What Happens to Privatization of Social Security Idea if Mandate is Struck Down by SCOTUS?

[mawilson 2,133]

requiring you to do business with fidelity or vanguard as a condition of citizenship?

I'm sure they'll have an option for stupid people to let the government remain in charge of their money.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I'm sure they'll have an option for stupid people to let the government remain in charge of their money.

So you think forced commerce is OK for SS?

[mawilson 2,133]

So you think forced commerce is OK for SS?

Sure, if the Republicans do it. If Obama does it, then no.

[Mike X Man 37]

Sure, if the Republicans do it. If Obama does it, then no.

Precisely.

BTW...I would love for SS to be found unconstitutional.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Sure, if the Republicans do it. If Obama does it, then no.

If SCOTUS rules forced commerce is unconstitutional then neither party can do it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Otherwise, the mandatory aspect of participation would be not be any different than what it is today - instead of giving our Social Security tax checks to the government, we'd be depositing it into *our own* retirement accounts, similar to 401(k). The government would not be able to raid our accounts to mask the deficit or use the money to fight wars overseas.

Don't know about you but my 401(k) is entirely voluntary. Once the government would make me contribute, we'd have the same situation that we have before the court today. If the court strikes the individual mandate, SS privatization cannot be done.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Don't know about you but my 401(k) is entirely voluntary. Once the government would make me contribute, we'd have the same situation that we have before the court today. If the court strikes the individual mandate, SS privatization cannot be done.

I am good with that. You? Just keep it how it is, yes? Or maybe just eliminate the forced participation in SS altogether and make it all voluntary and private.

Obamacare is going down in flames because it was a poorly crafted law that almost none of its supporters have ever read or understand, had nothing to do with healthcare, had no alternative funding source. It was written to please a number of people politically and not to meet the needs of citizens of this country. Good riddance.

The future, possible, privatization of pensions and retirement will have no part in the decision about Obamacare. The decision to strike down the mandate may or may not be a precedent for future privatization legislation and something to consider when the law is written, just as the constitution would have been something to consider when Obamacare was written. An alternative funding source, a tax of some sort, should have been included in Obamacare in case the mandate was discarded and specifically worded as such, as are many other bills. This is not rocket science, no one was inventing the wheel here. Funding legislation is nothing new and often an alternative source is provided just for this sort of thing.

To argue that a ruling today MAY have some affect on future laws is silly. YES it may. So what?

[james&olya 1,121]

Yes.

Obamacare is dead. You know that, right?

I'm OK with that. You? Obamacare is dead.

Maybe not. Even if the individual mandate is determined unconsitutional (and with that any idea of privatised social security and medicare!) it would actually be very easy to make the rest of Obamacare quite viable and it would be done with a very 'tea-party' kind of idea. All that needs to be done is to remove the rule that requires hospital ER's to provide emergency treatment before ability to pay is determined. If insurance is available and affordable for all there is NO need to require that uber-liberal principle of giving care to all without concern for ability to pay. Make everyone realize that failure to sign up for insurance means needing to come up with thousands and maybe tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash up front to get care in the event of an accident or sudden severe illness. Only the extremely foolish would forego insurance and might even be doing everyone a favor in a Darwin award sort of way!

[luckytxn 2,264]

Maybe not. Even if the individual mandate is determined unconsitutional (and with that any idea of privatised social security and medicare!) it would actually be very easy to make the rest of Obamacare quite viable and it would be done with a very 'tea-party' kind of idea. All that needs to be done is to remove the rule that requires hospital ER's to provide emergency treatment before ability to pay is determined. If insurance is available and affordable for all there is NO need to require that uber-liberal principle of giving care to all without concern for ability to pay. Make everyone realize that failure to sign up for insurance means needing to come up with thousands and maybe tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash up front to get care in the event of an accident or sudden severe illness. Only the extremely foolish would forego insurance and might even be doing everyone a favor in a Darwin award sort of way!

SCOTUS should rule on that the very next day. Oh wait they can't.

[luckytxn 2,264]

[james&olya 1,121]

Obamacare is going down in flames because it was a poorly crafted law that almost none of its supporters have ever read or understand, had nothing to do with healthcare, had no alternative funding source. It was written to please a number of people politically and not to meet the needs of citizens of this country. Good riddance.

Yes, the individual mandate along with this whole concept of universal coverage accomplished through the private insurance market was a very republican sort of idea! It was Obama's mis-guided attempt to compromise with the right in his dream of becoming a 'post-partisan' president! He should have just insisted on 'Medicare for all'. This would have easily passed constitutional muster and may still be the best way forward. It was and is still viewed very favorably by the general public. Even most republicans support it!

The 'people' who this bill was written to please are all corporate types who stood to make enormous fortunes over this legislation!

[luckytxn 2,264]

Yes, the individual mandate along with this whole concept of universal coverage accomplished through the private insurance market was a very republican sort of idea! It was Obama's mis-guided attempt to compromise with the right in his dream of becoming a 'post-partisan' president! He should have just insisted on 'Medicare for all'. This would have easily passed constitutional muster and may still be the best way forward. It was and is still viewed very favorably by the general public. Even most republicans support it!

The 'people' who this bill was written to please are all corporate types who stood to make enormous fortunes over this legislation!

The industry did give a lot of money to the Socialists to get the mandate. Obama made out like a bandit too. Very corrupt.