Privatize Social Security? Hell Yeah!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Eliminate social security. Let the people take care of themselves. As Marc would say, time to stop suckin' the government teat.

[Heracles 417]

Tell us more about this "reasonable means tested age pension". Public or private? How much? What are the eligibility criteria? Just curious.

To qualify for the age pension, any resident over 65 who exc the primary home has under $171K USD in assets [$240K USD for couples] and earns under $277 USD a month [$486 USD for couple] in any form of income receives: $1,251 USD per month [$1,885 USD for a couple], on top of a range of other benefits, for example:

• Up to $410 a month in rent assistance
  
• $120 USD a month for utilities and pharmaceuticals.
  
• $5.13 per script - brand name pharmaceuticals
  
• reductions on property and water taxes
  
• reductions on energy bills
  
• a telephone allowance
  
• reduced fares on public transport
  
• reductions on motor vehicle registration
  
• free rail journeys
  

Residence requirements

To qualify as an Australian resident you must be living in Australia as:

* an Australian citizen, or

* the holder of a permanent resident visa, or

* a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia on 26 February 2001, or for 12 months in the 2 years immediately before that date, or was assessed as "protected" before 26 February 2004.

To be paid Age Pension, you also need to meet the 10-year qualifying Australian residence requirements, unless:

* you are claiming under an international social security agreement, or

* you are a refugee or former refugee, or

* you were getting Partner Allowance, Widow Allowance or Widow B Pension immediately before turning Age Pension age, or

* you are a woman whose partner died while you were both Australian residents and you had 2 years residency immediately before claiming Age Pension.

Note: The 10-year Australian resident requirement means you have been an Australian resident for a continuous period of at least 10 years, or for a number of periods which total more than 10 years, with one of the periods being at least 5 years.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Heracles

[^_^ 5,021]

To qualify for the age pension, any resident over 65 who exc the primary home has under $171K USD in assets [$240K USD for couples] and earns under $277 USD a month [$486 USD for couple] in any form of income receives: $1,251 USD per month [$1,885 USD for a couple], on top of a range of other benefits, for example:

• Up to $410 a month in rent assistance
  
• $120 USD a month for utilities and pharmaceuticals.
  
• $5.13 per script - brand name pharmaceuticals
  
• reductions on property and water taxes
  
• reductions on energy bills
  
• a telephone allowance
  
• reduced fares on public transport
  
• reductions on motor vehicle registration
  
• free rail journeys
  

Interesting. So let's say I got my 9% employer match all my career then I started withdrawing at 55 and basically blew it all on expensive Italian hookers. Do I then qualify for government assistance at 65? Or are people who had money at 55 but managed to waste it all disqualified?

[Heracles 417]

Interesting. So let's say I got my 9% employer match all my career then I started withdrawing at 55 and basically blew it all on expensive Italian hookers. Do I then qualify for government assistance at 65? Or are people who had money at 55 but managed to waste it all disqualified?

Anyone who meets the criteria qualifies after 65, 67 for us actually. Most other first world countries now have similar models to Aus.

Naturally this is only feasible when you have zero illegal aliens and responsible immigration. Based on the rhetoric in the US, they should have a huge country of slackers. Yet their unemployment in this economy is 5.1%, with the dollar nearly reaching parity again. They also have a different tax system and structure, to the antiquated one used here.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Heracles

[^_^ 5,021]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

[Danno 1,228]

You've really piqued my curiosity. Could you describe your ideal safety net? Maybe using the fictional example of Mr. Danno who lost his job, has 2 kids in a state college, a sick wife and hasn't so much as been called for an interview in a year. What would the Danno safety net do for Mr. Danno?

Licensing, taxation, environmental protection - damn, you're a regular librul!

If danno hasn't been called for an interview in a year ...and he is still sitting around waiting for one.. it's because danno is still getting groceries from somewhere... Hunger is a great motivator.

It makes us adjust and do things we might otherwise, not feel like doing.

Why would Danno ever settle for market realities concerning his employment if he were skimming by.... off the people who do go to work?

If the Govt has a roll to help people.. it should be a bare-bones operation such as:

Forget the food stamp type programs, offer the hungry no frill food at distribution points.

IN my state a Fam of three gets "help" to the tune of nearly $400 per month.

That's not "help" thats doing it all..... in fact that is more than I spend per month.

People who take from the system should do so with the understanding that it is a debt they are ringing up and they may be required to pay it back... out of tax refunds if needed.

Many people who are one public assistance do move on and become self sustaining, what is wrong with them repaying a small amount each year of what they took when in need?

If the poor are elevated to the place of the middle class, it not only removes the incentive to do better, it also creates what we have today... people with a sense of entitlement.

I'll repeat myself, the Governments roll is not to make -Life fair- but perhaps to make it bearable.

Anything more than that is counter productive and abusive as it so often take from those who do the right things and distributes it to those who don't.

[Peikko 1,575]

Wow, being on welfare is the new middle class? If only I had known that, I wouldn't have bothered getting a job.

I don't see the description of a Danno version of a 'safety net' either, according to this the people who haven't got a job are just not trying hard enough - same old same old.

Every time anyone pays their taxes they are paying a 'little' towards the day they may need some benefits. Now you want the poorest and most disadvantaged in society to pay for it twice, nice Way to keep the workers downtrodden

Edited September 24, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Danno 1,228]

Wow, being on welfare is the new middle class? If only I had known that, I wouldn't have bothered getting a job.

I don't see the description of a Danno version of a 'safety net' either, according to this the people who haven't got a job are just not trying hard enough - same old same old.

Every time anyone pays their taxes they are paying a 'little' towards the day they may need some benefits. Now you want the poorest and most disadvantaged in society to pay for it twice, nice Way to keep the workers downtrodden

The Lib speak.

Since you mentioned the "Downtrodden".... who is it exactly who is trodding on them?

[Peikko 1,575]

The Lib speak.

Since you mentioned the "Downtrodden".... who is it exactly who is trodding on them?

Since you mentioned Lib, did you burn your bra yet?

[Danno 1,228]

Since you mentioned Lib, did you burn your bra yet?

That was a little before my time.

Now you said these people on welfare are downtrodden, who has trod on them MC?

[Heracles 417]

Canada and Australia Danno have quite generous safety net for people. Strange how they are neither bankrupt or even struggling. In fact, the conservative Australian federal government delivered a surplus for eight straight years prior to this crisis.

[Peikko 1,575]

That was a little before my time.

Now you said these people on welfare are downtrodden, who has trod on them MC?

You mention time, you know time is not a constant? It's relative. Einstein was a superhero!

[^_^ 5,021]

Forget the food stamp type programs, offer the hungry no frill food at distribution points.

That is the only actual description I saw of the Danno safety net. You're basically describing soup kitchens. So is that it?

[Danno 1,228]

Canada and Australia Danno have quite generous safety net for people. Strange how they are neither bankrupt or even struggling. In fact, the conservative Australian federal government delivered a surplus for eight straight years prior to this crisis.

Thats wonderful!

But the reality is, in this country with our people... we don't have a good track record.

The key to having a successful garden is to know what will grow best in your soil.

[Danno 1,228]

That is the only actual description I saw of the Danno safety net. You're basically describing soup kitchens. So is that it?

You described a man who sat on his azz for a year..... he is lucky to get Mac-N-Cheese.

We don't all get to work in our "chosen field".... if there are no openings.