Thursday, September 29, 2011

What to do about Social Security

So everyone wants to "save" Social Security, but I think I have a better idea.

Here's my proposal:

Part 1.  Anyone who is currently on Social Security, and is over 65 years of age or legitimately disabled (no drug addict/alcoholic 'disabilities' allowed), stays on Social Security until they die.

Part 2.  Everyone else gets their money back!

So part 2 is the kicker.  Whatever you have paid into Social Security over the years is totaled up by the US government which then sends you a one-time check for that amount.  Take the money and invest for your retirement, or go blow it - it doesn't matter - it's your money! 

As for part 1: Social Security payments for those currently on it will come out of the general fund until everyone currently on it is dead.  Then that's it.  It's over.

So what happens when the people not currently on Social Security retire?  Well, if  they've planned ahead and invested wisely, they'll live as comfortably as they can from that income.  And if they haven't done all that?  Well then they don't retire, or they move in with their kids and their kids support them.  That's how it used to be in America before we became addicted to government. 

Isn't it time to return to that all-American concept called 'personal responsibility'?

Friday, September 9, 2011

Obama's War On Jobs

Barack Obama doesn't get it.  He really doesn't.  His "pass this bill now" speech shows a profound ignorance of the government's role in job creation.  He thinks the way to create jobs is to a) spend more money on government jobs and contracts, b) pay people not to work, and c) cut some taxes.  Of these, only "c" is even close.

So the President wants to spend (correction: borrow) $400+ billion in money we don't have (and can never pay back) - and for what?  Does he honestly expect the results to be different from his $1 trillion stimulus that already produced a net job loss?  Come on!  (You know what they say about the definition of "insanity"!)  You don't create jobs by taking money from the producers, filtering it through the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Federal Government, and then handing out the pittance that remains to a few favored unions and contractors.  That's crony capitalism, or, as it's more commonly known: "theft".

What the President fails to understand is that the government's role in creating jobs is precisely this: GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!

Here's an example:  If the government were to simply allow energy companies to drill for all the oil and natural gas, and mine for all the coal and oil shale that sits under the ground on American property, estimates are that this industry alone would add 1.8 million jobs to the economy virtually overnight!!  And how much would it cost the taxpayer?  $0.00!!!!!!!  Yep, that's right - zero dollars to add 1.8 million jobs with just the stroke of the pen.  Plus, the added workers would start paying taxes - thus adding to - not subtracting from - the federal coffers.  It's a win-win. 

And that's just one industry.  There are literally thousands of industries in this country that cannot expand, that cannot add jobs, that cannot build new plants because they are buried under a mountain of government regulations!  And the trend under Obama is for more regulation not less.  He thinks these businesses are evil because they produce that evil substance "carbon" (the same substance you and I produce by breathing!)  So his EPA, and myriad other federal agencies, are doing everything in their power to keep these "evil businesses" from doing anything!!!  If the government would just GET OUT OF THE WAY, these industries could thrive as well.

It's Economics 101.  Unfortunately it's something the President doesn't understand.  It's time to vote him out of there and to vote someone in who understands the role of government.  It's time for a "Change we can believe in"!