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On Mon, 16 May 2011 00:19:20 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2011 16:09:52 -0400, wf3h wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2011 15:06:40 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2011 13:17:27 -0400, wf3h wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2011 13:13:48 -0400, wrote:

the system is broken because it serves the interest of the powerful to
have it that way. if there are no controls then it's impossible to put
any checks and balances on the 'supply side' fundamentalist right wing

and they're fine with that.

The entitlement system is broke because of demographics, no more no
less.

partially true. the collapse of our economy, engineered by the right,
is the real reason we're broke

SS/Medicare would be broke, no matter what happened to the economy.
There simply are not enough workers coming onto the bottom of the
pyramid to support an 83 million person peak.

This is completely untrue. Neither is broke and this is just a right
wing talking point without merit.

You started out with 35 or 40 payers per retiree in 1935 and people
were only expected to collect for a couple of years if they lived that
long. Now we have 3 workers per retiree and they will collect for 18
years.
It is simply unsustainable. The whole concept of a trust fund is
fantasy, invented in 1939 to fund the build up for WWII.

what's also unsustainable is the massive increase in healthcare costs
we face, again, engineered by the 'free market' fundamentalism of the
right.
Health care cost is part of it but simply having 40 million medicare
recipients is unsustainable and that will double in a decade.

It's only unsustainable if no action is taken. Action is being
proposed and the situation will turn around. More fear mongering isn't
part of the solution.

BTW did you see how Geithner is extending the debt ceiling? He is
taking money from the federal pension program. I am surprised nobody
is raising hell about that.

we have no choice but to extend the ceiling. our debt wouldnt be
serviceable if we didnt

The debt will be unserviceable when the interest rate doubles too and
that is far more than likely.

It is not "more likely." There's no credible evidence that interest
rates will be doubling any time soon.