Obama Says Social Security 'Not in Crisis,' No Need for New 'Schemes'

We put social security in place to attempt to protect our citizens from the dangers of old age, poverty, unemployment, and the burdens of widows and fatherless children (Wikipedia). I think program benefits should be reduced based on income, and potential income, from other sources - and that people should be given the choice of receiving a lump sum payout at retirement, according to some income and/or asset level guidelines. I think that I am not unlike many other Americans who have inner conflicts between wanting personal liberties free from government restrictions, control and intervention; seeing the need for large social safety nets to assist those that find themselves in situations where they cannot help themselves; and not wanting to provide hand outs to working age able bodied adults who lack ambition and prefer to live off the charity of others rather than work to improve themselves and their situation. What I find most odd about this, is that my elderly retired conservative parents have encouraged me to begin receiving benefits as soon as I am eligible to attempt to maximize my payout during my expected life span, regardless of my financial situation; while they simultaneously support raising the retirement age and reducing benefits - as long as their benefits are unaffected. I find their desire to maximize their payout, and to suggest that I do the same, while simultaneously supporting delaying and reducing payout for others to be typical of the self serving attitude that creates division and conflict amongst us, rather than promoting cooperation...

Who is going to disagree with Obama and be labeled a racist or in need of an investigation? Just ask him if Social Security is in such good shape why does he and all the congressmen have their own program that does not contribute to Social Security? Their program is nothing new but it does not buy votes with frivolous and bizarre payouts for the have nots. Harsh but true, don't believe it? Just ask around.

Listen ....there is NO money in any S.S. fund...none, there are only a drawer full of I.O.U.'s. Any of you who think there is a mountain of money stashed away will be disappointed if you think the government just goes there and scoops up some cash to send to you....As a matter of fact this "trust" fund is unfunded by hundreds of billions...The ONLY thing that is between you and living in the street is "the full faith and credit of the U.S.A. LET ME BREAK IT TO YOU SLOWLY......that "faith" ain't carrying the water like it used to. Start balancing the budget...then you can breathe again...otherwise the picture is not rosy.

Yhey're also prosposing to raise the age of social security t 67.

If we got money for government pensions we got money for social security

If Obama says, "There is no problem.," You can bet there is big problem.

Our Presedent is a Harvard Grad and say's Social Security is not brokeand it is fine.........three days ago the media stated that Socal Security is PAYING OUT MORE THAN IT IS TAKING IN. Junior High Accounting 101, if you are takeing in less than you are taking in that means bad news.

Paying back the trust fund that the government has borrowed would go a long ways to make Social Security sustainable. Not millions, but trillions were borrowed over the years. I have paid in for 45 years and fully expect to receive my benefits as they are owed to me. I agree with one of the comments. People who reach a certain age are no longer able to work at the pace of younger workers and a lot of them start failing in health. What if you are a construction worker etc? Want to work until you are 70? People just start to wear out when they get old.

The problem is over half take it early at 62. The "early" age should have gone from 62 to 64 when the "full"age went from 65 to 67. The real problem is the disability pprogram takes much money and was never intended to be a Social Security program.. If the disability program was removed from Social Security there would be plenty of money

Congress has used Social Security as a slush fund for years and now the piggy bank is stuffed full of IOUs. Isn't funny that none of those Congressmen that spent the money will be using Social Security for themselves? Apparently it isn't good enough for them.