The French Connection
 

Short, accurate, and to the point.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-03-20-paris-edit_x.htm

Linky no worky.

Link fixed. Sometimes links to Yahoo News get majorly hosed.

Nah, I still feel smug and superior.

I'm 27.

If the federal government told me that I could forfeit all that I have paid into Social Security as of today and never have to pay into it again starting tomorrow, I'd be all for it.

Ditto and I'm 34.

Social Security is nothing more than a thinly-veiled income tax.

Another good, on-topic link...

Old age is changing. So should Social Security.
http://www.slate.com/id/2138210/

32 and will also forfeit prior contributions.

I also meant to say that I would also forfeit any future benefits...

Work till 62 with few savings, live to 90 and spend 28 years on welfare.

Grim reality for those of us paying for it.

Absolutely.

I repeat my comment from another thread.

We might be seeing the last generation that can both own a single home and retire.

I'm in too, and I'm 38.

So...sounds like people would like to "opt-out" of Social Security.

This would help reduce the burden on the system, as people like myself would give up the right to benefits.

It will never fly.

People like me are actively preparing for retirement and not counting on a dime from Social Security to begin with. I am just the kind of person Social Security needs to shift its burden to to stay afloat. People who would choose to "opt-in" are probably the least prepared for retirement. That would shift the burden to the least prepared members of society while the well-prepared flee the system.

The ideal solution, from Social Security's perspective, is to make someone like me continue to pay into the system, and get me to forfeit benefits. Then it can become the wealth-redistribution system it has always wanted to become...

Oh, make no mistake I AM totally unprepared for retirement. I have pretty much nothing set aside and I still don't want to be in the SSI system. Keep what I've given you and set me free.

If any of us came up with a system that mimic'd SS, we'd get a 1st-class ticket to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

You guys forget that even if you do paid into the system, by 65 (or 70) you very well might have made too much money to collect any of what you contributed.

I agree - the only ones who would "opt in" are so far down the pay scale in terms of cost of living, they'll probably be bankrupt by their mid-forties.

48. Count me in. Just stop the bleeding.

48 as well...blow the whole thing up, including my, "contributions".