Politics

[Tundra Tiger]

There are incredibly stupid people everywhere... the military and government doesn't have a monopoly.. I'd argue that both have a larger percentage of half way intelligent people than many industries.. they both at least test for intelligence to one degree or another depending on the job applied for..

Been to a shopping mall lately? or bought a coffee? or talked to people in your local bank branch? We even get truly stupid people to stop in on AH on occasion..

Ive interfaced with stupid people at of those places just this week... and its only Thursday.. Im sure I'll add more to the pile before the weekend is over..

I try to maintain perspective. For all the stupid people crossing various paths with me each and every day, I am likely a stupid person, in some way, crossing someone else's path.

 

[Hunt anything]

I try to maintain perspective. For all the stupid people crossing various paths with me each and every day, I am likely a stupid person, in some way, crossing someone else's path.

Never!!! We’re all brilliant on AH!

 

[gbflyer]

Well at least old Trump gave some sort of explanation. Instead of talking in circles like everyone else. Now some reporters ask some government people if the air controller was doing a job that required two people. Guess what no answer. Now having work for the government that does not surprise me one bit. They actually make rules for private industry that they don't follow themselves.

That was an awful news conference in my opinion. He might try to perhaps acknowledge that not everyone other than he and his boot licking designees are idiots, and there are some good people in government. I was trying to watch the confirmations when interrupted, which are more important than giving the Donald air time not wasting a tragedy. It was so bad that I switched to Rachel Maddow for about :20 seconds until my stomach became upset.

Edited to say that I thought Tulsi and Kash did great, at least what I saw.

 

[WAB]

][emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]][emoji6]" data-quote="deewayne[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]" data-source="post: 0" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

LOL, You'll at least get to collect SS before it goes tits up

I honestly didn’t think I would, and planned accordingly. However, the bastards took my money all those years, I’ll take back what I can.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Once again Collins shows how really ugly she can be. Freaking tyrant.

 

[YancyW]

Once again Collins shows how really ugly she can be. Freaking tyrant.

The replacement is going to be a hell of a lot worse, if you are looking Republican votes.

 

[YancyW]

FWIW I at a much earlier time in my career I worked for a former Deputy SECDEF... about half the people that worked for me were former Army CID guys that were assigned to the pentagons PSU that covered "the big 10" (SECDEEF, Dep SECDEF, Chairman, Joint Chiefs, SECARMY, SECNAVY, SECAF)... Between the lot of us we spent quite a bit of time in, around, and on those birds..

Depending on your timeframe, its very possible we know or knew quite a few of the same people..


As a matter of validation... One of the guys in this pic is a much younger mdwest... (hint.. I'm not the famous guy / former Dep SECDEF in the middle )... at the G20 in China in 2005... 100+ or more AH members have met me in person at different times and can validate the ugliest guy in that photo is indeed mdwest.. only younger, fitter, and with a lot more hair lol

View attachment 661999

the younger fitter version of me is also partially viewed with same folks in Liberia about a year later..

View attachment 662000

You the guy in the blue hat? You look kinda pissed at your photo being taken...

 

[lwaters]

Them air traffic controllers must be like the post office. Lets hire more managers so we can actually get rid of someone that actually works. They probably got more managers than actual air controllers and half of them are tdy.

 

[mdwest]

My favorite political quote of the day….

“You’ve got two minutes”

 

[YancyW]

Oh, Gabbard is in serious trouble. She is short votes as of right now. Cornyn coming out as a yes helped, but still short.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Tulsi Gabbard questioned about Edward Snowden, surveillance law in confirmation hearing to be DNI

President Trump's pick to lead the intelligence community is one of the most vulnerable nominees.

www.cbsnews.com

One must keep in mind the caliber of the person asking the questions and exactly where their loyalties lie…….

 

[YancyW]

Tulsi Gabbard questioned about Edward Snowden, surveillance law in confirmation hearing to be DNI

President Trump's pick to lead the intelligence community is one of the most vulnerable nominees.

www.cbsnews.com

One must keep in mind the caliber of the person asking the questions and exactly where their loyalties lie…….

I have asked the same Snowden question more times than I can remember when interviewing job applicants. I would just say: Snowden, traitor or patriot? Then just shut up and watch. I hired many people who answered it both ways, I wasn't much worried about the answer, it was how they handled the question.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I could be wrong, but:

1. I was taught that Social Security was created by the government as a result of the Great Depression and due to Americans inability to properly save money for their retirement years. Let alone for unforseen medical, natural, etc. disasters.

2. Low wage earners working 2 and 3 jobs trying to support a family often don't know how or have the opportunity to invest their money due to what little money they do earn is in their opinion better spent on life's, thier family's, necessities.

 

[Mekaniks]

I could be wrong, but:

1. I was taught that Social Security was created by the government as a result of the Great Depression and due to Americans inability to properly save money for their retirement years. Let alone for unforseen medical, natural, etc. disasters.

2. Low wage earners working 2 and 3 jobs trying to support a family often don't know how or have the opportunity to invest their money due to what little money they do earn is in their opinion better spent on life's, thier family's, necessities.

I have a question or two...

IF the SS Tax were to go away.... (the tax is currently 12.4% of an employee's earnings. 6.2 % is paid by the employer and 6.2% paid by the employee)
How many employees would be able to keep the entire 12.4%???
And how many do you think would actually save it for retirement???

 

[Woodcarver]

I have a question or two...

IF the SS Tax were to go away.... (the tax is currently 12.4% of an employee's earnings. 6.2 % is paid by the employer and 6.2% paid by the employee)
How many employees would be able to keep the entire 12.4%???
And how many do you think would actually save it for retirement???

My suggestion would be to allow the employee to direct the investment, like most 401s allow, in a personally held account, not the pool labeled General Fund that is the government. Keep the mandated withholding, at a lower percentage, just don't let Congress have the ability to "borrow" it. Thus the lower percentage rate, maybe 9-10% combined, would be more than sufficient.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have a question or two...

IF the SS Tax were to go away.... (the tax is currently 12.4% of an employee's earnings. 6.2 % is paid by the employer and 6.2% paid by the employee)
How many employees would be able to keep the entire 12.4%???
And how many do you think would actually save it for retirement???

Depending on the number of employees an employer has, I would doubt many employers would be willing to give their employees a 6.2% pay increase when the employer can add that 6.2% to their own profit line.

At $400.00 /week that would be an additional $24.80 /week, $49.60/2 weeks.

A single mom barely making ends meet, that $49.60 means a new winter jacket or other clothing, paying the electric bill, more food on the table. Not likely this wage bracket will invest for retirement.

An employee making $1000.00/ week that would be an additional $62.00/ week, $124.00/2 weeks. This employee is less likely struggling to make ends meet and would be more apt to invest in their retirement.

 

[Mekaniks]

My suggestion would be to allow the employee to direct the investment, like most 401s allow, in a personally held account, not the pool labeled General Fund that is the government. Keep the mandated withholding, at a lower percentage, just don't let Congress have the ability to "borrow" it. Thus the lower percentage rate, maybe 9-10% combined, would be more than sufficient.

Yes I agree that (or something similar) could work.

One concern I would have is the difference between the defined benefit plan (SS) that pays as long as you are alive, and the defined contribution plan (401K) that pays until your personal fund is used up, regardless if your still alive and to old to work....

I believe a hybrid of the two plan types might be a good solution....

I did a little googling of life expectancy assumptions and the correlation to lifetime SS benefits. According to the SSA, the average persons collects SS for just under 20 years...or less than 240 months...

 

[Altitude sickness]

I have asked the same Snowden question more times than I can remember when interviewing job applicants. I would just say: Snowden, traitor or patriot? Then just shut up and watch. I hired many people who answered it both ways, I wasn't much worried about the answer, it was how they handled the question.

The Snowden conundrum is just that. He betrayed his clearance by telling the US public that the NSA was monitoring/spying on huge swaths of our citizens. Not only those talking to bad actors outside the US as we were told.

So in the future when the potential technology he had exposed is ancient news. And personal freedom is almost gone. Due to AI abilities, cameras everywhere, digital currency. And governments viewing citizens as subjects and criminals.

He will definitely be viewed differently. When it’s obvious the only group really harmed by him were the people calling him a traitor.

The flip side is. The public needs to be able to trust that its government and military has their best interests in mind. That we don’t need to know everything they do on our behalf. And how. We give our trust. And if too many Snowden’s are leaking our programs to foreign enemies the public loses trust.

It’s the same serious issue with the public losing trust in the justice system. If that slippery grip is lost. We live in anarchy and chose which rules to follow.

Then we are all called politicians

 

[Russ16]

My suggestion would be to allow the employee to direct the investment, like most 401s allow, in a personally held account, not the pool labeled General Fund that is the government. Keep the mandated withholding, at a lower percentage, just don't let Congress have the ability to "borrow" it. Thus the lower percentage rate, maybe 9-10% combined, would be more than sufficient.

The reason that doesn’t work is your lineman what you get back. Your money lates the cute t recipients and when you start receiving it comes from future payers. If they started letting current payers invest their money the current recipients would be have to be paid from a different source. Thats the fundamental problem in figuring out reform. And also the reason Congress won’t let it go away politically.

 

[spike.t]