Reply #36: To explain [View All]

[Yupster]

"Why would I borrow from a new car fund to pay for a vacation?"

Because a family might want to go on a vacation and the most readily cash they have available is in their new car fund drawer. It happens all the time.


"I'm not borrowing anything, the government did."

Yes, in my example the person with the new car fund is the government, not you.


"I deposited my money in their care, as they demanded, and they spent it elsewhere, without my knowledge or consent."

Yes, congress can spend the money that used to be yours on anything it wishes. They require only a vote of the members, and a presidential signature - no consent from individual voters. Without your knowledge? Well that part is your fault because they've been doing this quite openly for more than 20 years now.

"They are the irresponsible ones, not me."

No argument from me here. You're right. However, don't you see that none of this has anything to do with any superfluous nonsense about a lockbox? Whether the congress puts its promise in a lockbox or not makes absolutely no difference. If congress wants to honor its social security obligations come 2017, it will raise the general funds necessary to do it. If they decide not to, they won't. Either way, it has nothing to do with whether the promise is in a lockbox or not. The lockbox was meaningless rhetoric.