# Obama announces plan to dismantle social security, federal government & US Military **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 10, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232 "2010-11-10T22:11:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/41 "2010-11-11T04:09:28Z")
why cow bell? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/42 "2010-11-11T04:11:37Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I tried to type it like Christopher Walken but that’s harder than you might think. No, I totally got the Walken vibe off your post. It was eerie, man. _Eerie_. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/43 "2010-11-11T04:17:37Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > why cow bell? 😕 Meme spawned by SNL skit, Will Farrel and “Chuckles” Walken [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fZOHY7Z5eaQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-A4ACgAOKAgwIABABGH8gRCg1MA8=&rs=AOn4CLDXy0DdMFBswHEEewKS6i8HmioX2A "Dont fear the reaper with some cowbell") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZOHY7Z5eaQ) ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/44 "2010-11-11T14:30:51Z")
> [@fruitbat](#): > > This plan that would actually save a lot of money, but requires sacrifice isn’t going to fly with either party. It will face resistance even within the committee that spawned it. Judging by the amount of misinformation in this thread alone (including the guy who is sure it is bad because of a ‘hunch’), it will be no surprise when it dies. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/45 "2010-11-11T15:24:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Clearly, it needs more tax cuts. And cow bell. But you can’t have more cowbell. You’re just so vain. 😉 EDIT - obviously barking up wrong tree. The Simon re-record of this hit has an annoying ‘more cowbell’ studio conversation tagged onto the end. Irritating. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/46 "2010-11-11T15:44:21Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Call it a hunch. > > My beef is that this commission was set up to appease the greedy misers who bankroll the Republican Party, since they have such huuuuuuuuge, scaly boners over reducing government spending, and their grand plan to tackle the deficit is to lower taxes (surprise!) and reduce printer waste? > > C’mon, son. 1. The plan calls for raising taxes, not lowering them. 2. The plan will fail because it calls for too big, too controversial cuts, and because unlike Obama, the GOP doesn’t actually care about deficits. So your red herring about printer waste is nonsense. Son. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/47 "2010-11-11T17:28:12Z")
Let the stupid Bush tax cuts expire and the debt drops 25 to 30 percent. That is significant. That is simple and it should be done. Tax Wall street financial trades. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/48 "2010-11-11T17:34:09Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Let the stupid Bush tax cuts expire and the debt drops 25 to 30 percent. That is significant. That is simple and it should be done. [/QUOTE] If you really believe it’s that simple than you are stupider than even I thought you were…and that’s nearly impossible. I assume this is a joke thread, but I actually think that Obama’s plan (assuming he could actually get it implemented, which I doubt given the current make up of the house and senate…and the fact that I think his own folks will resist him nearly as much as the Pubs will) is on the right track. I’d like to see a raise in taxes coupled by either a spending freeze or even more cuts in the budget, but I’m not sure what effect that would have on a recovery (assuming one is in the offing any time soon). -XT ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/49 "2010-11-11T18:22:03Z")
I just saw Jan Shakowsky a member of the commission on Link TV. She says the Bush tax for the rich is on the table. Nothing is close to resolved. Yes XT , you fool, it is that easy. That will not solve it all but it is a big important first step that will actually have a huge impact on the debt. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/50 "2010-11-11T19:04:38Z")
I advocate cutting Medicare off at age 85. I don’t know what the savings would be, but it would compound over time. Think of the children. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/51 "2010-11-11T19:08:36Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > our marriages subject to the approval of the local lord—who will undoubtedly assert the right of the first night with a brutal Moslem deflowering? That’s where you’re wrong. Marriages will be subject to the approval of the death panels and they’ll only be approved if they’re gay marriages. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/52 "2010-11-11T19:11:17Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > That’s where you’re wrong. Marriages will be subject to the approval of the death panels and they’ll only be approved if they’re gay marriages. So, are you saying you’re for buttsecks? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/53 "2010-11-11T19:18:30Z")
Its shock treatment, the splash of cold, cold water. They are saying things that couldn’t be said before so that we can talk about them. For all my adult life, if anyone so much as whispered about cutting the Defense budget, a Certain Segment of the Political Spectrum would go totally apeshit, wrap themselves in red, white and blue bunting and blubber about out heroes, and shriek about the impending invasion by the Russians, the Chinese, the Canadians, whatever. Now, maybe we can actually talk about it. Good. About time. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/54 "2010-11-11T19:19:30Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > So, are you saying you’re for buttsecks? Only if its fatal buttsecks. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/55 "2010-11-11T19:19:35Z")
> [@](#): > > In order to balance the budget, we need to a) raise taxes, and b) cut spending. In order to reduce the deficit, we need to a) raise taxes more, and b) cut spending more. Just to nitpick-if we balance the budget haven’t we already eliminated the deficit? Or am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/56 "2010-11-11T19:27:57Z")
He probably meant “debt”. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/57 "2010-11-11T20:22:51Z")
I am sure you geniuses have heard of the boomers. Back in the early 80s we looked ahead and saw that Social Security had to be amended to take them into consideration. The people who made the change realized that the boomers would pass and then Social Security would go back to a more normal system. So they set up a Social Security Trust Fund. They accumulated a bunch of treasury bonds to pay for them when they came along. That will start in 3 years. Some of you have noted in 3 years, Social Security will start cannibalizing the surplus. It is by design. As the boomers pass through the system, they will use up the money that was put there for that specific purpose. As they die off, the fund will be exhausted . That is all as planned. Then the system will normalize again. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/58 "2010-11-11T21:07:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > He probably meant “debt”. I did. Thanks for correctly interpreting my brain-fart. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/59 "2010-11-11T22:03:09Z")
[Senator Bernie Sanders’ statement](http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=E601C2F8-FF96-4982-93F8-F27B7AB2560F) on the Deficit Commission Co-Chair’s Report: > [@](#): > > November 10, 2010 > > BURLINGTON, Vt., Nov. 10 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement in response to a proposal by the co-chairmen of a White House deficit commission, Erskine Bowles and former Sen. Alan Simpson: > > “The Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan is extremely disappointing and something that should be vigorously opposed by the American people. The huge increase in the national debt in recent years was caused by two unpaid wars, tax breaks for the wealthy, a Medicare prescription drug bill written by the pharmaceutical industry, and the Wall Street bailout. Unlike Social Security, none of these proposals were paid for. Not only has Social Security not contributed a dime to the deficit, it has a $2.6 trillion surplus. > > “It is reprehensible to ask working people, including many who do physically-demanding labor, to work until they are 69 years of age. It also is totally impractical. As they compete for jobs with 25-year-olds, many older workers will go unemployed and have virtually no income. Frankly, there will not be too much demand within the construction industry for 69-year-old bricklayers. > > “Despite all of the right-wing rhetoric, Social Security is not going bankrupt. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security can pay every nickel owed to every eligible American for the next 29 years and after that about 80 percent of benefits. > > “If we are serious about making Social Security strong and solvent for the next 75 years, President Obama has the right solution. On October 14, 2010, he restated a long-held position that the cap on income subject to Social Security payroll taxes, now at $106,800, should be raised. As the president has long stated, it is absurd that billionaires pay the same amount into the system as someone who earns $106,800. > > “With the richest people in this country getting richer and the middle class in decline, it is absurd that billionaires pay the same amount into the Social Security system as someone who earns $106,800.” ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232/60 "2010-11-11T22:25:57Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > What action will we be able to take when our guns are replaced with pitchforks and our marriages subject to the approval of the local lord—who will undoubtedly assert the right of the first night with a brutal Moslem deflowering? Ius Primae Noctae was a european christian thang … not a moslem thang. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-announces-plan-to-dismantle-social-security-federal-government-us-military/560232.md?page=4)