LIVE from the Sun Dome in Tampa. - Page 5

Just so everyone knows - http://www.youtube.com/v/77W5OKStO5s

Enjoy beautiful Tampa, BE. Politics suck.

Sadley, in his speech tonight, Romney promised to stop Iran from developing nukes.  This implies he will attack them, and probably start another endless mideast war that cannot ever be won.  In my view this is a very dangerous move since the Russians and Chinese are deeply involved there and the Russians have sold high tech missile interceptor systems to them that are superior to many systems.  The US cannot afford anymore wars and needs to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and the other hundreds of foreign bases.  we simply are bankrupt as a country and cannoty afford these wars and military outposts anymore.

Besides many experts say that Iran bought Nukes from the Russians when the Soveit Union fell AND THEREFORE ALREADY HAS THEM (they were obtained from the Ukrainian stockpiles).  Iran is now rumored to be developing new, higher tech nuclear fuel rods to supply Europe with and are part of a new emerging world banking system, plus they are working on cold fusion for cheaper energy and close to a practical application which could be marketed.

Obamna promised to get out of Iraq in 30 days, which he did not do and he moved full ahead 100% into Afghanistan. He participated in the covert sog take down of Libya.  But one thing in his favor is that so far, he has refused to participate in an attack on Iran.  Hopefully, if he is re-elected he will absatin from getting cconned into this which would be a big mistake and could easily set off WW3 and a nuclear exchange between Russia and the US.

Thank you Benn !! He even mentioned when our buses were kidnapped. I'll explain the buses to you when I get home it was crazy. http://www.youtube.com/v/pKaXqoC4DjE Thanks Blitzen, time to enjoy Tampa finally.

Beetree,  Entitlement programs are like insurance policies.  You pay in the premiums and, if a covered event occurs, you get the money you were promised to cover it, even if it is more or less than your total payments.  If no covered accident occurs, you are not entitled to anything.  When the entitlement programs were developed, it was expected that many people would pay in and few would collect.  The money was supposed to be invested, but I have been told the government borrowed against it and replaced the actual funds with government bonds which have to be paid back into the programs before any other bills are paid.  Therefore the money is considered to be there based on ongoing revenues, but it is not earning money as if it had been invested.  If that is not true, then even the invested money isn't earning enough to cover all the payouts.

People liked the entitlements because benefits were not a fixed amount like savings or even most insurance payouts would be.  With rising costs for lifesaving medical treatments, people are collecting much more than they paid in.  FICA contributions are relatively small compared to state and federal tax withholding amounts.  So although you feel like you've paid for your benefits, you haven't. 

My internet, phone and tv went down yesterday afternoon until today at 5am.  Could this be a leftist plot to black out convention coverage in my area?!!

Sorry, Micaho, but you don't get it, I see. You are defining the way you want it to be perceived. It isn't an insurance premium, it is more like a profit sharing and pension program with guaranteed returns. When the return on the investments don't cover the payouts, we have problems. What is paid into the fund, think of as the principle of what is invested. Rule number one to maintain wealth health, "never spend the principle".  It all "works" because not everybody needs to be paid out at the same time. Or that's the idea.

Okay, Beetree, maybe I have it wrong.  But if I invest in a fund with guaranteed returns, then I die, I would hope that my investment plus interest would go to my estate, which SS and Medicare do not.  Surviving spouses may get benefits, maybe not.  This is not your money to do with as you wish, which is why IRAs were created and other forms of privatization were proposed.  And if the entitlements are making money, why have end dates for these programs been predicted?  Do you know what the funds have been invested in that are making a profit?

Preston, I agree I would not like another war.  But my impression is that any war with Iran would be aerial and cyber, not land or hand-to-hand combat.  We would need to knock out strategic sites, not invade the country.  Hopefully we will not find out either way. 

By the way, Blitzen, I looked up my 2011 tax return and computed I paid 4.49% on my pension income.  Mitt Romney, eat your heart out.

"The US cannot afford anymore wars and needs to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and the other hundreds of foreign bases. we simply are bankrupt as a country and cannoty afford these wars and military outposts anymore."

I agree!



One big difference between entitlement programs and insurance is that with insurance, I can choose which insurance I want. With IRA's Roth's and the like I have the freedom to invest where I see fit. The federal government doesn't have a very good track record with return on investment........

Before SS and the entitlement programs, people saved a protion of their income, they didn't rely on the federal and state governments for handouts. Churches, charites and philanthropic organizations helped the poor.

originally SS was to be kept in a USG "lock box" of special accounts like a trust fund and never used for anything but making SS payments.  Unfortunately, due to apparent gross malfeasance Congress spent all the money and now there is allegedly nothing set aside, it comes straight out of the treasury. It has been alleged that it was LBJ who bore responsibility for this and Congress has apparently never corrected this.

Unbelievable these scum. Listen what happened to Jackie. This was one of the reasons I wanted my hotel to allow my dog to stay with my son. http://www.youtube.com/v/1TsFVmZBAWI