suston96's Journal - Democratic Underground http://www.democraticunderground.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sun, 19 May 2013 04:14:19 Sun, 19 May 2013 04:14:19 Thanks. That is relevant.... And for those not following events, it is in regard to future Social Security payroll tax cuts for 2012. This time to include cuts by employers' contributions. Great for the consumer and employers' checkbooks but still a burden on the Trust Funds.

Sorry, I disagree with the Actuary. Unless emp... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3471 Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:25:48 Don't like my CounterPunch source? Try this one: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html#n4

[div class="excerpt"]What happens to the taxes that go into the trust funds?

Tax income is deposited on a daily basis and is invested in "special-issue" securities. The cash exchanged for the securities goes into the general fun... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3470 Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:00:12 I do believe that the payroll tax holiday is a deferment........ The Treasury owes those monies that would have been collected as part of the payroll taxes to the Social Security Trust Funds.

http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/switching_sides_on_social_security.php

[div class="excerpt"]What to do about those FICA contributions, aka payroll taxes, now that t... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3469 Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:58:55 It's the principal of the thing........ Take 10 dollars out of your kids' piggy bank and explain to them that they still have the 10 dollars because you owe them the 10 dollars.

I know what my kids would say to me with that kind of fractured logic.

That the Treasury has to justify such an underhanded raid on the Trust Funds with a "... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3468 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:50:16 Someday we could discuss the powers of the three branches.... They are NOT "co-equal branches". (I dare anyone to find the phrase "co-equal branches" in any founding document of the United States).

The Executive is the weakest of the three branches. Historically, all three branches have jockeyed for power supremacy but it always ends as it should with the... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3467 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:12:12 Who says TARP was a disaster? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_Asset_Relief_Program

"Of these banks, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, American Express Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., U.S. Bancorp, Capital One Financial Corp., Bank of New York Mellon Corp., State Street Corp., BB&T Corp, Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of ... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3466 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:59:21 Yes, we can? No. he didn't? Sorry, poor grammar. It should read: Yes, we can. No, WE didn't.

He didn't say: Yes, I can. He said: Yes, WE can, and I repeat. WE didn't. WE haven't. WE had better get with it and WE had better do it - TOGETHER!

HE cannot do it alone.... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3465 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:10:26 The protests are an excellent display of....... ....."yes, we can."

By that I mean that the constitutionally explicit right to assemble is being effectively exercised with little opposition and just a smattering of mishap.

When the time comes, demands will be made or grievances will be declared and all will listen and pay attention to tho... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3464 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:28:39 Keep fucking with Social Security and Medicare.... ....and Occupy Wall Street and the like will be kindergarten compared to what will happen in this nation of an aging populace.... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3463 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:12:45 This is how the Social Security Trust Fund works........ http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html#n4

If more people would take the trouble to read up on the subject, the Social Security Trust Fund would be a source of solid reassurance to its subscribers - the American people, instead of misinformation and fable from its detractors.

That inclu... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3462 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:28:56 It took several examples in the Middle East recently..... ...to make the American people realize, once more, (the 1960s?) that the right to assemble is their inalienable right and that exercising it, quietly and universally, is one of the most powerful weapons they have against entrenched political and economic tyranny and other oppressions.

The people ... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3461 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:12:57 Thanks. I hope you will too. What's Starbucks ? nt ... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3460 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:50:11 Would I? No. The happiest days of my life were my 4 college years which I was lucky to have done during my middle years - 45 to 48.

I wouldn't trade them for any instantaneous and clearly perilous venture into my brain chemistry.

If you could grow a giant redwood overnight, would you? An elephant? Anythi... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3459 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:41:22 Misplaced evidence? In this case it was indeed misplaced.... ....but luckily for the falsely convicted and imprisoned, found and his innocence settled.

I wonder how much more "misplaced evidence" there is, or is happening as these embarrassing episodes surface?... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3458 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:31:44 I think he recently created something like that in North West... http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009334713_apwapacificnorthwesttrail.html

And this: http://bestofnj.com/great-falls-national-historical-park-created-monday/

And this: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-from-the-Presidents-signing-statements-on-HR-146-the-O... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3457 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:08:30 I think that way back when.... ....it was first said by Tom Paine, yeah, that Thomas Paine, listening to a bunch of colonials in Boston in the late 1700s, bitching about King George and the British:

If you can't stand them why don't you go out and start your own country.....

I repeat, that was in the late 1700s. They did j... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3456 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:57:50 Time heals all wounds....... ....but time also allows for the Red Sox to return the favors.

Wait till next year.............. http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3455 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:55:26 But how many families could have a home, buy a car, pay for kids education....... ....and other such stuff, if they didn't go into debt.

Debt is about the ability and willingness to pay, AND the credit record of the debtor.

When was the last time the United States flat out did not pay its just debts?

In the immortal words of Donald Trump: Debt is good! I like it. That... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3454 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 17:45:06 You said it....a lottery,,,,, I, and my friend, have seen many of our contemporaries live only a few years and then they are gone. But that happens with people collecting on other forms of annuities.

And yes, my friend gets Veterans disability for service connection.... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3453 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:02:17 Uh, I lied. Utter bullshit, indeed. I, or rather, my friend, paid: $8,438. His employers paid: $3,231. That's $11,669.

Estimate of annual payments received from Social Security for 17 years: @ $600.00 per month or $7,200 X 17 = $122,400.

Hello, Wall Street? Now what's the return on that investment?... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3452 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:51:25 Utter BS? Why do you say that? That friend contributed for many years but was in the military so his pay and his contributions were low. His Social Security statement says it all.

And a record of his monthly payments multiplied by 12 and then by 17 years of collecting, so far, indicate what I have posted.

I researched th... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3451 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:29:26 I dunno about Wall Street junkies but I have a friend....... ....who paid something around $18,000 into Social Security and so far has collected $122,400.

By all means, that study should be done.... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3450 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:52:06 It all depends....... ".....the idea that the amendment — which essentially stipulates that government cannot spend more than it takes in — is necessary and good."

That is a good idea but the only problem is, Social Security, Medicare etc are non budgetary items.

So if Social Security incoming cash and Social Secur... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3449 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:29:43 Balanced Budget what? "Undefined change"? Details please......... I want to see an amendment to the constitution that removes partisan politics from the budget preparation process.

I am dreaming? Yeah, maybe. But I would still like to see a neutral process based on numbers and simple logic.

In any case, I would like to see details on any proposed amendmen... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3448 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:51:24 CNN host trying to pin down Mitch McConnell on just vote or actual passage..... CNN host asks whether the demand is for a voye or actual passage - 2/3 of each chamber. He refused to comment.... http://journals.democraticunderground.com/suston96/3447 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:49:05