OT: USA 2024 Elections Thread Part # 2 (November 5th is Election Day!)

[DOT]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

We should be increasing social safety nets, not decreasing them.

[Capn'O]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

[spree8]

Spoiler:

So for the online economic experts out here, how exactly do we get out of 35 trillion in debt?

As an actual economist, the short answer is we don't because it doesn't matter as long as we can if need be.

I know that doesn't make much sense but think about it like a mortgage. If you borrow $1,000,000 to buy a house worth $1,250,000 the bank uses the difference as equity knowing they can seize the house if you don't pay. That's what makes your debt worth something.

Likewise with a government (local, state, or federal), the debt that is issued theough bonds have value because investors trust that they will be paid off eventually. So just as with a home purchase, the important thing to maintain is value. Basically as long as the economy is growing faster than the debt is growing (i.e. the deficit) there are never going to be problems with holding that debt. And even if the debt does top gdp, that still does not automatically signal a problem to investors.

Now as to the question of how can it be paid off? Quite simple on paper but impossible legislatively:
1. Raise taxes by adding in additional brackets. Individual states that have added additional brackets have been able to reduce deficit spending.
2. Cut big ticket discretionary budget items. For example, the military budget is half of all discretionary spending in the US. In most NATO countries it's less than 2% of GDP. In the US it's roughly double that.
3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I could get on board with that. What about Kamala’s price controls? Could that help or backfire? Also, what about Trump wanting to drill? Would that help economically?(despite being bad/risky environmentally)

[DOT]

I think retirement age should be 60 at the latest

A society which requires people to work until death is a failed state.

[Stannis]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

Call me soft, but I'd seriously quit life if SS is upped to 75 years old.

If they are actually considering raising the age, then they need to seriously consider lowering the days and total time in a work week. The standard 40hrs / 5 days is archaic given the advancements in technology and AI.

[Capn'O]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

Call me soft, but I'd seriously quit life if SS is upped to 75 years old.

If they are actually considering raising the age, then they need to seriously consider lowering the days and total time in a work week. The standard 40hrs / 5 days is archaic given the advancements in technology and AI.

Spend out your savings first, bro! But, yeah... it'd be a huge blow to a majority of Americans.

[HarthorneWingo]

Are you out of your mind? You don’t think Biden, Schumer, and that subhuman Blinken aren’t working with Netanyahu? Have you been paying attention to what’s been going on the past year?

Anyone who supports Israel is a fcking sociopath. Sorry, not sorry.

Not a genocide though. Biden + Kamala have no choice. It's complicated. Trump might be worse. Kamala is not allowed to use her voice. She's only a VP.



USA is undermining the UN on Israel's behalf. This is a VERY dangerous game, especially considering the UN created Israel.

UN body says “entire population” of northern Gaza is “at risk of dying”
From CNN's Karem Khadder and Vasco Cotovio

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the “entire population of north Gaza is at risk of dying,” as Israel continues intense military operations in the area.

“Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed. Tens of thousands have been forced to flee yet again,” acting Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya said in a statement. “Hospitals have been hit and health workers have been detained. Shelters have been emptied and burned down. First responders have been prevented from saving people from under the rubble. Families have been separated and men and boys are being taken away by the truckload.”

Msuya went on to say that “what Israeli forces are doing in besieged north Gaza cannot be allowed to continue.”

“Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop,” she added.

Biden’s a war criminal. The ICC/ICJ will eventually bring charges against him and Blinken. You just can’t separate them from Netanyahu.

[spree8]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

Call me soft, but I'd seriously quit life if SS is upped to 75 years old.

If they are actually considering raising the age, then they need to seriously consider lowering the days and total time in a work week. The standard 40hrs / 5 days is archaic given the advancements in technology and AI.

Wonder if there’ll even be any SS left for us to collect by the time we’re 62…

[St Knick]

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

Call me soft, but I'd seriously quit life if SS is upped to 75 years old.

If they are actually considering raising the age, then they need to seriously consider lowering the days and total time in a work week. The standard 40hrs / 5 days is archaic given the advancements in technology and AI.

Wonder if there’ll even be any SS left for us to collect by the time we’re 62…

22 years to go for me. Been an avid saver since college (thanks Mr Money Mustache and others of similar ilk) and took retirement saving into my own hands. Any SS available to me at that time I view as a bonus. Don't trust the gov't to take care of me. Nonetheless, it's a big problem for our citizens as a whole, as many either dont have the foresight to save, the know how, or simply, the means.

[MrDollarBills]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

No jobs paying a living wage are hiring 70+ year olds.

Increasing the retirement age to 75 is frankly absurd. I can't be the only one here with senior citizen parents.

[MrDollarBills]

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Well, it wasn't ours apparently. We just dropped this morning.

https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff

SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities, including the FBI, were investigating Monday after early morning fires were set in ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and in nearby Vancouver, Washington, where hundreds of ballots were destroyed.

Seems like possible coordinated arson.

[Fat Kat]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

No jobs paying a living wage are hiring 70+ year olds.

Increasing the retirement age to 75 is frankly absurd. I can't be the only one here with senior citizen parents.

How else will the billionaires get their tax break?

[MrDollarBills]

3. Raise the qualifying age for Social Security and Medicare to 75. The average life expectancy of a man when SS was introduced was 59.9. Full benefits kicked in at age 65. It was raised to 67 in 1983 when life expectancy was 74.5. Now it's 79.3. That's a lot of payout years on average!

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

Call me soft, but I'd seriously quit life if SS is upped to 75 years old.

If they are actually considering raising the age, then they need to seriously consider lowering the days and total time in a work week. The standard 40hrs / 5 days is archaic given the advancements in technology and AI.

You're not being soft, you're being rational. Expecting people to work 40 hours a week in their 70s is insanity.

Instead of putting the onus on working Americans who have been paying their fair share their entire adult lives, maybe we need to review the fact that people making above a certain tax threshold aren't paying theirs and work on fixing that.

[MrDollarBills]

I understand the narrowness of the question you were answering (eliminating debt) but is a policy you would advocate for? An until 75 workforce seems to me undesirable for a variety of social and economic reasons. Very few jobs are meant to be worked in forever and frankly working right up until death is... grim.

No jobs paying a living wage are hiring 70+ year olds.

Increasing the retirement age to 75 is frankly absurd. I can't be the only one here with senior citizen parents.

How else will the billionaires get their tax break?

Right, because as a country full of temporarily embarrassed millionaires, we need to ensure that the billionaire class is protected from government overreach.

[Stannis]

Just using basic bro-science, if citizens are expected to work +40 hr weeks in their 70s, I'd expect the life expectancy to go back down. This means less time for sleep and doctor appointments. And overall, general well-being and stress would be worse with the extra work late in life. All this will take a toll on senior citizens.

Also, there's the driving/commutes. We are putting a lot of senior citizens (and many others) at risk forcing them to drive this much at their age.

This just seems like a disastrous policy to fix debt. Better off not paying it lol.

[Stannis]

Read on Twitter

USA is also calling on Georgia to redo their elections.

Things are escalating all over the world.

The only good thing I can say that happened is apparently China and India put their border dispute to rest. But things ain't looking too good in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

[St Knick]

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Search for "Rogan Trump" on google, and tell me if you can find the interview easily.
How is that not the first result with those 2 simple terms, given the unreal views it got?
Instead, I get a bunch of videos, with orders of magnitude less view, from MSM-created takes on the interview itself.
More election interference from the compromised tech behemoths.
Why bury/hide this result? Democrats can't let people speak and let peopel come to there own conclusions?
Countless cases like this of big tech companies skewing search results to help steer there own narrative.

[Fat Kat]

Read on Twitter

[Fury]

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Search for "Rogan Trump" on google, and tell me if you can find the interview easily.
How is that not the first result with those 2 simple terms, given the unreal views it got?
Instead, I get a bunch of videos, with orders of magnitude less view, from MSM-created takes on the interview itself.
More election interference from the compromised tech behemoths.
Why bury/hide this result? Democrats can't let people speak and let peopel come to there own conclusions?
Countless cases like this of big tech companies skewing search results to help steer there own narrative.

This is like the 3rd time. Do you not know the difference between there, their and they’re?

[Pointgod]

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Search for "Rogan Trump" on google, and tell me if you can find the interview easily.
How is that not the first result with those 2 simple terms, given the unreal views it got?
Instead, I get a bunch of videos, with orders of magnitude less view, from MSM-created takes on the interview itself.
More election interference from the compromised tech behemoths.
Why bury/hide this result? Democrats can't let people speak and let peopel come to there own conclusions?
Countless cases like this of big tech companies skewing search results to help steer there own narrative.

How does it feel to be this gullible?

Read on Twitter