harry:

Are you aware that the amount you pay into Medicare and Social Security are matched by your employer? That is a 7.65% bonus that is paid on every employee. Social Security was designed to be an "aid" to retirement, never as the sole source of retirement benefits and/or disability payments. The system as currently implemented is unable to sustain itself. But who in government has the courage to stand up and say so? And what amazes me the most is that government employees have their own retirement system completely separate from social security, to make sure their benefits will be available.

Do you realize that employees pay nothing into the unemployment fund? Again paid entirely by the employer. And you are correct, the employer is not entitled to those benefits, but the fees are paid on those wages anyway. So if the business fails, the employees are entitled to benefits, but the person that risked and lost everything in a business is not eligible. What a deal!!!!

You made a the statement of "I'll have a pension in a few years." If I am reading that correctly, what you want is a funded pension provided by your employer. What happened to everyone being responsible for their own actions? I started planning for my retirement at age 30. If I want to live out my years not worrying about being in poverty, then I have to take that responsibility, not cry "poor me" when I turn 65. If I have read your comment incorrectly, then I apologize in advance.

Medical benefits? Again, most if not all, paid by the employer. And as those costs go through the roof, that money has to come from somewhere. Usually, it is out of the profits of the owner of the company, because he values the work provided by his employees, and does not want to lose them.

All I am saying here is that it is not all wine and roses being a small business owner. My wife and I work more hours per week than any of our employees, and have assumed all the risk. Think about it this way: If you lose your job, you get to collect unemployment benefits while you look for another, or train for a new job. If I lose my job, I am bankrupt, and have to start over with nothing, and no benefits to sustain me.

So yes, I get a bit tired of hearing "I deserve, I deserve", and "this is my right".......

 

Actually I pay for all of my pension, my medical benefits, and my annunity. It comes to roughly $13.00 an hour, which would be in my check if the employer was paying it. I expect nothing from my employer other than a fair days pay for a fair days work. I don't know how it works where you are, but I also pay into unemployment and disability. You may take the risk, but you reap 90% of the benefits. I realize there are small businesses that can't do it, but there are many who can but wont. I've worked union , non union and for myself. But I've always had the same convictions. I think people always start out with good intentions until the greed factor takes over. I know that Ben and Jerrys Ice Cream started out rather humbly. They had a rule that they would never pay themselves more than 10 times the pay of their lowest paid employee. Needless to say if they wanted a raise, they had to raise the lowest employees pay. Of course they sold out to a major conglomerate. Do you think their rule still holds? You never answered my question. Are you going to collect your Social Security? How about Danwell and Cyril, are you going to collect your SS? And as for you being bankrupt and destitute if your business fails, give me a break. When I was in high school, I worked for a guy who had bi annual "going out of business sales" "lost our lease sales" etc. All the while living a very extravagant lifestyle. I'm sure you have your *** covered. And as for collecting unemployment, that isn't necessarily true. In recent times it has become increasingly difficult to meet the requirements to collect. Construction is very cyclical. Sometimes work dries up and it's difficult to get the time necessary to be eligible to qualify. Prior to Christie Whitman taking office, you had to have 17 weeks to qualify. Post Whitman it's now 36 weeks. You may want to call and congratulate her. And who made the comment about Reagan leaving a robust economy for Clinton? You must be as senile as Ronnie was. Can you say "VOODOO Economics"?When Bush 1 was dumped, it was to the tune of "it's the economy stupid"

 

harry:

In Ohio, unemployment and disability are paid 100% by the employer. And if all you expect is a fair wage for your effort, then good for you. I would attribute that to the fact that you have been self employed at some point in your life, and understand what it is like to be on the other side of the employer/employee relationship.

Your statement about reaping 90% of the benefits is a bit curious. If it is my business, and I pay "a fair days pay for a fair days work", then who else should reap those benefits? Should I give all profit to the government, who can better disburse that money amongst the people they feel deserve it? That system was tried, and it failed miserably. Capitalism works. Communism doesn't.

To answer your specific question: I have paid into the social security system all my life. I do not expect it to be available when I am ready to retire, which is in about 11 more years at age 62. I truly believe that the system will have major problems and that benefits will have to be reduced, to keep the progam solvent. However, if it is available, why should I just walk away from my own money? Again, for the benefit of those that did not plan for their own futures? I think not. The fact that the system was forced upon us does not mean that I am not entitled to my own money. My wife and I have paid well over $75K into that fund, before matching contributtions from the business, which is actually our money as well. Why does the fact that I have been able to make my business successful mean I should leave behind what is mine? That is a VERY liberal view, and why I am not a liberal...

And just for the record, I make just over five times that of our lowest paid employee......

 

All self employed people pay 100% of their own S.S.and if they're smart pay for their own retirement.And health insurance.and if they make more than a union worker it's because they either paid their employees well and they were all successful.If their employees didn't do a good job they either were fired or the company slowly went down the drain and out of biz. END of STORY!

 

I think we're going in different directions. I definately think you should collect your SS. I was merely using it as an example of a government program for which the conservatives seem to have so much contempt. And about the 90 %, I was trying to say that you are well compensated for your extra time and responsibility. I didn't suggest you should give it to the government. And by the way, you're paying for your fathers SS. Your kids will be paying for yours. It's a pay as you go program. It was set up to be self sustaining. It's been gutted over the years for other things we'll probably never know about. Have you ever been to the Franklin Institute? It's a very nice museum and science center in Philly. It was bequeathed to the city by Benjamin Franklin. He left $100,000 in trust upon his death. The trust is strictly controlled as per Franklins wishes. Every 20 years, they take half the trusts monies for expenses and improvements. Last time I saw a statement, they had $100,000,000 He also started the insurance industry. Of course his idea was"Mutual Benefit" non-profit. Worse thing they ever did was letting insurance go public. Maybe we should dig him up and clone him!BTW I was self employed for a while. Being as I had knowledge of construction, I went in that direction. Unfortunately, I tried to do top quality work for good prices, and paid my employees (there were only three) the same as myself. I was never home, always tired, and didn't have a vacation for 6 years. I didn't make much more than if I was working for someone else. I didn't have the heart to change the setup, so I sold my equipment to my "Partners".

 

Dan you've got to be kidding. Don't you think thats a little general? Everybody pays good or they fail. Smoking your socks again? I know of a guy who cleans parking lots. He is very successful and has contracts in 2 states at major venues. He hires from an urban employment center strictly per diem. These are 99% minorities. He pays minium wage. He told me he always asks for 50 more people than he needs and fires the last 50 to show up. He says that puts the "fear of god in to the rest of them" He's doing VERY well. Have you ever been to Atlantic City? If you go behind the scenes, you will find a very poorly paid staff (most of whom don't speak english) cooking and cleaning. The idea is BALANCE. Things tend to go one way or the other. It seems very hard to keep the ship of state in the channel. Pardon the cliche. I don't know about Kerry, he's hard to read. I liked Clinton. Good Moderate Democrat. I don't care who he was diddling as long as he was attending to affairs of state. I think Gore may have done well too.

 

And now you're a DEMO?Clinton did zero except for himself.Gore sells cigs.Anyone that needs a parking lot job should get an Education.Don't blame the owner for paying for their stupidity.Without min pay jobs there would not be any reason to learn!Don't expect pay for being alive.

 

I've alwys supported the candidate whom I thought mosy worthy. Usually it's a democrat. I would have voted for McCain if he had been nominated. Even though he supports Bush, I don't think he would have picked this cabinet, or gone in the same direction. I'm a little disconcerted that he's stumping for Bush, but I guess he has to keep his hat in the ring.

 

Clinton was an idiot and still is .He proved that all by himself.

 

How so? Details please. Is Bush Smarter?

 

What the hell are you talking about Dan. He doesn't work in a parking lot. He owns a company that cleans them. He only has a high school education, and he's a multi-multi millionaire. You said something about owners paying well to be successful. That isn't necessarily so.

 

you're doing better than Clinton!

 

As to Ben Fanklin - I completely agree!!!

My reasons? He had and used common sense. How do you think he would feel about the size of our government and the amount of tax that it collects from each person? He would be sick to realize that the system he helped to create was in such a mess....

Us paying for our parent's Social Security is a good idea, when there are more people working than collecting. That is not the case today. You can not pay out more in benefits than you take in. It really is that simple. Add to that the aging of our population and the baby boomers just about to start asking where their money is, and Social Security is a disaster about to explode. There are only two solutions. Either cut benefits and/or raise payroll taxes. Both of these are political suicide, so the answer is to do nothing...

One more thing, and I promise to let this die out. Had your business suddenly collapsed, due to a building slowdown, or a big account not paying you for work already done, was "your *** covered"? I'll bet not, and that is the case for most small businessmen and women in this country.

And Dan, sometimes even really good, well run businesses with excellent employees go down the tubes. Sometimes markets suddenly change. I had that happen in my business in 1992, when Bill and Hillary said they were going to "fix" healthcare. Our market collapsed. I had to become a completely different business in a matter of months, not an easy thing to do. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made, and that is why business owners are sometimes seen as cold hearted. The only choice may be - to be a nice guy and have the entire business fail, or to do what has to be done, so that the business can survive to fight another day..... In 1992, we employed 4 people. Today, we employ 10. Now in my opinion, that says it all!

 

Exactly jsisabella. It's the ability to change for changing times that allows businesses to grow and prosper as your's did. Health care needs change. Social Security needs change. Education needs change. Those it affects need to change too. If they're not willing, they falter.Me, I'm going into buggy whips. I think horses and carriages are coming back. I think I need some coffee. I had my *** covered in a way, I never burned any bridges. I had places to go for work. Of course it's easier when you don't have much to maintain in the first place.

 

All I know from experience 30years, is that if you want a hand out vote demo if you want to make your own way vote Repub.And always never trust anyone that's tells you ,you need them.**** happens it's the American way.

 

what it all comes down to for me: who will keep my taxes as low as possible, letting me keep more of my own money??

who wiil do whatever it takes to protect this country, my family and friends??

who will not bow down to the u.n. and other countrys, like france and germany and go ahead and do what is right to protect this country??


I COME UP WITH GEORGE BUSH EVERY TIME...


WHAT HAS MR. KERRY DONE IN 19 YEARS IN THE SENATE?

WHAT HAS MR EDWARDS DONE IN THE SENATE FOR N.C.?
IF YOU LIVE IN N.C., YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NOTHING!!!!

 

His dad said "Read my lips, no new taxes" then passed legislation for the largest tax increase in history.This was necessary after 8 years of Reganomics. That led to his defeat in 92. What do you think will happen in a George Bush lame duck term with a record deficit, and the Iraqi war. A famous quote comes to mind. "Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it." As for protecting your family and friends, what president wouldn't have? As for the comment about bowing down, I won't even touch that one. As for Edwards and NC , What did W do for Texas as Governor. Texas schools were some of the worst in the nation. Then he says he'll be the education president. He can't even spell it. As I said before. It's all Madison Avenue bullshit. There's no quality or substance, just a precieved notion.In other words, they're not selling the steak, they're selling the sizzle. The less cynical among us buy into the bullshit. I'm not real happy with the democrats candidate either, even though I believe in democratic principals. I would have voted for McCain if he had been nominated. A moderate Republican can be as good as a moderate Democrat. I think he's a good man. Even though he supports Bush, I don't think he would have picked this cabinet, or gone in the same direction. I'm a little disconcerted that he's stumping for Bush. But I do realize why he has to do it.

 

JOHN KERRY WILL PROTECT THE COUNTRY, BUT HE WILL ASK THE UN, FRANCE AND GERMANY FOR PERMISSION!

JOHN KERRY IS A JOKE! WHAT RECORD IS HE RUNNING ON???
SURELY NOT HIS SENATE RECORD!

 

Yeah, even if we won't spend money in Iraq we're still gonna be on deficit under Kerry's budget at the same time overtaxed so that the obese lazy SOB's will be given healthcare and social security welfare. Assist, train and challenge people to become enterpreneurs thereby creating jobs and improving the economy. Outsourcing is a positive trend in the market now giving more profit to these big companies so that their stocks go up and then they can expand their business back home resulting in increased jobs.

For the lazy ones...they don't even qualify to become slaves. They're just simply PARASITES.

 

None here, Harry.

Back in the early 1900's the democrats were the party that my father's father voted for. They were different then and seemed like the right party at the time.
Well its much different now. Somehow over the years, the democratic party has been poisened with liberal minds and it just keeps getting worse. I remember when I was a kid and my father was so dissapointed when jimmy carter got in. I didn't really think about politics then, I just remember a friends comment that his father was glad carter was in. His dad was a bum who didn't work much and wanted Uncle Sam to foot the bill.

Here is carter giving away the Panama Canal (so stupid)


carter was bad enough, but then there was clinton. His zipper-gone-rogue was his sideshow, it only got worse from there. http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/facts.htm


Kerry & Edwards are Verry Leftwards
http://johnkerryisdangerousforamerica.blogspot.com