The right to retire?

[_ajax18]

How many people here think that working a certain amount of time and paying into government taxes entitles one to an idefinite period of government funded leisure?

The biggest half truth I saw on these AARP commercials is, "I paid into my social security and it's mine." Well actually sir, you had your wages (a pittling amount I might add) forcibly taken by the government who went and spent that money elsewhere. Now they pay you with the money they forcibly take from me each month. Your social security is no savings plan. It's just a redistribution of wealth taken according ability to pay and distributed as the government sees fit to distribute it.

If every able man should work, it shouldn't matter if you've worked 20 years or 60 years. You live, you breathe, and you still eat. If you want to continue to do that, you still have to pay the price. The only freedom from work should be disability.

[_Zelder]

I have chosen to accept this as reality for myself. There is no such thing as retirement. I'm planning on working till I drop.

[_bcspace]

How many people here think that working a certain amount of time and paying into government taxes entitles one to an indefinite period of government funded leisure?

Hopefully no one.

[_moksha]

The Kaiser came up with this scheme to get "superannuated" workers out of German government. We all know what happened to him.

What will it take to please those lazy elderly??? Are there no workhouses? Are there no unopened cans of dog food?!!!

[_ajax18]

The Kaiser came up with this scheme to get "superannuated" workers out of German government. We all know what happened to him.

What will it take to please those lazy elderly??? Are there no workhouses? Are there no unopened cans of dog food?!!!

Every able man should work. That's all I'm saying.

[_ajax18]

I'm planning on working till I drop.

When I was 23 and nearly dropping over due to sickness, this was what was expected of me. I don't see why it should be different when I'm 63. It's only different because in the minds of most people, when they were 23 they felt great. It sure wasn't that way for me.

[_Quasimodo]

The Kaiser came up with this scheme to get "superannuated" workers out of German government. We all know what happened to him.

What will it take to please those lazy elderly??? Are there no workhouses? Are there no unopened cans of dog food?!!!

I understand that panhandling is a good way to earn income. It's not too taxing on the elderly as long as the weather is balmy. They just need to find a good, well traveled corner and set up a lawn chair. Signs are easily (and cheaply) made from cardboard and magic markers.

If medical care becomes urgent, the elderly can always break a bakery window to steal a loaf of bread. The resulting jail time would afford them the opportunity to receive medical care and a warm bed.

If Social Security could supply one lawn chair per retiree, think of the savings. Moneys from Social Security and Medicare could then be redirected to a fund earmarked to bail out Wall Street corporations in case it's needed in the future.

[_Morley]

Excellent, Quasi.

[_ajax18]

The choice is not one of old people starving or not. The question is whether working x amount of years entitles one to be idle or whether one should continue to still have to give the best they have of their time and skills to survival. Why is everyone talking about petfood from a time before massive and illegal immigration that we are supposedly in so desperate need of was the status quo? Many old people I've met can't take a job as a WalMart greeter because the government penalizes them by cutting their social security benefit if they do. I've always been taught that you are expected to do what you are able to do. If you're missing legs, you can still peel potatoes.

Maybe they can't work as fast and well as a cocaine stimulated Mexican. But they can still do something.

[_Quasimodo]

The choice is not one of old people starving or not. The question is whether working x amount of years entitles one to be idle or whether one should continue to still have to give the best they have of their time and skills to survival. Why is everyone talking about petfood from a time before massive and illegal immigration that we are supposedly in so desperate need of was the status quo? Many old people I've met can't take a job as a WalMart greeter because the government penalizes them by cutting their social security benefit if they do. I've always been taught that you are expected to do what you are able to do. If you're missing legs, you can still peel potatoes.

Maybe they can't work as fast and well as a cocaine stimulated Mexican. But they can still do something.

Don't we all pay into Social Security all our working lives? Shouldn't we benefit from that in our old age? Social Security works pretty well. How is it any different than paying into a private retirement fund?

Regardless of what you have been taught, rheumatoid arthritis will prevent you from peeling potatoes whether you have legs or not.