43 Comments
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William Porter's avatar

I already knew that. You already knew that. Many of your readers probably knew that, too. The question is: How can we hog-tie a sufficient passel of politicians in Washington DC to change the tax law so that Elon Musk pays the same percentage of his income into Social Security that Joe and Jane Sixpack pay.

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Gordon Kruse's avatar

I love the idea of making the billionaires pay into SSI, but don't forget we have the best politicians money can buy in this country. Taxing Elon Must is not bloody likely.

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RANDALL BLANCHARD's avatar

Far be it from me, to stick-up for The Billionaires, but maximum benefits, are capped, aren't they ?

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William Porter's avatar

Yes, maximum benefits for Social Security are capped. But "The Billionaires" also have pension and investment income, so their Social Security benefits when paid will also be taxed as income. So removing the cap on payments would just generate more income to be taxed, an that tax has no loophole! I sincerely doubt that the tax weasels who advise "The Billionaires" would encourage their clients to remove the cap on benefit payments .

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Runfastandwin's avatar

I'm 66, I've been hearing my entire life that Social Security would go broke in about 15 years. It hasn't and it's not going to happen. It ought to be a crime what the right wing does to scare people about it.

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Don A in Pennsultucky's avatar

But if you make the people with more money pay more taxes, that's [GASP!] socialism!

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Dorothy Knudson's avatar

Why does the idea of lifting the cap meet with such resistance?

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edith fusillo's avatar

Elon Musk, Jeff Besos, and so many others. Please note that billionaire Warren Buffet is completely willing to pay his share.

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Gordon Hoffman's avatar

Maybe Elon and Jeff were bullied in school, and now they have no allegiance to our country.

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Gordon Kruse's avatar

We have the best politicians money can buy.

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Deborah's avatar

Actually the worst politicians for us that money can buy. They are not looking out for us "little people"; they are only looking out for their big-money campaign contributors.

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edith fusillo's avatar

And STOP calling Social Security and Medicare "entitlements," by which the right wing means something we haven't earned. I have paid into SS since I was 16 years old. And for much of my adult working life I have paid a "medical" tax on every paycheck. Add to that that (I was born in 1942) when I retired I didn't get full benefits until 66 and 10 months, and the age has steadily risen for those younger than I. GET OVER IT, GOP.

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R. Pikser's avatar

ALSO, they could stop putting the Social Security taxes into the general funds, and leave them in a dedicated account.

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Tom Lux's avatar

Scrap the Cap!

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James Kelly's avatar

Why do I pay income tax on my pension, social security as earned income, even though I worked for both during the best fifty years of my life? Property tax is another problem. Who owns my property, gov didn't help with the mortgage.

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Bo Bowley's avatar

A question with complete applicability, for which you’ll never get a substantive answer.

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edith fusillo's avatar

AND it was St. Reagan who initiated income tax on SS, which we already paid for, damn it.

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Linda Leee E E's avatar

I have been hearing that Social Security would be stolen from us my whole adult life, so l didn't base my job choices on being able to get it in my old age as l didn't think that there would be anything left for me by then. Thanks to my late husband's benefits l have a comfortable income. Social Security has been one of the most helpful and successful programs, why can't we focus our government policies based on programs that work for a good life, supporting US citizens instead of the unbridled corporate greed?

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Catherine O'Connor's avatar

Thanks again Jim! As always you are the absolute best! Thanks for wording things in a simple clear way that I can then share with friends who don't pay so much attention, are slightly conservative leaning, & need to know this.

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clinton & susanne hollister's avatar

We love socialism. It is NOT the same as communism, and far better than fascism. "Socialist" governments do exactly what Jim is talking about: making everyone pay their fair share. Those countries are thriving economically. So what's holding us back? Right wing propaganda, outright lies, and ignorance of the governed. Let's face it: the Democrats, while far from perfect, are the only real choice we have. The GOP has never been "For the People". All together now: throw the bums out!

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Patrick H Neff's avatar

I like this but the democrats have betrayed the workers also.

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Jean(Muriel)'s avatar

That we even put up with this ! What are we? Pathetic ?????????

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John  J. Yurosko's avatar

No, not pathetic, it’s because ne don’t see the forest for the trees!

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Tom Lux's avatar

Scrap the Cap!

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richard gray's avatar

Everybody pay, all the way! One Dollar, or 100 Million. It will solve the problem. Do it! dickg

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Paul thomas's avatar

These are the same right wingnuts that call social security an entitlement. And so do I, I paid for it I am entitled to it. The filthy rich got their filth by using American resources. Bezos makes almost 8 million an hour using American roads to deliver his packages. Roads ,bridges, police, fire, FAA for spacex flights they use more than they pay for.trump has said he won't cut social security but he stopped the payroll taxes that fund it during the pandemic wich will bankrupt social security and that is what trump is good at. There are a lot of brave patriots that will fight and die for America but few people who benefit the most will help pay to keep America going. It's time to pay that deficit down, I have been debt free because I paid extra and cut expenses, we need a wealth tax without Pelosi telling us about a new program the rich will pay for .

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