?And of course it was paid ahead. That's how it works. No one appropriately predicted the population increase, so we screwed ourselves. It's not that "they" didn't pay enough, it's that SS accountants were too stupid to see what was coming. But that doesn't mean these people who depend on SS should be cut off from a very important (and often only) income source.
The population increase is a very small part of the problem. The main problem was the government borrowing against social security, which was completely financially stable in and of itself. When the government borrows, it never pays people back (that's why we have a national debt that keeps rising), so of course it didn't pay social security back and that's why there is no future in the program despite what they want us to believe.
You think it's wrong to cut off people who paid their whole lives into the system, and to an extent, I agree. In fact, I think that's what will happen eventually, probably to people of my generation - WE will be the ones who pay our whole lives for those sitting on retirement now and in the near future, and when WE get there, there will be nothing left.
I want to cut my losses now, pull my money and put it into something that at least I know my share will be there if I need it. the problem is the government is continuing to force me and others like me to subsidize a system that won't be there for me. Whatever I'm putting in might as well be flushed down the toilet as far as I'm concerned, so while you're worried about people on the system now being cut off, I think it is inevitable someone will be cut off and I'm saying it shouldn't have to fall all on my generation - the older generation should have to take some cuts too, but they don't want to do that because they don't care about anyone but themselves.
gillespie,
I understand what you are saying about hiring someone you know or is recommended, and that's fine to an extent, but there is a point at which it isn't wise, both to the company and to the people who are hired.
If it's a close race between real qualifications, a reference or knowing someone can be the key to the difference. But if it's not even close, the person who knows someone or has a reference shouldn't leapfrog someone who would be much better for the job just because of that.
I want the person I believe will be the best all around candidate for the job working for me. If that's someone I know, then so be it, but if someone I know isn't that person but applies, I'm not going to hand them the job anyway.