Long Position on Silver and Gold?

[Batteriesnare]

The obvious problem with no easy solution is that the money simply isn't there.

Respectfully, this isn't quite the case. The currency will always be there, but as Dr. Greenspan said, the Fed/.gov cannot guarantee its purchasing power. The .gov will continue to pay SS payments but the value (and faith) of and in the currency will be next to zero.

[HoneyBadger]

Respectfully, this isn't quite the case. The currency will always be there, but as Dr. Greenspan said, the Fed/.gov cannot guarantee its purchasing power. The .gov will continue to pay SS payments but the value (and faith) of and in the currency will be next to zero.

Oh sure, it's all monopoly money, but I was talking about the actual money within the social security program. The SS program as it stands right now doesn't even have enough money to sustain itself for more than a few years. That's all I meant when I said the money isn't there. The fed can always just inflate us out of national debt (and into universal poverty).

[Batteriesnare]

Gotcha, yes the SS program is balance sheet insolvent. You're right it's all monopoly money, but that's never stopped them before!

Oh sure, it's all monopoly money, but I was talking about the actual money within the social security program. The SS program as it stands right now doesn't even have enough money to sustain itself for more than a few years. That's all I meant when I said the money isn't there. The fed can always just inflate us out of national debt (and into universal poverty).

[sniper7]

Personally I wish the program would change to eventually end. People under 35 stop paying in, get nothing, no $$ back from what they invested but will have the rest of their working lives to make up for it with the extra $$ they will get each paycheck. Those over 35-40 will pay a smaller portion and get a smaller portion. And it goes up incrementally from there with folks over 50 paying in and still receiving full benefits. So in roughly 30 years the program won't exist, those entering the workforce now will have extra money to save for retirement. And a new program requiring employers to give information to new employees explaining saving and 401k and IRA options with matching options given to the employee for saving money as employers will also be saving $$ as well.

[brutal]

Personally I wish the program would change to eventually end. People under 35 stop paying in, get nothing, no $$ back from what they invested but will have the rest of their working lives to make up for it with the extra $$ they will get each paycheck. Those over 35-40 will pay a smaller portion and get a smaller portion. And it goes up incrementally from there with folks over 50 paying in and still receiving full benefits. So in roughly 30 years the program won't exist, those entering the workforce now will have extra money to save for retirement. And a new program requiring employers to give information to new employees explaining saving and 401k and IRA options with matching options given to the employee for saving money as employers will also be saving $$ as well.

Should workers be required to show proof of investing or be penalized? You know, kind of like Obamacare?

Otherwise, what happens to those non-savers that aren't Amish?

[HoneyBadger]

Otherwise, what happens to those non-savers that aren't Amish?

Then they get to wallow in their own failures for the rest of their existence instead of having having the government force other people to sustain them. Yes, I'm a heartless bastard. Don't like your situation, then do something about it. If anything, saving and investing should be one of the few components of a national education standard (like common core).

[Dave_L]

Then they get to wallow in their own failures for the rest of their existence instead of having having the government force other people to sustain them. Yes, I'm a heartless bastard. Don't like your situation, then do something about it. If anything, saving and investing should be one of the few components of a national education standard (like common core).

Personal responsibility? These days? LOL.

[HoneyBadger]

Personal responsibility? These days? LOL.

I know, WE'RE the crazy ones here for even talking about it... What a shame that personal responsibility has turned into such a joke. 99.9% of liberals/progressives/socialists wouldn't recognize personal responsibility if it hit them in the forehead.

[Sawin]

Should workers be required to show proof of investing or be penalized? You know, kind of like Obamacare?

Otherwise, what happens to those non-savers that aren't Amish?

Well, some people will be glad to flaunt how much they've saved/gained, if they see it as socially acceptable or advantageous.

If social media has proven anything to me, it's that a targeted subset of society can be pressured to do something through peer pressure or ridicule, when there is enough "noise". Negative reinforcement works magnificently when someone/some group is publicly humiliated for something they should have had control over or done differently.

There is a downside to it though... "shaming" someone is frowned upon, so it has to be done generically...

A positive reinforcement method should work too, but as we can plainly see, it doesn't.

[davsel]

2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV)

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”