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old Grump
07-24-2011, 04:50 PM
Bookworm (http://www.bookwormroom.com/author/bookworm/) on Aug 03 2010 at 4:07 pm

Danny Lemieux sent me an email regarding Social Security that I reproduce here. I know that the bit about the “not for identification” is true, because I have in front of me my card, which has that message, and my children’s cards, which don’t. I do not know if the rest of the email message is true, and trust that, if it’s not, you will correct me. Snopes (http://snopes.com/), interestingly enough, has no word on this one:
Subject: History Lesson on Your Social Security Card
Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn’t know this. It’s easy to check out, if you don’t believe it. Be sure and show it to your family and friends. They need a little history lesson on what’s what and it doesn’t matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts.

Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes.

http://www.bookwormroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/image002-300x175.jpg (http://www.bookwormroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/image002.jpg)

Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION message was removed.

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. His promises are in black, with updates in red.

1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary [No longer voluntary],

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program [Now 7.65% on the first $90,000, and 15% on the first $90,000 if you're self-employed],

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year [No longer tax deductible],

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent ‘Trust Fund’ rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program [Under Johnson the money was moved to the General Fund and Spent],

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income [Under Clinton & Gore up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed].

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month — and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to ‘put away’ — you may be interested in the following:

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent ‘Trust Fund’ and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically controlled House and Senate.

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?
A: The Democratic Party.

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?
A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the ‘tie-breaking’ deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

Now, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!
And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it! If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve. Maybe not, though. Some Democrats are awfully sure of what isn’t so — but it’s worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to?

Actions speak louder than bumper stickers.


http://www.bookwormroom.com/2010/08/03/a-history-lesson-about-your-social-security-card-and-benefits/I can't believe how many people get upset with me when I won't give them my social security number when they ask for it and yet they have no legal authority to ask for it. We are just used to obeying and they are used to people acquiescing to the request. Thought this E-mail might get your attention if you haven't thought about it lately. Us people on Social Security think about it a lot because we paid into it and now they are telling us who have qualified for it and need it that we are greedy leeches for wanting our money back.

mriddick
07-24-2011, 05:16 PM
IMO I think if we want to keep the system in place with all the benefits in place then we need to fund it in full. As it was set up (the 1% deduction) wouldn't of made it much into the 1980's if it was left alone, even raising it to 2% in 69 only meant it would last until the 1990's. I think people on or looking forward to SSI need to realize they never paid into the system at a rate to sustain it.

I think we have basically 3 choices (actually choice 2 is variable but I'll count it as 1 choice)
1. We can fund it in full (more taxes) and keep the current benefits.
2. Continue to fund it as is and reduce benefits to that level of funding (or determine the level of funding we want to pay and build a benefits package around that level of funding).
3. Discontinue funding (get rid of taxes) and discontinue payments.

I think 1 is preferable to most Americans on or going to soon be on SSI. 2 is probably preferable to most not on SSI but wanting it. 3 probably has zero chance of being put into effect. I really don't care if we went with 1 or 2, even 3 wouldn't bother much although I doubt many others are in my position to take care of family who'd lose benefits right now.

Partisan1983
07-24-2011, 05:26 PM
Great post OG.

Kadmos
07-24-2011, 05:27 PM
Wow, I don't think any of that stuff is even half right.

1. It was never "voluntary", there were jobs that were "exempted", you could essentially opt out by not taking one of those jobs.

2. it was 1% (each for employer and employee) on the first $3,000, went up to 3% on $3,000 in 1949...like all taxes it tends to go up and down.

3. SS was never tax deductible, the law forbade that all the way back to 1935

4. Err, kinda...originally things were considered on budget or off budget, the basic setup was the same. It went from off budget to on budget in 1968 (Johnson) under the Unified budget...then it came back off budget in 1990. Never really made any difference to how money is used (general fund always borrowed)

5. Originally the income was not taxed. Obviously later it did get taxed...but when did that start? Oh right in 1984. Gosh wasn't Reagan president then? At the time it 50% of it was taxable. It was in fact raised to 85% under Clinton

Of course immigrants can get SS, but first they have to pay into it.

BTW "welfare" for immigrants (under SSI) started under Nixon

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:31 PM
4. Continue with payments but eliminate COLA's while continuing to destroy the purchasing power of the dollar.

May take $15.00 to buy a loaf of bread but by golly we kept our word and you got your SS. Ain't that right senator mccain......senator schmuck.....


Wart

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:32 PM
Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!


Thinking thisun is not correct.


Wart

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:37 PM
Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
A: That’s right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!



Thinking thisun is not correct.


Wart



How long must you work to qualify for Social Security?


The number of credits you need to be eligible for benefits depends on your age and the type of benefit.
Retirement benefits

Anyone born in 1929 or later needs 10 years of work (40 credits) to be eligible for retirement benefits. People born before 1929 need fewer years of work.

http://ssa.gov/pubs/10072.html#number



Wart

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:44 PM
5. Originally the income was not taxed. Obviously later it did get taxed...but when did that start? Oh right in 1984. Gosh wasn't Reagan president then?

Amman...Amman....Ammman....Amman.....Amman,,RayGun .....RayGun.....RayGun......RayGun.....RayGun.....

Was that before or after RayGun made 6,000,000 illegals legal voters for the party of the Dimocrat ?? Just can't remember.



Wart

mriddick
07-24-2011, 05:49 PM
To be fair to Reagan had he not done in shoring it up what he did SSI would of ran out in the early 90's instead of 2036. Sure there were some compromises to get there but for the most part he should be hailed for what he did for those who've collected SSI between 1990 and now (and on to 2036). Truthfully if SSI moves you up into a taxable bracket I see nothing wrong with taxing it, seems silly not to.

Nashorn
07-24-2011, 05:49 PM
The military uses your SSN for identification purposes. It is your seriel number printed on your "Dogtags"

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:54 PM
Wow



BTW "welfare" for immigrants (under SSI) started under Nixon

As did 'serious' affirmative action (discrimination against a new group in order to cure discrimination).


But in the most far-reaching federal expansion of affirmative action, the "goals and timetables" plan was revived by President Nixon and Labor Secretary George Shultz in 1969.

http://www.policyalmanac.org/culture/archive/affirmative_action_history.shtml



Wart

mriddick
07-24-2011, 05:55 PM
The military uses your SSN for identification purposes. It is your seriel number printed on your "Dogtags"

I believe some institutions are allowed to use your SSI number, that is if they were using before a cut off date they can continue to do so. I do not know that cut off date but at the time I remember a few places rushing to include SSI numbers in the information they were using so they could use it in the future.

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 05:57 PM
The military uses your SSN for identification purposes. It is your seriel number printed on your "Dogtags"

Now but not before:


Branch of Service Date of Changeover
Army and Air Force July 1, 1969
Navy and Marine Corps January 1, 1972
Coast Guard October 1, 1974



Wart

Warthogg
07-24-2011, 06:02 PM
To be fair to Reagan......

....there really were not that many Marines in the Marine barracks in Beirut.




Wart

mriddick
07-24-2011, 06:03 PM
Not a Reagan fan, but in the area of SSI he was a savor to many.

old Grump
07-24-2011, 06:07 PM
I didn't fact check any of it but I found it in a dozen different places with nobody arguing so I figured I'd drop it in here and see what got shook out of the tree. When I went into the service we still had our own Serial number but then they issued new tags with our SSN on it. I understand why they did it but didn't like it then and still don't. As far as it being voluntary I never once had a job where it was voluntary and neither were any of the other deductions whether it was Union dues or health insurance. It was accept whatever deductions they made or find someplace else to work tomorrow.

TheMrMitch
07-24-2011, 06:41 PM
My first "REAL" job was in 1955 at 13 years of age as a pin spotter.
Could not be hired until I got my ss card. Still have the original.

Partisan1983
07-24-2011, 06:50 PM
So what is a "Notch Baby" ?


I've heard that term before when discussing SS.

mriddick
07-24-2011, 07:02 PM
I think it refers to a group of people who were born before SSI was enacted and are treated slightly different in terms of benefits.

old Grump
07-24-2011, 07:43 PM
A small group of people who are now and have been suffering the short comings of changes to the Social Security system for the last 23 years. These are the Notch Babies -- persons drawing Social Security born after 1917 but before 1922. The Notch Babies' problem is that since 1977, they have been drawing significantly less in Social Security benefits than persons born either before or after them. The plight of the Notch Babies started to develop in 1972 when Congress changed the Social Security system to adjust annual benefit increases according to the cost of living. Over the next five years, the cost of living, to say the least, skyrocketed. By 1977, Congress could see that, unless some drastic action was taken, the Social Security Program would be a dead duck by 1981, if not sooner.



As part of their 1977 changes to save Social Security, Congress "grandfathered," or retained the old benefit calculation formulas for persons born between 1911 and 1916, while actually reducing them for persons born after 1917 and before 1922. Thus, the Notch Babies were born and, to this day, they continue to receive an average of 20 percent less less in Social Security than persons born in 1917 or 1922.\


http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa082100a.htm

If you are between 89 and 94 you are screwed because the government can't do simple arithmetic.

Kadmos
07-24-2011, 07:54 PM
SSI is not "Social Security".

SSI is Supplemental Security Income.

While it is administered by Social Security Administration, it is not funded by SS taxes, it is not normal "old age retirement" money, it's for low income (poor) who are old, disabled, or blind

You don't have to have the 40 credits or anything like that.

SSI is a type of welfare

1 Patriot-of-many
07-24-2011, 08:25 PM
IMO I think if we want to keep the system in place with all the benefits in place then we need to fund it in full. As it was set up (the 1% deduction) wouldn't of made it much into the 1980's if it was left alone, even raising it to 2% in 69 only meant it would last until the 1990's. I think people on or looking forward to SSI need to realize they never paid into the system at a rate to sustain it.

I think we have basically 3 choices (actually choice 2 is variable but I'll count it as 1 choice)
1. We can fund it in full (more taxes) and keep the current benefits.
2. Continue to fund it as is and reduce benefits to that level of funding (or determine the level of funding we want to pay and build a benefits package around that level of funding).
3. Discontinue funding (get rid of taxes) and discontinue payments.

I think 1 is preferable to most Americans on or going to soon be on SSI. 2 is probably preferable to most not on SSI but wanting it. 3 probably has zero chance of being put into effect. I really don't care if we went with 1 or 2, even 3 wouldn't bother much although I doubt many others are in my position to take care of family who'd lose benefits right now.

Fair tax would fix everything.

mriddick
07-24-2011, 08:29 PM
Fair tax would fix everything.

You might have to explain that.