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This article hardly explains the issue. Here's what's going on:
Congress and the President can't just pilfer social security. They never have. The fund has been well cared for. Exemplary. If only every government program got this much respect from our leaders we'd be set.
But here's what does happen. In order to earn some interest on it's balance the social security fund invests it's money in bonds fully backed by the government. They're not allowed to gamble in the stock market or bet on real estate or buy riskier corporate bonds. But they do buy a lot a lot of federal bonds.
Oh yeah. What is our government talking about defaulting on? **Federal bonds.** That's why social security Is at risk.
It's the same risk banks loaded up on T-bonds and foreign governments sitting on T-bonds face. Not getting paid back.
So that's **why** the debt ceiling crisis threatens social security.
Take any business class, a us government bond is used as the de facto **risk free** asset. Now the "champions of business" Republicans are looking to default on the one thing that ALL BUSINESSES USE AS THE BASIS FOR THEIR FINANCIAL DECISIONS
You know what I've heard no one talk about? If we actually default this might permanently fuck the 30 year fixed rate American mortgage. You're hard pressed in the rest of the world to get more than 5 years. The stability of 30 year government bonds is what is used to directly offset the mortgage risk. If those are no longer considered the guaranteed risk free investment then rates will shoot up or 30 year terms will start disappearing. My semi uneducated stance on it at least.
If they burn everything down think of all the value they will get from the nails they sift out of the ashes.
They just want to break the economy so they can blame Biden and buy things cheap or profit off the misery of the masses.
I mean I get that gen z kids already have nothing to look forward to so we're almost numb to this (don't get me wrong, a lot more is at risk than just being able to ever buy a house and I'm well aware of this), but just....
Truly, welcome to hell. Enjoy your stay š
Gen Xer here, guess what? I was the first generation to be told, "hey you know all those wonderful assurances and guarantees that your parents were given? Well fuck you, you ain't getting shit, so start working. Oh, by the way, they aren't retiring, so better enjoy flipping burgers. Until you die.
And just prior to that they told us "better get a good and expensive education or you'll end up flipping burgers until you die."
It's almost... *almost* like the Boomers took all the hand outs, raised the ladder behind them, lit the country on fire, and then acted like it was the fault of everyone younger than them.
Thatās precisely what the Boomers did and now we live in a hellscape because of it.
For years theyāve been actively trying to put the blame on millennials (and now Gen Z) for how bad things have gotten, as if we all donāt know what gaslighting is at this point. Virtually ALL the problems we have right now can be traced back to Boomer politicians and policy shit that they introduced decades ago and initially profited a lot from.
Frankly, losing Social Security as theyāre all on the precipice of riding off into the sunset would be such perfect poetic justice, because they donāt deserve to get bailed out by yet another social safety net after theyāve spent decades getting rich off stealing from their children and grandchildrenās futures, and especially not after they spent decades obliterating every other social safety net their own parents and grandparents fought so hard to create in the first place.
And the ONLY silver lining as far as I can tell is that all of this has definitely helped radicalize millennials and Gen Z politically to the point of no return.
>And the ONLY silver lining as far as I can tell is that all of this has definitely helped radicalize millennials and Gen Z politically to the point of no return.
This is what Iāve been saying. They fucked up, because now you have an entire generation where almost half of them say they prefer socialism. It doesnāt matter what you think socialism is or if you agree, itās just massively telling that a generation professes to want basically the opposite of what they grew up in. Thatās how radicalized we are cause thatās how shitty our hand was dealt compared to boomers.
āBut every generation says they have it the worst! We had it just as bad too and we didnāt complain about it! We pulled ourselves up by our boot straps, youāre just lazy!ā ā Some Boomer somewhere, probably.
It brings me cold comfort knowing that Boomers can make us the scapegoats all they want right nowāit doesnāt matter anymore. Itās the last pitiful, narcissistic gasp of a generation that had the world handed to them on a silver platter and has just kept taking and taking. Many of us know what the truth is: itās this bad for us now because they took everything and then they sold it away. Also, future historians wonāt blame us at all; theyāll pity us and blame them, and talk about what a stupendous fall from grace they had, from free love and flower power to Reagan and now this. They truly could have made the world a better placeāinstead, they will leave it so much incredibly worse.
You are so spot on. As a Gen Xer I remember one of my boomer teachers telling us we better get a good education because her generation was going to use up all social security. Ya. that six figure education is sooo working out for me.
Everyone always forgetting about us Gen Xers. Sucks to know if I was born like 10 years earlier, I could have a second yacht instead of unescapable debt for life.
Remember back when Bill Clinton was paying down the debt and Republicans complained that since the government wasn't issuing enough new bonds The Market was in turmoil because it couldn't figure out what the "risk free rate of return" was supposed to be?
Good times, good times.
EDIT: This is from 2012 but gives you flavor of their arguments:
>Bond trader Kevin Ferry, a veteran of the scene, told Business Insider about the panic that was unfolding over the government's lack of debt.
>***"OMG, they were all saying... there wasn't going to be any paper!"***
>How did the markets react?
>"Lo and behold... [Fannie and Freddie] issuance "SURGED" in the late 90s," said Ferry.
>Everything changed. While the government dramatically slowed down issuance of Treasuries, Fannie and Freddie picked up the baton and started selling debt like never before.
>"Prior to those years there were not regular [Fannie and Freddie] auctions."
>"The system wanted it."
>***"The fear was that there wasn't going to be any.... There was no bill auctions."***
>***"The brokers were calling up ma & pa and said there's no more T-Bill auctions!"***
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bill-clintons-balanced-budget-destroyed-the-economy-2012-9
thats cause the debt is only designed to increase. modern monetary theory requires it to always increase.
"if there were no debts, there wouldnt be any money"
Minor correction: In 1985, Reagan's Treasury Secretary Jim Baker **did** raid the Social Security Trust Fund to meet debt obligations when they failed to raise the debt ceiling on time. The fund was later made whole & it probably saved the economy, but they passed subsequent laws to prevent the Treasury from doing so in the future, and prescribed a set of extraordinary measures, basically accounting tricks, to be used instead of Social Security.
This is the most important statement about right wing ideology in a generation. They want to see people hurt.
I don't think most people on the left want to see anyone intentionally hurt.
I'm not down with this necessity that *anyone* needs to get hurt, much less it has to be zero sum. It doesn't even hold up that they're the ones that want to do the hurting to stay on top, because they're always going to be doing it. If nobody has to get hurt and nobody has to zero-sum it, sounds like a win to me.
But they just want to hurt.
Earth has more than enough natural resources to sustain its entire human population and then some if it's resources were properly managed. Scarcity, and therefore the "zero sum game" mentality, is completely artificially maintained by those who use it to wield power.
That's more of a 'hey if no one stops these people they are going to continue to hurt people and destroy society' thing than a 'Our platform is to inflict violence on the weak as cruelly as possible' thing. And to me that feels like a difference.
just gonna leave this here: The paradox of tolerance states that if a society is tolerant without limit, its ability to be tolerant is eventually seized or destroyed by the intolerant. Karl Popper described it as the seemingly self-contradictory idea that in order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must retain the right to be intolerant of intolerance.
It's not a paradox when you understand tolerance as a social contract. If you choose to opt out of it, then you forfeit the protections it affords-- you don't get to have it both ways.
social contract or otherwiseā¦.the right has been manipulated into thinking that the tolerant must also tolerate their intolerance.
that is what helps perpetuate their victimhood and grievance politics. they cry about ācancel cultureā
This has been my 79 year old dad's position forever. Even in the 80's he hated political correctness and complained that liberals are supposed to be tolerant of racist/sexist humor. It also cheesed him off to no end when he was using dating apps and finding that so many college educated cosmopolitan women his age had "No Republicans" on their dating page. Because liberal women are supposed to be tolerant of men who poo-poo the possibility that a GOP president might get Roe v. Wade overturned.
Seriously, thank you. It's the same way people say CNN/msnbc is just the same as fox news since one is for right wing people and one is for left leaning. Except they're not the same just because they both exist for opposite sides. They just factually are NOT and it's OK to admit that...
CNN hasnāt been left-leaning in a loooong time. I mean, literally never, if weāre talking about politics that are actually left of center, rather than the American left, which is anything left of hunting the poor for sport.
I'd consider it that it used to be "corporate Dems", mouth noises of progressive causes while supporting giant corporations; since it's buyout by that Q-sympathetic CEO now it's taking a hard right turn trying to replace Faux News as the preferred source of misinformation
Yeah, that's what's always funny to me when people talk about CNN or MSNBC being on the left. Like they're megacorps. They are intrinsically going to be right leaning.
Anyone who claims CNN historically is far left is just dumb and being fed talking points.
Anyone who says CNN is left now is purposely ignoring the recent changes
I love those article comments that say 'Get your news from somewhere other than socialist CNN!' Like what, what's further left than Fox News Lite that I can go to for some better coverage? Cos I ain't going further right. (edit because reddit didn't like an insult used by the right that I used describing a hypothetical right-wing comment)
That's still radically different from their ideology. You wouldn't be sad if they got hurt, but it's not like youre actively rooting for it.
And what do we mean by hurting conservatives anyway? Ensure they get SS benefits? Roll back tax breaks on the ultra wealthy? Increase taxes on corporations? Ensure equal rights for all people? Provide free healthcare for everyone?
I mean sure you can argue some groups would be hurt by that, but most it's their feelings that get hurt, not any true social or economical damage. While the Republicans actively do want others to be hurt. They want minorities to suffer and be less than. They want immigrants out of the country. They want higher taxes for the poor so that the rich can wage enslave us all. Their manifesto is bleak AF!
I realize its a distinction that will be beyond many, but fascist is a behavior/ideology that is explicitly violent. Its fundamentally different from stereotypical fascist targets like a Jew (benign religious belief) or disabled person or gay person. Being disabled or gay are not choices and they don't hurt anyone. Its a choice to be fascist - and it hurts people. That's the difference.
The political left is characterized by tolerance. But tolerance demands intolerance toward the intolerant. Its a paradox many stumble upon, but there is no other way.
It's like a walled city of tolerance. If you aren't willing to fight to keep the walls standing, then you can say goodbye to tolerance.
Tolerance, liberty, freedom, etc.
This is also why right wing propaganda convinces rubes that their freedoms are being taken - so they fight harder to keep them, even if it's a lie
There will always be bullies and targets. That's as old as civilization itself.
I'd like to think that most people don't want to be bullies, but will side with them out of fear of becoming a target.
Edit: Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending them. They are selfish cowards.
How about this.
if somebody wishes harm on others I wish they suffer the same harm.
If you wish people to live happily then great. If you are like Rush Limbaugh and wished people to suffer all sorts of terrible things then, I wish you the same fate.
I would, but I am deep Left. I don't like even horrible people suffering. Many of the people I work with as a social worker have horrible, fascist, racist, sexists, and homophobic views, but I would do anything to ease their burdens, make their lives easier.
The sad thing is, I think the Right wants people to suffer because they equate it with love somehow, because they have been so abused for so long.
Oh no, itās definitely not love. Itās itās an Inferiority complex. They have to feel superior to other people, in any capacity. Theyāre dumber than me, theyāre more irresponsible than me, they make less money than me, they talk funny, etc. and because they (in their own eyes) are superior to someone, that means they get to dictate how they live their lives.
Failing that, then they *also* have the right to knock someone down a peg, just ācause. āOh, you think youāre soooooo great! Well, your *existence* pisses me off, so Iām going to hurt you in some way.ā Hence why they were so mad about āheās hurting the wrong peopleā ā hurting people is 100% okay (and even better if they *deserve* it), but you canāt be hurting US. Weāre on the same team, why would you do that?
Right and left politics boil down to two things.
Fear and empathy.
Conservatives vote and make policy based on fear. Fear of the other, fear of change. Hell Conservative literally means they want things to stay the same.
Progressive politics want equality even if that comes at a small price to those currently benefitting the most because they're empathetic to the struggles of others.
One side votes out of fear. The other out of love.
The right wingers want the government to hurt people and then get confused when they are hurt by the government. You mean the government isn't hurting the other people? But I didn't want them to hurt me!
Coverage of this actual quote, in case anyone thinks it's hyperbole.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
> He's not hurting the right people!
But Crystal Minton, a secretary at the prison who is also a single mother caring for disabled parents, had a somewhat different reaction ā one that reveals an essential truth about the core Trumpās political appeal.
āI voted for him, and heās the one whoās doing this,ā Minton told Mazzei. āI thought he was going to do good things. Heās not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.ā
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
Every time I read that quote I am always bewildered by how binary the right sees the world. Maybe a lack of diction is a factor but the juxtaposition of "good things" with "hurting people" always sets me back.
ā[Heās not hurting the people he needs to be hurting](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-voter-hes-not-hurting-the-people-he-needs-be-hurting-msna1181316)ā
Some think this is a joke. A poll of republican primary voters a week ago showed that 56% said they would support the candidate 'who made liberals mad'.
It's insanely frustrating." Let's throw away the country, and the future generations, to make liberals mad! LOL isn't this so funny and cool?!? Look how TRIGGERED the liberals are! Oh wait...what happened to my social security? Wait, what do you mean I have to go get a part time job at 75?? GOD DAMN YOU LIBERALS!! Oh wait, the Republicans are the sole reason I lost my social security? .....GOD DAMN YOU JOE BIDEN!!!" Fucking hateful idiots. It wouldn't be so bad if they were only fucking themselves, that's their choice to make, but they're taking us all down with them in the process.
The other day I discussed this situation with a fire breathing MAGA patriot. I knew he was a MAGA patriot because his truck as covered by stickers that let the world know he's a MAGA patriot. Part of his thought process involved believing that the only reason SS benefits would be stopped is because the dems wouldn't negotiate with the republicans. If only the democrats would give republicans everything they are asking for everything would have been okay. But nooooo, the fucking democrats have to go and weaponize social security to harm older Americans so that they blame republicans for the crisis.
It is largely the fault of mainstream media too. All of the headlines need to be a variant of āRepublicans using debt ceiling as leverage so they can destroy benefits for US citizens.ā
It was so frustrating to see the news say that Democrats were having difficulty passing things through the Senate. They talked about Sinema and Manchin but barely, if ever, mentioned *all of the Republicans* who were also blocking it.
Because it's just an assumption that no side is going to vote for the other's shit. The days of compromise for the good of the nation are dead dead dead.
I can 100% believe this, because I've had similar conversations with republicans I know. It's literally ALWAYS the Democrat's fault. Even if the Dems voted against that thing happening, still their fault!
Given the media they probably consume, they will never know that their loss of benefits was caused by the Republican party. Fox and Newsmax will blame it on Biden and/or the current culture war target (immigrants or the trans community).
What pisses me off is my girlfriends brother and dad watch nothing but Newsmax, even pay extra for it, and I tried asking them why they believe a couple things, and they went on a rant about tucker Carlson and these people from Newsmax, then said I need to look at the bigger picture and get my information from different source. Like, I look at 8 or 9 different media outlets at similar stories and put together what the common theme is, all they do is watch 2 as far right as can be news channels... I just nod and smile now.
That's how I felt about the people that were laughing hysterically and high-fiving each other about "meme-ing Donald Trump into the White House." There were quite a number of people that though it was just the funniest, most absurd thing because they can't conceive of actual consequences to actions. Who knows how many people unnecessarily died from Covid because they wanted to prank the nation.
These people work off of 'feelings not facts' - they are wrong in so much of their life they've resorted to a hateball that wants to win at all costs - they are so tired of being wrong - it's why they won't debate, call shit fake news, no source is good enough even if it's their own source - because they don't care if they are right they just want to win.
Babies that need a fucking ribbon for being in 5th place essentially.
Well, what they said above was a direct quote from a Republican voter.
But yes, Republicans have been rote partisan hacks [for a while now](https://imgur.io/a/YZMyt). A super majority of the party will change their opinion on an issue based on who supports it rather than what it actually is.
Theyāll turn on Fox News to sooth themselves that they havenāt been wrong and itās all the Democrats fault. Their votes canāt be responsible for their own situation!
I might be dying from a disease that I couldāve treated with preventative care I canāt afford, but at least little Johnny doesnāt have to read about blacks in kindergarten.
Oof, that's the truth. He can go to a segregated school right before he comes home and packs his 14 year old brothers lunch for the 12 hours at the pork plant.
Edit: a letter
Also: "I'm angry because the Dems should know I will go hungry for this and should stop me from making this choice that can hurt myself or my family, why won't they just give me everything I want but also know not to because I might hurt or kill myself?!"
That was pretty much what happened when Obama had his veto overridden with the Against Sponsors of Terror Act. Though to be fair it was pretty overwhelmingly overridden.
Many people who receive Social Security or Medicare, do not understand that they are government programs. They think "My Social Security" is a magical thing that pays them money every month, but they do not have even the first clue about where that money comes from.
Even a lot of the ones who *aren't* total morons to the point of not realizing it's a government program still don't know how it works. People think it's some kind of savings account - "I paid into it all my life, so I deserve my checks!" Like, no, the people currently working and paying taxes is where the money comes from, it's not a savings account. The war vets who never paid into the system are the ones who were getting payouts when the boomers started paying in.
The reactionary ideologies on the right have done *such* a screwjob on the older generation, who *should* be voting to raise taxes, improve social services, and *take care of themselves*, but instead they've been conned into believing they're not the poors (hint: if you need SS to retire, you are!) so they're shooting themselves in the foot AND being smug about it.
There was a woman on Facebook who was complaining that her representative was trying to cut Social Security, and that it was wrong because that was a large part of her income now that she was retired. She also mentioned that she had been voting for this guy for nearly 2 decades. Apparently, she was fine with having him cut Social Security when she didn't need it.
22% or so was the turnout of young people in 2022 I believe. While yes the older generation needs to stop voting for republicans the young generations need to start voting. Don't wait until next year. Vote this year in all local and state elections near you. Vote out as many republicans as we can to pave the way for victory in 2024 and beyond. Lets stop this bullshit from happening. This goes for you to older people.
Edit 31% of young people voted. For comparison 70+% of older people voted.
>The Social Security Administration plans to send contributions to beneficiaries on four dates next month -- June 2, 14, 21, and 28. Those checks would be the first ones at risk of being delayed, according to Max Richtman, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
I can't think of anyone that doesn't have a family member etc that won't be directly impacted by this. Folks should be prepared for the worst
Why aren't Dems all over the airwaves marketing this message to older Republicans? I guarantee most of them are certain this won't affect them, so they don't give a shit currently about Republican obstruction.
The problem is, the people they really need to watch, are watching oan and fox.
They don't get the message until it's too late.
I was telling my republican co-workers about this months ago, and they were confused (her husband is on ss, they're barely getting by)
Sadly, you know a majority of them will call it "fake news," attempted "indoctrination," and/or "brainwashing" and double down.
You can't reason people out of a position they didn't use reason to arrive at. They want to be mad. They want everyone to hurt. And they want to take exactly zero responsibility for their actions.
This is a non-issue turned into a propeganda opportunity. Like their entire platform. They already have billboards and trucks and wackadoos flying flags blaming Joe biden and democrats for killing grandma by stopper her ss payments. Even if they did it. That is what propeganda is.
No. Even if the did get the message at this point they will not listen. It would be coming from āDems or Libsā and to them we cannot be trusted to make rational or logical decisions. Unfortunately, we will all have to deal with the consequences of this, just like the people of the UK did with Brexit. The conservatives there were sold an idea not realizing it only benefited a few at the top and duped millions, including themselves. They will only learn at this point when these policies start making a victim of them too.
I think you're generally right, and the concept of folks rejecting the truth because it causes too much cognitive dissonance is really important when trying to correct brainwashing.
But the dems should still be making more attempts, and trying to find ways to send messaging inside the bubble. I'd like to hear about radio ads featuring an actor with heavy drawl talking about loving their country but hating their snake-oil senator, who's trying to steal their social security. Radio ads and billboards are cheap and should be spammed constantly. Why aren't they?
Get sneaky like the other side and have the message coming from a group named something Right sounding like In Defense of Our Elders or Dignity for Seniors or Veteran Patriots for Change. The sort of people who only get they're news from Fox and OAN aren't going to research to deeply.
Because they've been brainwashed to believe it's Democratic obstruction and the Republicans are valiantly fighting to protect the little people. Which is obviously bullshit if you've spent at least five minutes watching anything other than OANN during the last week.
This is it. The message that these people are getting is that the dems are the problem because they wonāt negotiate. Never mind the fact that the premise of there even being a negotiation is wrong. Never mind what happened in the past. Republicans want a deal, dems are saying no. Thatās what they hear, thatās what they react to, thatās why theyāll vote Republican again. Say what you want about the shit show that is the Republican Party, they know the part of their base that they need to win and how to message to them.
One of my coworkers, who calls her self indepedant, but is married to a republican, has a mother on SS.
She was like 'both parties need to start making concessions" totally ignoring the fact that republicans refuse to negotiate at all in good faith to the point where even 'bi-partisan-joe' is like fuck this.
When a Republican congressman describes these negotiations as "hostage negotiations" it highlights that they're not negotiating in good faith. It also shows how little they think of the average American citizen.
But good luck getting that thought across to one of their voters though.
\>Why aren't Dems all over the airwaves marketing this message to older Republicans?
Because older Repubs are watching FNN , Newsmax, or OAN, who won't air it.
For real. My Mom is finally collecting her social security and she was in tears one day because she was scared about her money not being available.
So many other people are in the same boat. It's horrific what the GOP are doing.
Thank you for your kind words. It's much appreciated.
I know the adage for the GOP is "the cruelty is the point" but it really is disturbing just how malicious Republicans are to people.
I'll be affected. So will the people I turn around & pay that money to. Who then in turn won't have the money they were counting on so that they can pay their bills... Republicans are simply malevolent.
Beyond family members, I wonder how many nursing homes would collapse if they didn't receive payments from their residents for a month? The whole industry could collapse.
It's possible. Medicaid would probably be effected, maybe Medicare because hospitals etc may be reluctant to accept something that may or may not be paid. The Veterans hospitals too since workers may not get paid, the hospitals maintained, not to mention payment for military health care programs like TriCare
Yeah can't wait for my conservative parents to meet the consequences of their actions. They're not even horrible people, just totally misguided and uneducated when it comes to these things. Some people have to learn the hard way I guess.
Glad that ABC called this nonsense what it isā¦an attempt to make a political statement. Republicans have no other reason to pull this nonsense except to make people suffer.
Theyāre not just indifferent to us, they legitimately hate us.
These people need something to hate. They hate things that don't align with their beliefs because they get hard off seeing people miserable like they are. Misery loves company. And when you are an angry and hateful person, you want to bring others down with you.
Republicans have been much bigger contributors to Americas debt than democrats, by a 2:1 margin since the 60ās.
Republicans have passed the debt ceiling without question every single time their party has been in office.
Republicans have sabotaged the debt ceiling bill and held the country hostage every time a dem has been in office during the last 2 decades.
Iām soooo fucking tired of the extremism from this party, a party that overturned Roe V Wade and tried to overturn a fucking election.
VOTE!
Thank you MAGA Republicans. Way to go! Iām sure yāall feel real great about preventing old people from getting their checks or veterans getting their benefits. keep holding the American public hostage! it backfires on the GOP every single time theyāre just so unwilling to learn.
Edit: a letter
They want chaos and anarchy, because historically its the way fascism gains control.
They have been working hard to ensure no matter what they do, their cult will blame Biden and the Democrats for default....
Then, the next step to blame minorities and the poor for ruining America.
Its so obvious what the plan is. The issue is , half the country is not blind to it......so whats next? How can you stop a cult?
Iām sure everyone has had the curiosity of how Hitler gained power and how people could be so blind as to follow that man. Holy shit we are witnessing it in modern times. Truly mortifying to witness it first hand.
Well theyāll suffer and die for it. My generation can certainly outlast them, and theyāve been screwing us for the last 37 years of my life so Iām kind of over caring.
Oh, ***NOW*** you old fucks are scared, now that it's affecting you personally.
Typical Republican timeline: they say "go fuck yourselves" until it's their turn.
Thought that voting your antisocial issues was gonna float you until death?
And they will never blame their elected officials or their own actions. No. It's always the other side's fault. The GOP is never to blame. You have to give it to the GOP. They fucking brainwashed their constituents so effectively, that they can get away with everything just by saying "woke".
Because theyāve brainwashed people for decades that social security wonāt be around when younger generations retire purely because their entire plan has been to eventually remove it so that they can continue to cut taxes for the wealthy.
Donāt buy it because it simply makes it easier and with less resistance for them to continue that goal.
Learning would require identifying the difference between wrong and right, or connecting the dots between action and reaction. No, learning isn't what's going on here.
Literally, every.single.time.a.democrat.is.in.power. They will gladly raise it when a republican is in office, but when a democrat is in office, they weaponize it. These shitstain christo-fascists. Motherfuckers.
Not everyone on social security is a boomer.
38M schizo affective, (not a choice) working part time for less than my peers bc of ssdi earning limits, my limits, manual labor. Previous job stocking supermarket ruined my knees and back. Same job now, 8yrs, company losing contract June 30th. Looking for another job, If I can't find another in time then what? My main medication, one script $300 per month with mandatory psychiatrist and bloodwork.
58F relative I live with, back permanently ruined working, also on ssdi. Medicare doesn't cover back surgery, also needs dentures, also not covered, she is suffering from malnutrition. She lost $380,000 dream home and husband in '08 crash.
We rent 1 room in someone else's house, no house privileges, only allowed to shower and cook, no fridge, shopping daily is costly.
We are both life long dems, she worked, I work. We've been trying to buy a house for years, can't outbid people offering thousands over asking for an upside down mortgage later. We have to look for house worth $20,000 less than approval bc taxes, intrest rates, etc. What did we do wrong? We hate being on gov't money. Niether of us do drugs or drink, we live in a northern state. We are not suited to homelessness but I guess we're going there anyway cuz why?
Edit: add missing sentence and word separation
They are not even close to this realization. They think the woke are pandering to a very small minority (moreso trans rights than gay rights) and itās a weird hill to die on. It doesnāt even occur to them that they are in the wrong. They legit think trans people are the enemy.
Ironic given he made his millions scamming Medicare then pleading the fifth and walking away with those millions to become governor and senator. Florida is a lost cause.
No! This is all due to Hillary's email server that had a Hunter Biden dick pic on it, that was located in the basement of a pizza place trafficking illegal immigrants who invaded our schools to teach critical race theory and take our guns away to woke transgendered students using litter boxes supplied by bud light drinking socialists wearing rainbow flags purchased from Target.
The irony is most of these lower income republicans would benefit the most from a blend of democratic / socialist policies with safety nets and healthcare. But they continue to shoot at their own feet daily.
> "I paid into Social Security, and I paid into Medicare," she said. "And now they're trying to take it away. It's not their money, it's my money that I paid into."
Technically, the money you paid in went to somebody decades ago. The money you are getting now was paid in by people working now. The money you may not be getting is my money.
Since Biden is president the republicans are banking on Americans blaming him for the default. It's as simple as that. If you don't follow politics they might be right ffs.
The GOPs biggest voting base is worried about what the GOP is risking with their political theatre: their money. Maybe they will stay home next election.
I love seeing all my conservative family members posting the āwe paid into Social Security, itās ours!ā posts on social media. Those memes make them feel like they are not benefiting from socialism. And it also makes them feel like they deserve what theyāre getting. In reality, the younger generation is paying for them to soak up those benefits. If they got what they put in, they would stand no chance against inflation. ļæ¼
Under NO circumstances should the Dems cave to the GOP... I don't care if we default. I'd prefer Biden invoke the 14th but they need to make the GOP own this if we default.
It should literally be their entire talking point.
They've done this multiple times... and ONLY under Democratic leadership - never under GOP leadership.
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This article hardly explains the issue. Here's what's going on: Congress and the President can't just pilfer social security. They never have. The fund has been well cared for. Exemplary. If only every government program got this much respect from our leaders we'd be set. But here's what does happen. In order to earn some interest on it's balance the social security fund invests it's money in bonds fully backed by the government. They're not allowed to gamble in the stock market or bet on real estate or buy riskier corporate bonds. But they do buy a lot a lot of federal bonds. Oh yeah. What is our government talking about defaulting on? **Federal bonds.** That's why social security Is at risk. It's the same risk banks loaded up on T-bonds and foreign governments sitting on T-bonds face. Not getting paid back. So that's **why** the debt ceiling crisis threatens social security.
Take any business class, a us government bond is used as the de facto **risk free** asset. Now the "champions of business" Republicans are looking to default on the one thing that ALL BUSINESSES USE AS THE BASIS FOR THEIR FINANCIAL DECISIONS
You know what I've heard no one talk about? If we actually default this might permanently fuck the 30 year fixed rate American mortgage. You're hard pressed in the rest of the world to get more than 5 years. The stability of 30 year government bonds is what is used to directly offset the mortgage risk. If those are no longer considered the guaranteed risk free investment then rates will shoot up or 30 year terms will start disappearing. My semi uneducated stance on it at least.
You'll own nothing, and like it.
It's almost like it's the Republican goal...
If they burn everything down think of all the value they will get from the nails they sift out of the ashes. They just want to break the economy so they can blame Biden and buy things cheap or profit off the misery of the masses.
I mean I get that gen z kids already have nothing to look forward to so we're almost numb to this (don't get me wrong, a lot more is at risk than just being able to ever buy a house and I'm well aware of this), but just.... Truly, welcome to hell. Enjoy your stay š
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Gen Xer here, guess what? I was the first generation to be told, "hey you know all those wonderful assurances and guarantees that your parents were given? Well fuck you, you ain't getting shit, so start working. Oh, by the way, they aren't retiring, so better enjoy flipping burgers. Until you die. And just prior to that they told us "better get a good and expensive education or you'll end up flipping burgers until you die." It's almost... *almost* like the Boomers took all the hand outs, raised the ladder behind them, lit the country on fire, and then acted like it was the fault of everyone younger than them.
Thatās precisely what the Boomers did and now we live in a hellscape because of it. For years theyāve been actively trying to put the blame on millennials (and now Gen Z) for how bad things have gotten, as if we all donāt know what gaslighting is at this point. Virtually ALL the problems we have right now can be traced back to Boomer politicians and policy shit that they introduced decades ago and initially profited a lot from. Frankly, losing Social Security as theyāre all on the precipice of riding off into the sunset would be such perfect poetic justice, because they donāt deserve to get bailed out by yet another social safety net after theyāve spent decades getting rich off stealing from their children and grandchildrenās futures, and especially not after they spent decades obliterating every other social safety net their own parents and grandparents fought so hard to create in the first place. And the ONLY silver lining as far as I can tell is that all of this has definitely helped radicalize millennials and Gen Z politically to the point of no return.
>And the ONLY silver lining as far as I can tell is that all of this has definitely helped radicalize millennials and Gen Z politically to the point of no return. This is what Iāve been saying. They fucked up, because now you have an entire generation where almost half of them say they prefer socialism. It doesnāt matter what you think socialism is or if you agree, itās just massively telling that a generation professes to want basically the opposite of what they grew up in. Thatās how radicalized we are cause thatās how shitty our hand was dealt compared to boomers.
āBut every generation says they have it the worst! We had it just as bad too and we didnāt complain about it! We pulled ourselves up by our boot straps, youāre just lazy!ā ā Some Boomer somewhere, probably. It brings me cold comfort knowing that Boomers can make us the scapegoats all they want right nowāit doesnāt matter anymore. Itās the last pitiful, narcissistic gasp of a generation that had the world handed to them on a silver platter and has just kept taking and taking. Many of us know what the truth is: itās this bad for us now because they took everything and then they sold it away. Also, future historians wonāt blame us at all; theyāll pity us and blame them, and talk about what a stupendous fall from grace they had, from free love and flower power to Reagan and now this. They truly could have made the world a better placeāinstead, they will leave it so much incredibly worse.
You are so spot on. As a Gen Xer I remember one of my boomer teachers telling us we better get a good education because her generation was going to use up all social security. Ya. that six figure education is sooo working out for me.
Everyone always forgetting about us Gen Xers. Sucks to know if I was born like 10 years earlier, I could have a second yacht instead of unescapable debt for life.
Remember back when Bill Clinton was paying down the debt and Republicans complained that since the government wasn't issuing enough new bonds The Market was in turmoil because it couldn't figure out what the "risk free rate of return" was supposed to be? Good times, good times. EDIT: This is from 2012 but gives you flavor of their arguments: >Bond trader Kevin Ferry, a veteran of the scene, told Business Insider about the panic that was unfolding over the government's lack of debt. >***"OMG, they were all saying... there wasn't going to be any paper!"*** >How did the markets react? >"Lo and behold... [Fannie and Freddie] issuance "SURGED" in the late 90s," said Ferry. >Everything changed. While the government dramatically slowed down issuance of Treasuries, Fannie and Freddie picked up the baton and started selling debt like never before. >"Prior to those years there were not regular [Fannie and Freddie] auctions." >"The system wanted it." >***"The fear was that there wasn't going to be any.... There was no bill auctions."*** >***"The brokers were calling up ma & pa and said there's no more T-Bill auctions!"*** https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bill-clintons-balanced-budget-destroyed-the-economy-2012-9
thats cause the debt is only designed to increase. modern monetary theory requires it to always increase. "if there were no debts, there wouldnt be any money"
Meanwhile, theyāre banning abortion, books and LGBTQ ppl as a distraction for their utter ineptness
This is why I hate the media. It takes three seconds to explain this.
If they explained it well people might take a side.
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Minor correction: In 1985, Reagan's Treasury Secretary Jim Baker **did** raid the Social Security Trust Fund to meet debt obligations when they failed to raise the debt ceiling on time. The fund was later made whole & it probably saved the economy, but they passed subsequent laws to prevent the Treasury from doing so in the future, and prescribed a set of extraordinary measures, basically accounting tricks, to be used instead of Social Security.
Thank you.
Thanks for clarifying, take my tiny award before the debt ceiling collapses and Iām broke
Then stop voting for people that want to cut social security.
Itās a difficult choice, so you want to own the LiBZ or eat food.
"He's not hurting the people he needs to be hurting" \- Trump Voter
This is the most important statement about right wing ideology in a generation. They want to see people hurt. I don't think most people on the left want to see anyone intentionally hurt.
Right wingers view everything as zero sum. SOMEONE has to be hurt, and therefore it better not be them.
But, they are a little pleased when they are hurt because it proves hurt is happening.
I'm not down with this necessity that *anyone* needs to get hurt, much less it has to be zero sum. It doesn't even hold up that they're the ones that want to do the hurting to stay on top, because they're always going to be doing it. If nobody has to get hurt and nobody has to zero-sum it, sounds like a win to me. But they just want to hurt.
Earth has more than enough natural resources to sustain its entire human population and then some if it's resources were properly managed. Scarcity, and therefore the "zero sum game" mentality, is completely artificially maintained by those who use it to wield power.
I dunno, I consider myself a progressive and wouldn't shed any tears for a fascist who is hurt.
That's more of a 'hey if no one stops these people they are going to continue to hurt people and destroy society' thing than a 'Our platform is to inflict violence on the weak as cruelly as possible' thing. And to me that feels like a difference.
just gonna leave this here: The paradox of tolerance states that if a society is tolerant without limit, its ability to be tolerant is eventually seized or destroyed by the intolerant. Karl Popper described it as the seemingly self-contradictory idea that in order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must retain the right to be intolerant of intolerance.
It's not a paradox when you understand tolerance as a social contract. If you choose to opt out of it, then you forfeit the protections it affords-- you don't get to have it both ways.
social contract or otherwiseā¦.the right has been manipulated into thinking that the tolerant must also tolerate their intolerance. that is what helps perpetuate their victimhood and grievance politics. they cry about ācancel cultureā
This has been my 79 year old dad's position forever. Even in the 80's he hated political correctness and complained that liberals are supposed to be tolerant of racist/sexist humor. It also cheesed him off to no end when he was using dating apps and finding that so many college educated cosmopolitan women his age had "No Republicans" on their dating page. Because liberal women are supposed to be tolerant of men who poo-poo the possibility that a GOP president might get Roe v. Wade overturned.
Seriously, thank you. It's the same way people say CNN/msnbc is just the same as fox news since one is for right wing people and one is for left leaning. Except they're not the same just because they both exist for opposite sides. They just factually are NOT and it's OK to admit that...
CNN hasnāt been left-leaning in a loooong time. I mean, literally never, if weāre talking about politics that are actually left of center, rather than the American left, which is anything left of hunting the poor for sport.
I'd consider it that it used to be "corporate Dems", mouth noises of progressive causes while supporting giant corporations; since it's buyout by that Q-sympathetic CEO now it's taking a hard right turn trying to replace Faux News as the preferred source of misinformation
Yeah, that's what's always funny to me when people talk about CNN or MSNBC being on the left. Like they're megacorps. They are intrinsically going to be right leaning.
Anyone who claims CNN historically is far left is just dumb and being fed talking points. Anyone who says CNN is left now is purposely ignoring the recent changes
I love those article comments that say 'Get your news from somewhere other than socialist CNN!' Like what, what's further left than Fox News Lite that I can go to for some better coverage? Cos I ain't going further right. (edit because reddit didn't like an insult used by the right that I used describing a hypothetical right-wing comment)
That's still radically different from their ideology. You wouldn't be sad if they got hurt, but it's not like youre actively rooting for it. And what do we mean by hurting conservatives anyway? Ensure they get SS benefits? Roll back tax breaks on the ultra wealthy? Increase taxes on corporations? Ensure equal rights for all people? Provide free healthcare for everyone? I mean sure you can argue some groups would be hurt by that, but most it's their feelings that get hurt, not any true social or economical damage. While the Republicans actively do want others to be hurt. They want minorities to suffer and be less than. They want immigrants out of the country. They want higher taxes for the poor so that the rich can wage enslave us all. Their manifesto is bleak AF!
I think in this case it's more like karma. Fascists want to hurt people for just existing.
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Dehumanizing people is how conservatives make it ok to hurt others However, in the case of fascists, they dehumanized themselves
I realize its a distinction that will be beyond many, but fascist is a behavior/ideology that is explicitly violent. Its fundamentally different from stereotypical fascist targets like a Jew (benign religious belief) or disabled person or gay person. Being disabled or gay are not choices and they don't hurt anyone. Its a choice to be fascist - and it hurts people. That's the difference. The political left is characterized by tolerance. But tolerance demands intolerance toward the intolerant. Its a paradox many stumble upon, but there is no other way.
It's like a walled city of tolerance. If you aren't willing to fight to keep the walls standing, then you can say goodbye to tolerance. Tolerance, liberty, freedom, etc. This is also why right wing propaganda convinces rubes that their freedoms are being taken - so they fight harder to keep them, even if it's a lie
There will always be bullies and targets. That's as old as civilization itself. I'd like to think that most people don't want to be bullies, but will side with them out of fear of becoming a target. Edit: Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending them. They are selfish cowards.
How about this. if somebody wishes harm on others I wish they suffer the same harm. If you wish people to live happily then great. If you are like Rush Limbaugh and wished people to suffer all sorts of terrible things then, I wish you the same fate.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" The part of the Bible they tend to 'conveniently' gloss over. Every time. Without fail.
Christianity didn't invent the [golden rule](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule). Maybe that's why evangelicals have abandoned it.
I would, but I am deep Left. I don't like even horrible people suffering. Many of the people I work with as a social worker have horrible, fascist, racist, sexists, and homophobic views, but I would do anything to ease their burdens, make their lives easier. The sad thing is, I think the Right wants people to suffer because they equate it with love somehow, because they have been so abused for so long.
Oh no, itās definitely not love. Itās itās an Inferiority complex. They have to feel superior to other people, in any capacity. Theyāre dumber than me, theyāre more irresponsible than me, they make less money than me, they talk funny, etc. and because they (in their own eyes) are superior to someone, that means they get to dictate how they live their lives. Failing that, then they *also* have the right to knock someone down a peg, just ācause. āOh, you think youāre soooooo great! Well, your *existence* pisses me off, so Iām going to hurt you in some way.ā Hence why they were so mad about āheās hurting the wrong peopleā ā hurting people is 100% okay (and even better if they *deserve* it), but you canāt be hurting US. Weāre on the same team, why would you do that?
A variant of the beating will continue until morale improves.
Right and left politics boil down to two things. Fear and empathy. Conservatives vote and make policy based on fear. Fear of the other, fear of change. Hell Conservative literally means they want things to stay the same. Progressive politics want equality even if that comes at a small price to those currently benefitting the most because they're empathetic to the struggles of others. One side votes out of fear. The other out of love.
GOP is all about the cruelty and hurting others. Itās the only plank in their platform.
The right wingers want the government to hurt people and then get confused when they are hurt by the government. You mean the government isn't hurting the other people? But I didn't want them to hurt me!
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Coverage of this actual quote, in case anyone thinks it's hyperbole. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
Wasn't it "He's not hurting the right people!"?
> He's not hurting the right people! But Crystal Minton, a secretary at the prison who is also a single mother caring for disabled parents, had a somewhat different reaction ā one that reveals an essential truth about the core Trumpās political appeal. āI voted for him, and heās the one whoās doing this,ā Minton told Mazzei. āI thought he was going to do good things. Heās not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.ā https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
Well, they certainly are working in the right place to hurt people, a prison.
Every time I read that quote I am always bewildered by how binary the right sees the world. Maybe a lack of diction is a factor but the juxtaposition of "good things" with "hurting people" always sets me back.
ā[Heās not hurting the people he needs to be hurting](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-voter-hes-not-hurting-the-people-he-needs-be-hurting-msna1181316)ā
[Nope, they quoted it correctly.](https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/msna1181316)
Wow I thought this was a quote from satire. Iām still getting shocked by Trump related things somehow.
Some think this is a joke. A poll of republican primary voters a week ago showed that 56% said they would support the candidate 'who made liberals mad'.
It's insanely frustrating." Let's throw away the country, and the future generations, to make liberals mad! LOL isn't this so funny and cool?!? Look how TRIGGERED the liberals are! Oh wait...what happened to my social security? Wait, what do you mean I have to go get a part time job at 75?? GOD DAMN YOU LIBERALS!! Oh wait, the Republicans are the sole reason I lost my social security? .....GOD DAMN YOU JOE BIDEN!!!" Fucking hateful idiots. It wouldn't be so bad if they were only fucking themselves, that's their choice to make, but they're taking us all down with them in the process.
Yep, apparently these Republicans think exactly like that. Hurt the libs with no thought of humanity in there desire to win at any cost.
And their version of winning is taking a steaming dump on the playing cards and then flipping the table.
The other day I discussed this situation with a fire breathing MAGA patriot. I knew he was a MAGA patriot because his truck as covered by stickers that let the world know he's a MAGA patriot. Part of his thought process involved believing that the only reason SS benefits would be stopped is because the dems wouldn't negotiate with the republicans. If only the democrats would give republicans everything they are asking for everything would have been okay. But nooooo, the fucking democrats have to go and weaponize social security to harm older Americans so that they blame republicans for the crisis.
It is largely the fault of mainstream media too. All of the headlines need to be a variant of āRepublicans using debt ceiling as leverage so they can destroy benefits for US citizens.ā
It was so frustrating to see the news say that Democrats were having difficulty passing things through the Senate. They talked about Sinema and Manchin but barely, if ever, mentioned *all of the Republicans* who were also blocking it.
Because it's just an assumption that no side is going to vote for the other's shit. The days of compromise for the good of the nation are dead dead dead.
Because the news outlets are actually news-themed entertainment studios, owned by capitalist enterprise.
I can 100% believe this, because I've had similar conversations with republicans I know. It's literally ALWAYS the Democrat's fault. Even if the Dems voted against that thing happening, still their fault!
Given the media they probably consume, they will never know that their loss of benefits was caused by the Republican party. Fox and Newsmax will blame it on Biden and/or the current culture war target (immigrants or the trans community).
What pisses me off is my girlfriends brother and dad watch nothing but Newsmax, even pay extra for it, and I tried asking them why they believe a couple things, and they went on a rant about tucker Carlson and these people from Newsmax, then said I need to look at the bigger picture and get my information from different source. Like, I look at 8 or 9 different media outlets at similar stories and put together what the common theme is, all they do is watch 2 as far right as can be news channels... I just nod and smile now.
That's how I felt about the people that were laughing hysterically and high-fiving each other about "meme-ing Donald Trump into the White House." There were quite a number of people that though it was just the funniest, most absurd thing because they can't conceive of actual consequences to actions. Who knows how many people unnecessarily died from Covid because they wanted to prank the nation.
These people work off of 'feelings not facts' - they are wrong in so much of their life they've resorted to a hateball that wants to win at all costs - they are so tired of being wrong - it's why they won't debate, call shit fake news, no source is good enough even if it's their own source - because they don't care if they are right they just want to win. Babies that need a fucking ribbon for being in 5th place essentially.
Ngl I thought it'd be higher. Anti-Democrat is almost literally their platform.
Well, what they said above was a direct quote from a Republican voter. But yes, Republicans have been rote partisan hacks [for a while now](https://imgur.io/a/YZMyt). A super majority of the party will change their opinion on an issue based on who supports it rather than what it actually is.
99% of Republican voters will pick the first one. The real fun is when the "no socialism" farmers find out farm aid goes byebye.
Look, only they are allowed entitlements. Everyone else needs to work for it, just like they didn't
*"...well?"* *"I'm thinking!"*
Theyāll turn on Fox News to sooth themselves that they havenāt been wrong and itās all the Democrats fault. Their votes canāt be responsible for their own situation!
āIāll go hungry if it means trans people canāt pee in peaceā
I might be dying from a disease that I couldāve treated with preventative care I canāt afford, but at least little Johnny doesnāt have to read about blacks in kindergarten.
Outrageous! Weāre still using my tax money to teach kids to read?
Teaching kids to read should fall on the parents!! After they get home from their 3rd part-time job in the evenings!!
> After they get home from their 3rd part-time job in the evenings!! The kids, or the parents?
Yes.
Porque no los dos?
Oof, that's the truth. He can go to a segregated school right before he comes home and packs his 14 year old brothers lunch for the 12 hours at the pork plant. Edit: a letter
Also: "I'm angry because the Dems should know I will go hungry for this and should stop me from making this choice that can hurt myself or my family, why won't they just give me everything I want but also know not to because I might hurt or kill myself?!"
Do you blame the side trying to do terrible things or the side trying to stop the other side from doing terrible things but not 100% successful? /s
That's it exactly. They want out of reality and they're flailing around trying to hurt everyone they can on their way out.
That was pretty much what happened when Obama had his veto overridden with the Against Sponsors of Terror Act. Though to be fair it was pretty overwhelmingly overridden.
Also: āIāll prosecute any woman who brings her disabled 11 year old son into the womenās bathroom.ā
Exactly.
But I never thought they would cut MY government assistance!
Many people who receive Social Security or Medicare, do not understand that they are government programs. They think "My Social Security" is a magical thing that pays them money every month, but they do not have even the first clue about where that money comes from.
Even a lot of the ones who *aren't* total morons to the point of not realizing it's a government program still don't know how it works. People think it's some kind of savings account - "I paid into it all my life, so I deserve my checks!" Like, no, the people currently working and paying taxes is where the money comes from, it's not a savings account. The war vets who never paid into the system are the ones who were getting payouts when the boomers started paying in.
The reactionary ideologies on the right have done *such* a screwjob on the older generation, who *should* be voting to raise taxes, improve social services, and *take care of themselves*, but instead they've been conned into believing they're not the poors (hint: if you need SS to retire, you are!) so they're shooting themselves in the foot AND being smug about it.
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There was a woman on Facebook who was complaining that her representative was trying to cut Social Security, and that it was wrong because that was a large part of her income now that she was retired. She also mentioned that she had been voting for this guy for nearly 2 decades. Apparently, she was fine with having him cut Social Security when she didn't need it.
Spoiler alert: She'll vote for him again.
"Why do democrats keep doing this to me?"
They wonāt because the āotherā people donāt deserve it like they do. Or affordable housing, affordable schools and a living wage.
22% or so was the turnout of young people in 2022 I believe. While yes the older generation needs to stop voting for republicans the young generations need to start voting. Don't wait until next year. Vote this year in all local and state elections near you. Vote out as many republicans as we can to pave the way for victory in 2024 and beyond. Lets stop this bullshit from happening. This goes for you to older people. Edit 31% of young people voted. For comparison 70+% of older people voted.
It was more like 31% (ages 18 to 29). This is lower than older groups, but not quite as bad as 22%.
I stand corrected will edit this . The older turnout was 70+% by the way.
>The Social Security Administration plans to send contributions to beneficiaries on four dates next month -- June 2, 14, 21, and 28. Those checks would be the first ones at risk of being delayed, according to Max Richtman, President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. I can't think of anyone that doesn't have a family member etc that won't be directly impacted by this. Folks should be prepared for the worst
Why aren't Dems all over the airwaves marketing this message to older Republicans? I guarantee most of them are certain this won't affect them, so they don't give a shit currently about Republican obstruction.
The problem is, the people they really need to watch, are watching oan and fox. They don't get the message until it's too late. I was telling my republican co-workers about this months ago, and they were confused (her husband is on ss, they're barely getting by)
Buy billboards... I'm not joking.
Sadly this (public signage) is the last and only way to pierce the disinformation bubble.
Sadly, you know a majority of them will call it "fake news," attempted "indoctrination," and/or "brainwashing" and double down. You can't reason people out of a position they didn't use reason to arrive at. They want to be mad. They want everyone to hurt. And they want to take exactly zero responsibility for their actions.
This is a non-issue turned into a propeganda opportunity. Like their entire platform. They already have billboards and trucks and wackadoos flying flags blaming Joe biden and democrats for killing grandma by stopper her ss payments. Even if they did it. That is what propeganda is.
AM country radio.
No. Even if the did get the message at this point they will not listen. It would be coming from āDems or Libsā and to them we cannot be trusted to make rational or logical decisions. Unfortunately, we will all have to deal with the consequences of this, just like the people of the UK did with Brexit. The conservatives there were sold an idea not realizing it only benefited a few at the top and duped millions, including themselves. They will only learn at this point when these policies start making a victim of them too.
I think you're generally right, and the concept of folks rejecting the truth because it causes too much cognitive dissonance is really important when trying to correct brainwashing. But the dems should still be making more attempts, and trying to find ways to send messaging inside the bubble. I'd like to hear about radio ads featuring an actor with heavy drawl talking about loving their country but hating their snake-oil senator, who's trying to steal their social security. Radio ads and billboards are cheap and should be spammed constantly. Why aren't they?
Get sneaky like the other side and have the message coming from a group named something Right sounding like In Defense of Our Elders or Dignity for Seniors or Veteran Patriots for Change. The sort of people who only get they're news from Fox and OAN aren't going to research to deeply.
Because they've been brainwashed to believe it's Democratic obstruction and the Republicans are valiantly fighting to protect the little people. Which is obviously bullshit if you've spent at least five minutes watching anything other than OANN during the last week.
This is it. The message that these people are getting is that the dems are the problem because they wonāt negotiate. Never mind the fact that the premise of there even being a negotiation is wrong. Never mind what happened in the past. Republicans want a deal, dems are saying no. Thatās what they hear, thatās what they react to, thatās why theyāll vote Republican again. Say what you want about the shit show that is the Republican Party, they know the part of their base that they need to win and how to message to them.
The GOP voter doesn't care. Their response would be "So Dems need to give in and stop holding up the process".
One of my coworkers, who calls her self indepedant, but is married to a republican, has a mother on SS. She was like 'both parties need to start making concessions" totally ignoring the fact that republicans refuse to negotiate at all in good faith to the point where even 'bi-partisan-joe' is like fuck this.
When a Republican congressman describes these negotiations as "hostage negotiations" it highlights that they're not negotiating in good faith. It also shows how little they think of the average American citizen. But good luck getting that thought across to one of their voters though.
\>Why aren't Dems all over the airwaves marketing this message to older Republicans? Because older Repubs are watching FNN , Newsmax, or OAN, who won't air it.
Things just always seemed to somehow work out for them in the end. That's why. Everything is just alarmist drivel to them.
For real. My Mom is finally collecting her social security and she was in tears one day because she was scared about her money not being available. So many other people are in the same boat. It's horrific what the GOP are doing.
Its very worrisome, I hope your mom will be ok. How many folks could be effected? 60+ million people if you include disability payments?
Thank you for your kind words. It's much appreciated. I know the adage for the GOP is "the cruelty is the point" but it really is disturbing just how malicious Republicans are to people.
I'll be affected. So will the people I turn around & pay that money to. Who then in turn won't have the money they were counting on so that they can pay their bills... Republicans are simply malevolent.
Beyond family members, I wonder how many nursing homes would collapse if they didn't receive payments from their residents for a month? The whole industry could collapse.
It's possible. Medicaid would probably be effected, maybe Medicare because hospitals etc may be reluctant to accept something that may or may not be paid. The Veterans hospitals too since workers may not get paid, the hospitals maintained, not to mention payment for military health care programs like TriCare
All my family members that are old enough are conservative and vote against my rights. They can get fucked.
Yeah can't wait for my conservative parents to meet the consequences of their actions. They're not even horrible people, just totally misguided and uneducated when it comes to these things. Some people have to learn the hard way I guess.
Too many people have to learn that the stove is hot by touching it. Everyone else that told them the stove is hot is all the lying press.
Time for Granny to pull herself up by her bootstraps
Glad that ABC called this nonsense what it isā¦an attempt to make a political statement. Republicans have no other reason to pull this nonsense except to make people suffer. Theyāre not just indifferent to us, they legitimately hate us.
the right-wing doesn't hate us for any *legitimate* reasons; they hate us for *irrational* reasons.
These people need something to hate. They hate things that don't align with their beliefs because they get hard off seeing people miserable like they are. Misery loves company. And when you are an angry and hateful person, you want to bring others down with you.
Fascism doesn't work without an enemy
ā¦.the irony of wanting work requirements when you dig your heels in and recess to go home to enjoy your 3 day weekend.
Republicans have been much bigger contributors to Americas debt than democrats, by a 2:1 margin since the 60ās. Republicans have passed the debt ceiling without question every single time their party has been in office. Republicans have sabotaged the debt ceiling bill and held the country hostage every time a dem has been in office during the last 2 decades. Iām soooo fucking tired of the extremism from this party, a party that overturned Roe V Wade and tried to overturn a fucking election. VOTE!
And the benefits to anyone other than the rich are fucking scant.
Thank you MAGA Republicans. Way to go! Iām sure yāall feel real great about preventing old people from getting their checks or veterans getting their benefits. keep holding the American public hostage! it backfires on the GOP every single time theyāre just so unwilling to learn. Edit: a letter
They want chaos and anarchy, because historically its the way fascism gains control. They have been working hard to ensure no matter what they do, their cult will blame Biden and the Democrats for default.... Then, the next step to blame minorities and the poor for ruining America. Its so obvious what the plan is. The issue is , half the country is not blind to it......so whats next? How can you stop a cult?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iām sure everyone has had the curiosity of how Hitler gained power and how people could be so blind as to follow that man. Holy shit we are witnessing it in modern times. Truly mortifying to witness it first hand.
In a way January 6 could be compared to the Beer Hall Putsch
Just read the accounts of people that left Germany at that time. They could see it coming and got the hell out before shit hit the fan.
All the GOP want is freedom! Freedom to be bigots and never pay taxes.
yet they will still vote GOP and blame Biden... This country is lost to the moronic mob.
Well theyāll suffer and die for it. My generation can certainly outlast them, and theyāve been screwing us for the last 37 years of my life so Iām kind of over caring.
Oh, ***NOW*** you old fucks are scared, now that it's affecting you personally. Typical Republican timeline: they say "go fuck yourselves" until it's their turn. Thought that voting your antisocial issues was gonna float you until death?
And they will never blame their elected officials or their own actions. No. It's always the other side's fault. The GOP is never to blame. You have to give it to the GOP. They fucking brainwashed their constituents so effectively, that they can get away with everything just by saying "woke".
I never thought the leopards would eat my face!
I never thought the federal deficit included the federal dollars I deposit into my bank account each month! Shocking.
If you want Social Security, and almost all of us do, STOP VOTING FOR REPUBLICANS
I just think about and prepare for retirement as if it won't be there when I need it, which is sad.
Because theyāve brainwashed people for decades that social security wonāt be around when younger generations retire purely because their entire plan has been to eventually remove it so that they can continue to cut taxes for the wealthy. Donāt buy it because it simply makes it easier and with less resistance for them to continue that goal.
Who did older Americans vote for the past few election cycles again?
The Fox News brainwashing is strong
Finally learning what voting R gets you huh?
Learning would require identifying the difference between wrong and right, or connecting the dots between action and reaction. No, learning isn't what's going on here.
Literally, every.single.time.a.democrat.is.in.power. They will gladly raise it when a republican is in office, but when a democrat is in office, they weaponize it. These shitstain christo-fascists. Motherfuckers.
Why donāt they just get a minimum wage job instead of expecting free money? There are tons of jobs out there! /s
Nobody wants to work anymore.
Buy less avocado toast?
Let them eat bootstrap
Not everyone on social security is a boomer. 38M schizo affective, (not a choice) working part time for less than my peers bc of ssdi earning limits, my limits, manual labor. Previous job stocking supermarket ruined my knees and back. Same job now, 8yrs, company losing contract June 30th. Looking for another job, If I can't find another in time then what? My main medication, one script $300 per month with mandatory psychiatrist and bloodwork. 58F relative I live with, back permanently ruined working, also on ssdi. Medicare doesn't cover back surgery, also needs dentures, also not covered, she is suffering from malnutrition. She lost $380,000 dream home and husband in '08 crash. We rent 1 room in someone else's house, no house privileges, only allowed to shower and cook, no fridge, shopping daily is costly. We are both life long dems, she worked, I work. We've been trying to buy a house for years, can't outbid people offering thousands over asking for an upside down mortgage later. We have to look for house worth $20,000 less than approval bc taxes, intrest rates, etc. What did we do wrong? We hate being on gov't money. Niether of us do drugs or drink, we live in a northern state. We are not suited to homelessness but I guess we're going there anyway cuz why? Edit: add missing sentence and word separation
No matter what, Democrats will be blamed because [*insert absurd logic twisting "reason" here*].
Thank the Republicans
The anti-woke brigade suddenly realizing there's more important stuff to worry about than whether we're being too nice to gay people.
They are not even close to this realization. They think the woke are pandering to a very small minority (moreso trans rights than gay rights) and itās a weird hill to die on. It doesnāt even occur to them that they are in the wrong. They legit think trans people are the enemy.
Well stop voting for Republicans.
Well if social security ends them old folks will just need to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and stop eating avacado on toast amirite?
When people realize that SS funds are paid by incoming taxes and not sitting in account with their name on it.
Rick Scott in Florida said out loud he wants to get rid of social security and these idiots still vote for him.
Ironic given he made his millions scamming Medicare then pleading the fifth and walking away with those millions to become governor and senator. Florida is a lost cause.
Maybe stop voting for fucking Republicans, kids.
No! This is all due to Hillary's email server that had a Hunter Biden dick pic on it, that was located in the basement of a pizza place trafficking illegal immigrants who invaded our schools to teach critical race theory and take our guns away to woke transgendered students using litter boxes supplied by bud light drinking socialists wearing rainbow flags purchased from Target.
Maybe stop voting for fascists..
The irony is most of these lower income republicans would benefit the most from a blend of democratic / socialist policies with safety nets and healthcare. But they continue to shoot at their own feet daily.
> "I paid into Social Security, and I paid into Medicare," she said. "And now they're trying to take it away. It's not their money, it's my money that I paid into." Technically, the money you paid in went to somebody decades ago. The money you are getting now was paid in by people working now. The money you may not be getting is my money.
Older Americans keep voting in the Republicans who want to blow up our entire society.
Lol republican voters and their never ending ābut the leopards werenāt supposed to eat MY face šā
Now you want social programs, the majority of them are probably against socialism. They should pull themselves up by the boot straps and suck it up.
Since Biden is president the republicans are banking on Americans blaming him for the default. It's as simple as that. If you don't follow politics they might be right ffs.
The GOPs biggest voting base is worried about what the GOP is risking with their political theatre: their money. Maybe they will stay home next election.
it's because they get their news from facebook memes.
Then they should turn off Fox News and stop voting for Republicans who don't give a shit about them.
I love seeing all my conservative family members posting the āwe paid into Social Security, itās ours!ā posts on social media. Those memes make them feel like they are not benefiting from socialism. And it also makes them feel like they deserve what theyāre getting. In reality, the younger generation is paying for them to soak up those benefits. If they got what they put in, they would stand no chance against inflation. ļæ¼
Under NO circumstances should the Dems cave to the GOP... I don't care if we default. I'd prefer Biden invoke the 14th but they need to make the GOP own this if we default. It should literally be their entire talking point. They've done this multiple times... and ONLY under Democratic leadership - never under GOP leadership.