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Comment by TomOfTTB | Hacker News Reader

Social Security is (or is at least supposed to be) reimbursement of money you paid into the system. Welfare is a system in which society has chosen to give people money to live to prevent them from having no money at all so it's a gift not payment for any service.

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Social security was never supposed to be reimbursement of money you paid into the system. It's always been a system of transfer payments - reimbursement of money other people paid into the system. That's why it worked: when it was instated, there were many more people paying into the system than receiving benefits.

The sooner people realize that, the sooner they can come to terms with its eventual bankruptcy. That's why I hate it when people repeat the myth that you're supposed to get out what you put in. It'll make for a very rude awakening when you don't.

Whoa whoa... The solvency issues of Social Security are primarily due to the Government of my parents "borrowing" money from the system that they paid into it. There are of course the exacerbating burden of of longer life expectancy that they have failed to address as well. I believe it was Al Gore who spoke about the idea of a "lock-box."

All this and generations want to call me entitled? Look you spent the money you were supposed to save. I can appreciate the social programs that result (I'm a bleeding heart) but, don't shit every where and then blame my generation for stepping in it.

Social Security is (or is at least supposed to be) reimbursement of money you paid into the system.

This is true only to the extent that it reimburses/rewards/repays people who actually work. It isn't really based on how much you pay, but the taxable amount of your income. Also, how long you've been working.

Interesting that this topic should come up; just this morning I received my yearly information statement from the SSI. Have been working since age 15 (according to the statement, this is how long I've been paying taxes, too). Actually am pretty astounded at how little "taxable income" I've made in my lifetime. Has absolutely _nothing_ to do with how hard I've worked.

Maybe people who spend all day in nice air-conditioned offices who complain about how "unfair" things like Social Security are should try ditching their suits for a construction belt in the Las Vegas sun for 3 or so years. That's what my dad did (construction), and he passed away before he ever saw a penny of his Social Security benefits. Of course. That's how the people in the air-conditioned offices like it, don't they?

> Maybe people who spend all day in nice air-conditioned offices who complain about how "unfair" things like Social Security are should try ditching their suits for a construction belt in the Las Vegas sun for 3 or so years. That's what my dad did (construction), and he passed away before he ever saw a penny of his Social Security benefits. Of course. That's how the people in the air-conditioned offices like it, don't they?

A SS advocate would point out that your mother probably got something.

I'll point out that the fact that your dad got more screwed than someone else by SS does not imply that said someone else didn't get screwed as well.

I think that your dad sould have been able to keep the 15% that SS took, or at least give it to your mom and you. SS advocates think otherwise.

> That's how the people in the air-conditioned offices like it, don't they?

Yes, all Social Security advocates work in air-conditioned offices, and all people in air-conditioned offices are Social Security advocates. I love it when the world turns out to be black and white after all, instead of those messy shades of grey...

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