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#1
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
What is the scam you talk about? I don't know of anyone who has not received a social security check that they were entitled to. Your definition of scam must be different from the one I am used to. [/ QUOTE ] Is a pyramid scheme a scam before it collapses? |
#2
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] What is the scam you talk about? I don't know of anyone who has not received a social security check that they were entitled to. Your definition of scam must be different from the one I am used to. [/ QUOTE ] Is a pyramid scheme a scam before it collapses? [/ QUOTE ] Good question - I would say yes. I would also argue that social security is not a pyramid scheme in reality. Funding does come from the broader base to support the top layer. But, if the base shrinks they will either increase the tax, lessen the benefits, or change the age of retirement. Either way, people will still get their checks. Many budgets and pension plans are similar to pyramids schemes. They rely on a certain amount of money coming in to pay the money going out. That doesn't make them scams. By-the-way Capitalism is basically a pyramid scheme. Usually, Capitalism, in order to be a healthy, viable system has to sustain constant growth. |
#3
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
Changing any of those things makes it a scam, because one generation foots the bill for another generation. My letter from SS every year even says that they expect to reduce my benefits before I retire. Great, I am paying for some granny's benefits who never worked a day in her life, and could easily get by on her inheritance from her late husband, but when I retire after 30-40 years of working, selling my soul to the man, I'll be faced with reduced (if any) benefits?
Sounds like a scam to me. |
#4
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
Many budgets and pension plans are similar to pyramids schemes. They rely on a certain amount of money coming in to pay the money going out. That doesn't make them scams. [/ QUOTE ] It is "scammy" though when it is not transparent to all partipants that there is an intergenerational cost shift going on, or when participants are told flat out that their contributions are sufficient to meet plan obligations when they are not, or when the contributions to the plan are not held in trust for plan members. To a certain extent, all of these criticisms apply to SS. [ QUOTE ] By-the-way Capitalism is basically a pyramid scheme. Usually, Capitalism, in order to be a healthy, viable system has to sustain constant growth. [/ QUOTE ] This is wrong (or, at best, backwards). Capitalism creates growth, it does not "rely" on it to be "healthy". Growth is the end product of healthy capitalism, healthy capitalism is not the product of growth. |
#5
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By-the-way Capitalism is basically a pyramid scheme. Usually, Capitalism, in order to be a healthy, viable system has to sustain constant growth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is wrong (or, at best, backwards). Capitalism creates growth, it does not "rely" on it to be "healthy". Growth is the end product of healthy capitalism, healthy capitalism is not the product of growth. [/ QUOTE ] Type in 'capitalism is a pyramid scheme' in google and see what you get. I think this is open to interpretation. |
#6
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By-the-way Capitalism is basically a pyramid scheme. Usually, Capitalism, in order to be a healthy, viable system has to sustain constant growth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is wrong (or, at best, backwards). Capitalism creates growth, it does not "rely" on it to be "healthy". Growth is the end product of healthy capitalism, healthy capitalism is not the product of growth. [/ QUOTE ] Type in 'capitalism is a pyramid scheme' in google and see what you get. I think this is open to interpretation. [/ QUOTE ] No it isn't and what you're saying is useless nonsense. Mos Def has the causative argument exactly right. Would you say that evolution is not "constant growth"? |
#7
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By-the-way Capitalism is basically a pyramid scheme. Usually, Capitalism, in order to be a healthy, viable system has to sustain constant growth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is wrong (or, at best, backwards). Capitalism creates growth, it does not "rely" on it to be "healthy". Growth is the end product of healthy capitalism, healthy capitalism is not the product of growth. [/ QUOTE ] Type in 'capitalism is a pyramid scheme' in google and see what you get. I think this is open to interpretation. [/ QUOTE ] this site? http://www.roman-empire-america-now.com/capitalism.html |
#8
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Re: Understanding the Social Security scam
FWIW, I'm not going to criticize the notion that Social Security is a scam, but if Social Security is a scam, that doesn't mean it fits the definition of a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are, by definition, unsustainable. Social Security and other social insurance programs are sustainable and the obligations are clearly defined and predictable, hence why the program has existed for 50+ years and relatedly, will continue to exist into the short to mid term future without any intervention whatsoever -- the 1983 Amendments assured that. Even the so-called "Social Security" funding crisis isn't a death knell for the program, as it can easily be made solvent again through some simple policy changes -- although I'll concede those changes may be unpopular. There is no other pyramid scheme, to my knowledge, which can exist for decades (and soon to be centuries) like Social Security has.
I realize I'm not responding to anyone in particular here, but it seems to be a popular to claim Social Security is a pyramid scheme, which seems pretty far from the truth. |
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