Also the Republicans were in office and racked up this debt. Bush could have lowered the debt but he chose instead to be a cowboy and go to WAR. Now with a Democratic president, the Republicans now want to do what they should have done over 8 years ago.

Now, I’m not the most politically astute person but I know enough to realize when President and the Obama’s are being set up to fail. I do know that the first American with African roots, whose election clearly has inspired debates around the world as people gain confidence in their ability to make change, is being setup to fail.

The Wisconsin debate is about busting the hard won union benefits of government workers, in order to get their hands on the coffers used to pay these workers what’s called entitlements such as Social Security and health benefits, which are the attractive aspects to a government job. Just imagine if their were no collective bargaining for public employees the government would have laid off and destroyed lives of thousands of people. People are afraid that more jobs will be cut now that we are in such historical debt.

Politicians are looking and licking their lips at trying to figure out how to tap SS to help with paying some of the US debt. I have a few suggestions:

Social Security is negotiable only if the government removes the mandatory tax on my pay check and I am allowed to save my money and NOT be taxed any extra for keeping it until I retire. At that time the tax on my retirement fund would be 1% or less forever. I am NOT willing to be forced to retire at 70 or 72 before I can be given the money that I have contributed.

Now, the only tinkering I think should occur is this:

Perhaps retirees at age 66 born between 1943 and 1954 can elect to take a lump sum at retirement of 10 to 15% of what they have contributed and then pay one more final tax of say 2% or less (a give back to government for purposes of helping pay down the debt). Most people don’t live past 92 years old. So now the government can use the money calculated to be left behind because most of the money due the retiree has been withdrawn. This results in more of that money being inserted back into the economy faster because the retiree will undoubtedly spend it on health, food, clothing, transportation, entertainment or education. If the retiree lives past 90 then they will get monthly checks as usual until their death or their allotted percentage of funds runs out.

Tip: http://www.socialsecurity.gov or call SS office at 1-800-772-1213. Plan early and live well.