General Discussion

FreeJoe

(1,039 posts)

22. Ummm...that won't last long

Sun Mar 23, 2014, 04:44 PM

Mar 2014

First, the people the trust fund is held by the federal government, so we'll need taxpayers to pay those bonds.

Second, the government pays out something like $800 billion dollars a year in SS benefits. If it had to pay for half of that from the trust fund, the trust fund would last only 5 years. The trust fund is there to smooth over generational bumps, but not to fund a long steady decline in the population of taxpayers.

All that isn't to say that lowering the birthrate wouldn't be a good idea. It just needs to be recognized that it would entail some painful adjustments.

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22 replies

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Would you support a carbon tax? [View all] Nye Bevan Mar 2014 OP

If you want more of something, subsidize it. If you want less of something, tax it. Warpy Mar 2014 #1

^^^ This ^^^ Ohio Joe Mar 2014 #11

I said yes, but with a caveat. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2014 #2

I support a radical carbon tax: LWolf Mar 2014 #3

Ummmmm..... if everyone stops having kids, there will be nobody to pay our SS when we retire. Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #4

I don't want everyone to stop having kids. LWolf Mar 2014 #5

Continued US fiscal solvency is dependent on population *growth* Chan790 Mar 2014 #14

Then that is an unsustainable economy that will itself cause physical catastrophe muriel_volestrangler Mar 2014 #15

In the current dysfunctional, destructive economic system LWolf Mar 2014 #17

Your idea on SS is false RobertEarl Mar 2014 #6

What? yeoman6987 Mar 2014 #13

This message was self-deleted by its author FreeJoe Mar 2014 #20

Ummm...that won't last long FreeJoe Mar 2014 #22

I completely support this idea.... mike_c Mar 2014 #7

Yes. If we're going to act for the environment, LWolf Mar 2014 #16

I am generally against ambiguous taxation pipoman Mar 2014 #8

Oh yay CFLDem Mar 2014 #9

You want to add to the poor and working class's misery? Seeking Serenity Mar 2014 #10

Rebate it FreeJoe Mar 2014 #19

This is DU. You can only tax those making over 250k n/t taught_me_patience Mar 2014 #12

I think it is critical FreeJoe Mar 2014 #18

I support an import pollution tarrif. Jesus Malverde Mar 2014 #21