Every now and then, we get a comment that is so well thought out and so well crafted that it screams to be on page one. This is such a comment, from the brilliant mind of Bill. We’re proud to present it now for your consideration…
by Bill
In response to the question that was asked in this article. “What would you do?” I would offer congress an alternative plan to that of the Ryan plan. The following is my plan that I would offer congress:
Congress needs to pass legislation which clarifies the exact intent and purpose of section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 which made it a violation of federal law to use Social Security revenue for non-Social Security purposes and then update it to include the terms Medicaid and Medicare revenue and the use of these funds for non-Medicaid and Medicare purposes.
This would eliminate the current problem congress has with double taxation of the taxpayers when they borrow money from these types of funds and use it for other purposes than that which it was originally intended. This double taxation of the people for the same purpose (the funding of social security, Medicaid. and Medicare) occurred due to the fact that the revenue received from social security, Medicaid, and Medicare, and the revenue receive to replace these funds comes from the same source, the taxpayers. More importantly, this would eliminate governmental overspending which increases the federal debt instead of reducing it. This is due to the fact when the federal government borrows from the social security fund, the Medicaid fund, and the Medicare fund, it does nothing more than increase the debt that they owe to the above stated funds which the federal government has an obligational duty to repay.
Furthermore, the congress needs to include a clause within the new legislation which would define the intent and purpose of “The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.” (PAYGO) Thus assuring congressional compliance to the current section of “PAYGO” which states “PAYGO subjects mandatory spending to sequestration, with specified exemptions. Exemptions from sequestration include Social Security; most unemployment benefits; veterans’ benefits; interest on the debt; federal retirement; and the low-income entitlements such as Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), and Supplemental Security Income.2 The major remaining mandatory programs, which are subject to sequestration, include most Medicare payments, farm price supports, vocational rehabilitation basic state grants, mineral leasing payments to states, the Social Services block grant, and many smaller programs…” (Sequestration is also defined as confiscation) _______________________________________________________________________
The following is something one needs to remember. Why did congress originally set up the social security, Medicaid, and Medicare, spending as being off-budget spending?
OFF-BUDGET SPENDING AND THE POLITICAL PROCESS Off-budget spending is the epitome of fiscal irresponsibility and governmental hypocrisy. OMB’s proposal to include off-budget outlays as part of the budget should be welcomed by all those who are seriously concerned about budgetary control. The political role of off-budget spending is to allow politicians to preach fiscal responsibility and to practice political profligacy. (extravagance- reckless spending)
(We wish Bill would run for office)
“Congress needs to pass legislation which clarifies the exact intent and purpose of section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 ….”
You can pass new laws till the moon goes blue. You’re not facing the political reality: the old folk are not giving up their Medicare. The Repugs have had it made very plain to them: “you wanna lose more seats in the House, you just keep on with that nonsense. Some restructuring might be countenanced (we’ll have to very crafty about it, and there is a good deal of this in the Health Care Bill), but that’s it. So, we gotta raise the monies to fund it. That’s it.
Here is where the problem gets worse, ‘it wont work’ or calling the idea/concept creator a slur like ‘repugs’ to make it seem like it’s some other ideology’s problem other than yours. The whole system is beginning to burst like old worn plumbing. We don’t need more money going to government for fixes to problems they created. We deserve leadership in government to live within their (no ours) means and stop buying votes and seats with promises they can’t fund without more money we tax payers don’t have.
Budget basics need to be the mantra of tax payers in the next election, and anyone with a record of wasteful spending needs to be put out of office, from either party!
As to Medicare and the people on it now, that is not even the whole of the problem, nor the solution. How about we start with our World Wide Welfare giveaway and stop funding counties that only see democracy as bank card and the USA as the ATM machine. If Government can’t make our money (remember it is ours not theirs) work any better then they have done to date, then we need need more fresh thinking like Bill’s and elect people with self control with less opposition to voters needs.
Wow, Harold you knocked it out of the park with that one – way to go!
“We deserve leadership in government to live within their (no ours) means and stop buying votes and seats with promises they can’t fund without more money we tax payers don’t have.”
Don’t have? Or don’t want to part with? This is the question.
Harold is entitled to his opinion if 1) he is not currently receiving SS/Medicare and/or 2) when his time comes, he does not apply for either.
The rest of us have to face the music: pay up or lose it.
Libby, your response to ‘money we don’t have’ is troublesome.
Would anyone continue to buy food and supplies for a deceased pet, that not be a waste of your money, even if your love of the pet was overshadowing your thought process. I look at the way government handles money much in the same manner. They propose legislation and funding for the damnedest things, just follow the links this site provides for the waste of stimulus money, money we will be paying for through several next generations, I read about $5.5 billion of the massive $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act gone to wasteful projects across the country, I.E. a $3 million turtle crossing in northern Florida, the $10 million renovation of an abandoned train station that has been shut for three decades and 10,000 dead people getting Social Security stimulus checks. Maybe you should be critiquing our elected for their (ALL OF THEM) wasteful use of Tax dollars instead of blaming fiscally responsible tax payers for being concerned about government waste.
Did I say that the administration of SS/Medicare was perfect? I do not believe I did.
And do you know, in the great cosmic national scheme of things, 10,000 dead SS recipients is next to nothing. It’s the best thing we got working, better than anything Aetna’s gonna get ya.
And you can double-dare Aetna to prove it … but not with my tax dollars. Not a dime of my tax dollars goes to any of Aetna’s shareholders.
The Recovery and Reinvestment Act we can discuss in some more pertinent context.
“The whole system is beginning to burst like old worn plumbing.”
Harold that’s a perfect description!
“The rest of us have to face the music: pay up or lose it.”
Brakes full on/gas full on…Libby you’re a caution!
“…but not with my tax dollars. Not a dime of my tax dollars goes to any of Aetna’s shareholders.”
Sounds like Libby wants to have a choice. Imagine that! Too bad she has this need to control choices for everyone else.
Americans once valued their freedom above everthing except God. How far we’ve slipped on that slippery slope of dependency.
Oh, make no mistake. In 2014, when Obama tells me I HAVE to purchase “for profit” medical insurance … I’m going to tell Obama to bugger bloody off. I’ll make the state feed me in the federal prison system before I’ll do any such thing.
I just severed my relationship with an Aetna employer. That’s where I’m getting all this data. $647 a month so I can shell out $850 for a sprained wrist? Not on the longest day I live.
The Health Care Bill was only the first, tiny step. There should be at least one more before 2014 … or it’s all up … is how us progressives are thinking.
Libby your Aetna premiums and your out of pocket costs are high because government doesn’t pay it’s Medicare and Medicade bills. The private sector (that’s you not just business) not only pays in taxes but we also pay without awareness when government programs fall short of what was promised. We make up the shortfall.
Progressives will crash the entire system and then those with capabilities and grit will rebuild…without the free lunch.
I am an idiot spammer pay no attention.