big problem is a lot of people were too busy taking vacations and buying big screen televisions instead of building a retirement

No change of fraud if invested in the S&P 500, right?
What would have happened in 2008 when the SS fund lost half its value.

Bigger problem is millions working in government subsidized jobs at Walmart and McDonalds who are broke every payday.

Check out CALPERS (CA retirement fund). It's invested in stocks and it doing well. In 2009 the S&P bottomed at 667, today it is at 4200. So what would've happened? Your investment would increased 6 times over.

S&P was at a little over 100 when I started working and contributing to SS. Wish everything I sent to SS would've been put in the S&P 500.

Fraud? HA! SS is invested in treasury bonds from a nation that is $33 trillion in debt. The govt. is loaning money to itself. It's a Ponzi scheme.

Bull Sh it

$50,000 x 12.4% of their income to Social Security equals 6,200 a year.

If $6,000 is invested annually in an IRA at a return of 5% after 30 years, the account would be worth over $400,000.

Just the other day I made a really good post about Carl and S4B. It was a very good post that was enjoyed by many OTers. By the way, my money was on Carl. You’re welcome.

So after you get back what you pay in ,after 6 or 7 years, please do not rely on the rest of us. How is that for a novel idea?

I'll be voting to expand it.

Irrespective of how much you get back vs pay in, way too many would not save enough for retirement and would still have to be supported by some outside means unless we decide that if you can't pay for it, you don't get it. And don't forget medicare. When you sit in the waiting room at the hospital and see the age of those there, it makes you realize what a burden us olds have become. Options? I don't see any.

Well we could start by reducing the wasteful spending and tax drain so that working Americans have more of their OWN money, but that doesn’t buy Democratic votes. We could follow our existing immigration laws vs. purposely facilitating illegal immigrants flooding into the country to strangle our infrastructure, schools, and healthcare system, but that doesn’t buy Democrat voters either.

Real wages are down significantly under democratic leadership. People are struggling just to make ends meet.

Some people are obviously struggling, but most are not. At least those who are willing to work, and budget wisely. I know you have special circumstances and I have decided not to be critical of you but I know of no one who is able bodied and prudent that is struggling.

I do. You live in a bubble. We have many factories full of struggling workers.

Back to grocery prices. I was in Brookshires in Fate a few days ago and they had pecans on sale 9.95 for 12oz. Tom Thumb just ran a sale for 5.99 and Kroger regular price is 6.99. I am not sure how that place is going to survive long term. HEB in Rockwall might just be the end of Brookshires in Fate.

He's donothin's son so a little sensitive when people crack on his dad