable investment but with greater volatility. While SS’s bond-based model offers stability, it also means the fund’s growth is limited by the lower returns. If Social Security were partially or fully privatized, allowing investments in the stock market, it could potentially achieve much higher returns. While this would expose individuals to market risks, the overwhelming majority of people still choose to have retirement funds with greater returns than just bonds.
While surplus Social Security funds are held in government bonds (which critics call IOUs), those bonds are backed by the U.S. government...
While it's true that surplus Social Security funds are held in government bonds, which critics often refer to as "IOUs," the problem lies in the fact that these bonds are backed by the U.S. government’s future ability to generate revenue. In theory, these bonds are just as secure as any other Treasury securities, because they are guaranteed by the U.S. government. However, the core issue is that they represent debt rather than actual assets. The money the government takes in from Social Security taxes is spent on other federal programs, and in return, the Social Security Trust Fund holds these bonds as evidence that the government owes the program that money.
The problem with this setup is that while the bonds are backed by the government, they don’t actually create wealth or grow on their own. (because the government doesn't actually produce anything with bond debt, it redistributes from producers to those that produce way less or produce nothing.) Instead, the system depends on future tax revenues to repay these bonds, but there’s no real pool of invested capital that will continue to earn a return and provide a steady source of funds. The 2-3% return on government bonds is actually founded on the valuation of US currency which rises through planned inflation by increasing the supply of money relative to demand, but it doesn't generate real wealth. While it offers a low-risk way to preserve purchasing power, the return often barely outpaces inflation, meaning the real growth of your investment is minimal. Compared to market-based investments like stocks, which historically offer higher returns, bonds mainly serve to protect the value of money rather than create significant wealth over time.This creates a scenario where the U.S. government must raise taxes or borrow more to cover the growing obligations to Social Security as more baby boomers retire and fewer workers contribute.
By 2033, Social Security’s trust fund is projected to be depleted, and the program will rely entirely on payroll taxes coming in. At that point, without changes to the system, the government will either need to raise taxes, reduce benefits, or borrow more, creating a cycle of debt that is unsustainable. While the bonds are technically backed by the U.S. government, the real problem is that Social Security is functioning like a Ponzi scheme: it requires an ongoing influx of new money to pay benefits, and when the flow of new contributions slows down or can't keep up with growing obligations, the system will run into trouble.
if you simply let every man for himself, most people would be destitutue in retirement and we'd have the problem that had us make social security to begin with.
While it’s true that Social Security was created to prevent widespread destitution in retirement, the argument that "every man for himself" would lead to widespread poverty doesn’t account for the fact that most people are already comfortable relying on private retirement savings, particularly through 401(k)s and other market-based investments.
The vast majority of workers today contribute to private retirement accounts, where their funds are invested in the stock market, bonds, and other assets that, over time, historically provide a higher return than the low, guaranteed return offered by government bonds in the Social Security system. While it's true that stock market investments carry some risks, the average returns over time have been substantial enough to provide most people with a comfortable retirement if they start saving early enough. The market has consistently outpaced the growth of Social Security benefits, and many people today prefer the opportunity for higher returns than the limited, risk-free options provided by the Social Security Trust Fund.
The problem with Social Security isn’t necessarily the idea of individual responsibility, but the structure of the system itself. By relying on government bonds and pay-as-you-go funding, the system is unsustainable as it faces demographic shifts like an aging population. A shift towards private investments, where individuals can grow their savings based on their own risk tolerance, would allow for greater flexibility and potentially higher returns, making it a more effective way to prepare for retirement without burdening the government’s fiscal capacity. Most people today are already comfortable with the idea of personal investment responsibility, and with proper financial literacy, they are capable of managing their own retirement funds in ways that could lead to better outcomes than relying on Social Security alone.
but most of my arguments are argued better by AI on my behalf.
Lol, no, they really were not. You have to include a ton of bias filters to get an AI response that excludes the obvious problems that are objectively leading to the projected 2033 insolvency of SS. Try steelmanning next time.
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@FLRW
Dictator Trump won't allow us to exercise our constitutional right to spit.
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@Shila
When you break it down, Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) does exhibit cult-like thinking. The first evidence, cognitive bias, mirrors the thought control seen in cults. Individuals with TDS often interpret everything Trump does through a negative lens regardless of the objective reality. This rigid, black-and-white thinking where Trump is always wrong and evil resembles the binary mindset cults instill toward outsiders. This is how you can get people to boo a child with cancer.
Emotional conditioning reflects emotional manipulation tactics. In cults, members are conditioned to feel immediate fear, anger, or disgust toward those deemed enemies. With TDS, a similar response occurs as constant outrage-driven media conditions a knee-jerk reaction of hatred or scorn at the mere mention of Trump’s name, bypassing rational assessment.
Identity politics encourages groupthink and conformity, another hallmark of cult psychology. In cults, members define themselves by their loyalty to the cause, viewing outsiders as morally corrupt. With TDS, opposition to Trump often becomes a core part of personal identity, making objectivity nearly impossible. Those who express even mild approval of Trump are often viewed as traitorous or morally compromised, reinforcing the insular mindset.
While TDS isn’t literally a cult, the psychological patterns of emotional reflex, black-and-white thinking, and identity-based group loyalty create a closed-loop mentality where facts no longer matter, only the emotional narrative does.
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@TheGreatSunGod
Welcome back BK
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@Shila
Which is why the marxist left calls an elected president dictator while funding anarchy in the streets burning Teslas.
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@ebuc
Destroy the USA governance that barely put them in power.
Government tried to kill Trump. People put him in power.
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@Sidewalker
Let's all cheer for the destruction of the government, the old, the handicapped, children, trans, black, brown, LGBTQ, and liberals.
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@Sidewalker
If you think about it, nothing good lasts forever. SS trust fund will run out in 2033
That's going to happen with or without doge. If someone is going to fix that, I would love for Trump to take a hard fall for it to save America and SS.
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@Sidewalker
I see you too are happy for Trump to take the blame. Welcome to the club brother.
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@FLRW
I think you should tax people until they burn the palace down around you.
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@FLRW
Trump was right. There's not a single thing he could do while president that could possibly make these Democrats happy. Even the most unifying statements or positive accomplishments are met with silence or protest. The Democrat party now operates on pure political theatrics.
Only smart people are able to leave the Democrat cult.
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@Double_R
I think you're talking about... you know... voters. As in the people who are supposed to decide these things, says democracy.
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@ebuc
Even if you believe there's no waste and fraud being safeguarded by stubborn federal holdout employees, we can't afford 2 trillion a year. It's gotta go one way or the other. I am totally good with Trump taking the blame if it means USA is saved.
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@Sidewalker
I haven't set any Teslas on fire, I should be fine.
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@Sidewalker
Bet that ruined your day, sorry.
Yes, I had a good cry about kids I know nothing about getting deported to a place I have never been.
And then I woke up.
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@Sidewalker
Separate families and put children in cages, YIPPEE!
Trump sent the kids home with the parents this time. You win.
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@Double_R
Selecting Kamala destroyed their voter base. The Democrats won't be allowed to run anyone normal after that because shoehorning Kamala solidified the resolve of the radical purity testers to keep (relatively)normal people like Gavin and Slotkin from ever being able to save the party. And the radical purity testers won't allow the (relatively)normal voter base to return either.
Tell me again, who is in charge? AOC? It's not Schumer.
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@Double_R
The democrats lost 2024 because the American people were convinced that the party in power was to blame for their perceived ills.
Lol, wrong. If you guys ran anyone other than Kamala, we would not be discussing the permanent dearth of your party. And you would not have to deflect from it.
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@ebuc
DOGE nor you are showing the evidence to SS employes or us here at DArt.
I guess we will find out once those walls are down.
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@ebuc
DOGE should work with with those existent federal employees of SS
If the existing employees allowed corruption for 50 years, why work with them?
Why are you against the liberty of freeing up those existing employees so that we can uncover and remove the waste?
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@Sidewalker
The Justice Department, the FBI, and US Military, are all just Trump’s weapons for revenge, and his appetite for vengeance is insatiable.
I am okay with revenge against corruption.
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@ebuc
the beginning of only MAGA's brand of justice for themselves. Scary times ahead and that is the way they like to operate.
I don't believe MAGA will ever replace all those DC Marxist district federal judges within our lifetimes. You can safely sleep knowing MAGA will never be able to use the judicial branch to overthrow the will of a democratically elected president.
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@ebuc
This one week after lead of house republicans stated, entitlements were not going to be messed with, that, it was only going after corruption and dead people receiving benefits.
Are you against this? Should you allow the corruption and waste to continue?
So now DOGE Trump/Musk firing social security employees who refuse to them access to US citizens Social Security data bases.Dictators both of these two men seeking revenge on their enemies and that is democrats. So if they gain access to USA's personal data base, they then free to isolate out democrats and start ending those receiving entitlements for their retirement.
That's a valid concern, and that has happened before when Democrats weaponized the IRS and FEMA against MAGA. But it's very likely Trump, who is in charge of how SS is run, truly wants to find out where the fraud and waste is, but he needs the data to do that. In the end, the electorate will have to hold Trump accountable if he weaponizes the SSA instead of returning the money back to the people.
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@TheGreatSunGod
Did you have to refine your search filters to make sure you got a January dated poll?
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@ebuc
Trumpet calling to impeach a judge for following USA law.
Nope, for violating the constitutional separation of powers.
America cannot function if a district court judge is the ultimate authority in control of national security matters. America will never be able to function if an unelected district judge becomes the executioner. When a single unelected district court judge assumes authority over national security matters, it creates a dangerous imbalance. Judges are meant to interpret laws, not execute or dictate policy, especially on issues of national security, which are explicitly the domain of the executive and legislative branches.
Allowing one judge to effectively become the final arbiter on such critical matters by "turning planes around" turns the judiciary into an unaccountable executioner. That’s not how a constitutional republic is supposed to function. It erodes the balance of powers, making the judicial branch the supreme authority, which was never the founders’ intent.
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The sheer joy they find in hurting people, the way they are energized by cruelty, how a man with a toy chain saw can work them into a joyous frenzy over thousands of people losing their jobs, how they take pride in the hatred he has brought to the surface.
Why do you think removing wasteful and harmful government shouldn't be celebrated by the people?
Give us a reason why we should care about the thousands of elite bureaucrats losing their authority to micro manage us into obscurity?
America was founded on resistance to this. It should be no surprise that it is still an American tradition!
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@fauxlaw
I also find it highly ironic that it took yet another Hollywood actor to expose all the meaningless pandering that passes for policy in DC.
All that pandering now polls at around 20% popularity. Legal protections for gang invaders... demanding biological women (half the country) tolerate biological men wearing wigs in prisons, sports, and personal spaces.... demanding another 200 billion to sustain a meaningless war.... demanding the middle class pay their fair share to the climate gods while basic resources like water can't be found in case of fires...race based rewards over meritocracy...the list is endless.
Their virtue signaling is so extreme, they couldn't even clap for a kid trying to beat cancer....
They’ve become so consumed by their petty ideological games that they can’t even muster basic humanity.
The whole far-left platform reeks of elitist contempt for ordinary people. It won't last, and it shouldn't
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@Double_R
who suffered from moments of confusion..
Again, to someone insulated in a bubble, this statement is not misleading.
So... A cabinet unwilling to invoke the 25th amendment are a bunch of cowards? Let's remember that...
They did the next best thing, forced Biden to drop out of his re-election bid.
You poor soul, you really think political sentiment is permanent.
It is when the Democrats are suffering a political depression with no leader anywhere in sight. Anytime someone competent tries to emerge like Newsom or Slotkin, the radical tail eats the head. Democrats are totally to blame for the impossible position they are in now. They sacrificed their own future for immediate gratification. Natural selection will take care of the rest. This is what happens when you embrace diversity to the extreme, you get a fragmented and unworkable party. That not something that can just swing back.
A party that prioritizes ideological purity and identity-based factionalism over a unifying vision for the future makes it impossible to maintain a cohesive coalition. The obsession with immediate gratification through performative policies, pandering, and symbolic virtue signaling has forever erased that unified direction. That flavor of politics only works with controlled media, but the 1st Amendment has finally broken the propaganda cartel. Their radical base cannibalizes rising moderates making it impossible for competent leaders to gain traction. This is not a blip. It's a long overdue correction.
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@ADreamOfLiberty
They always just hated humanity, and an environmentalist that solves environmental problems is pure cognitive dissonance for them. They want to be told that there is no hope but less humans.
Climate alarmism is thoroughly infested with rabid Luddites and Malthusians. It's a wonder there isn't more eco-terrorism.
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@Shila
He wants to shut his government contracts down. Then he can sell more cars to people that can use them.
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@Deb-8-a-bull
I had Taco Bell on ash Wed. Did that count?
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@zedvictor4
Also heard uttered when a poker man is dealt a belly buster and then prays for that magic card!
"let me get this...."
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Be offended.
"we report on (out of context) excerpts"
At this point, pride in brainrot drives the compulsion to waste time with left wing corporate media.
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@TheGreatSunGod
The president only has so much power with discretionary spending. The Congress is ultimately going to have to make the big sweeping changes to transition USA back to a smaller government that actually functions.
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@Double_R
it kind of cancels that out
It would have only canceled out if Trump resigned due to mental incompetence just like Biden was forced to do. To a far left insider, it's no big deal, but to normal Americans, knowing that the country was rudderless for nearly 4 years with no oversight from the press was a shock enough to walk away....for good it seems.
Imagine a lowly district judge turning an aircraft carrier around because he thought a president was a "war criminal"
Agreed.
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@Shila
And *if* Trump is working for Vladimir Putin that would be treason.
Oopsie, add another to the 30,000 misleading or false statements!
And also the baby brother AP news...more lies
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@Double_R
so you agree. end rant then.
And *if* Trump is working for Vladimir Putin that would be treason.
Lol, Okay Al Green. Enjoy the disapproval I guess.
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And again, you do not dispute that the courts are attempting to exercise authority over national security concerns (not relegate it to Congress), which is arguably an unprecedented violation of the constitutional separation of powers. The courts were never designed to have that kind of over-reaching power. Imagine a lowly district judge turning an aircraft carrier around because he thought a president was a "war criminal"
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As portrayed by right wing podcasts
That's not true. Many of these left wing corporate media outlets fully admit they made a mistake by misleading the public on Biden before he was forced out. It's not just MAGA claiming this. They fully know the reason why half their audience left, and people like Gavin Newsom know exactly why people are also leaving his party, and he publicly admits it.
they ruled that he couldn't use the Hero's act in the way he was trying so that program had to be stopped.
This is a prime example of a misleading statement. You are leaving out the critical reason WHY they ruled that way.
I will repeat it for those in the back of the class:
The ruling emphasized that only Congress has the constitutional authority to authorize large-scale spending programs. By attempting to cancel debt without congressional approval, the executive branch exceeded its powers.
Biden promptly let his base know what he thought about that:
common sense, lol
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@Double_R
I suppose the SCOTUS will decide what the legal term "to sign something" means. The constitution gives the president the power to sign or not sign legislation. If the president was not in the same room as the autopen and the document, that raises serious 25th amendment concerns.
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@Double_R
If the political right didn't have false equivalences you'd have no argument at all.
I don't know why this is your go-to defense. I actually claimed the opposite. There is a huge difference between the SCOTUS telling a president he has no authority with an issue the SCOTUS ruled as falling under the duties of Congress. (and then have the president say he was going to do it anyway, clearly violating the Scotus mandate to leave the issue with Congress)
and...
A radical left district judge claiming HE has the ultimate authority in matters of national security.
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@Double_R
Nobody disputes that 80 year old Biden is not 65 year old Biden,
Nobody meaning all of corporate left wing media right up until Biden was pressured to drop out of his race. Granted.
Just because Donald Trump is utters the magic words "national security" doesn't mean the law and the constitution go out the window
Not claiming that, but a radical district judge should not have the undisputed power in that area.
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@Double_R
I'm talking about the duty required of a president to actually perform the action of signing and the 25th amendment.
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@Double_R
It's kind of a common sense notion, or at least it used to be...
Hard X for doubt noting the deafening silence on the left when Biden pissed all over a scotus ruling regarding school loans when they clearly said only Congress had the authority...
Contrast that with a radical leftist judge intervening in matters of the executive authority regarding national defense.
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@Double_R
I see you don't dispute the big lie repeated ad infinitum about Biden's cognizance.
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