[frizz]

Originally Posted by skippz

My friend, your area is much different than mine. I'm 30 years old, I work in the medical field and see day in and day out people much younger than me who draw disability/SSI... They get it much too easily. Now the broken thumb I mentioned was an analogy, but I have seen people be granted disability for broken bones (legs & arms) that have totally healed and present no further debilitation... There's attorneys here who all but guarantee clients will be approved for it... So don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

Of course it happens. But as the general rule, it isn't that easy. I base MY view on knowing three people who work for SS; both of them are sickened by undeserving people who get disability.

They don't much care for clearly deserving people to be denied.

How about, unless you don't want to say where you live, you say which lawyers all but guarantee approval?

[boomhower]

Originally Posted by skippz

Same in my neck of the woods... It's actually sad because there are ppl who are truly disabled, and they have so many hoops to jump thru because of the lazy a**es that collect it undeservingly, all the while doing handyman work off the books for cash.

I agree. My father in law had to fight tooth and nail. He worked in a factory all his life and has a degenerative back disease. He can't work without sever pain. He was denied once and went on for three years. Filled again and after a year on long term disability through his work and fighting the system he finally got disability, and backpay for being wrongfully denied the first time. He worked his whole life, paid into the system, and couldn't get it when he needed it. Now you have these idiots who never paid a nickel into the system living their whole lives off of it.

[AZson]

SS is not an entitlement, we have paid for it.

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/op...tion.html?_r=0

Quote from one of the comments,



That doesn't match what you said.

No arguing with stupidity. Again, how much do you live in Germany? Shall we compare that with how much I live in Germany? But of course you are an "expert".

And how much have you worked in hospitals in Germany? Please name one...

[muscogee]

Originally Posted by DanaT

No arguing with stupidity. Again, how much do you live in Germany? Shall we compare that with how much I live in Germany? But of course you are an "expert".

And how much have you worked in hospitals in Germany? Please name one...

Your claim does not match what the man who lives there said. You're an elitists. You have no idea how the middle class and working class people in the U.S. and Germany live. What's good for you isn't necessarily good for them. How many times have you been admitted to the hospital in the past few years? Probably none.

[Z71bill]

Originally Posted by AZson

SS is not an entitlement, we have paid for it.

The social security administration considers social security an entitlement.

So does congress - they wrote the law.

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

Your claim does not match what the man who lives there said. You're an elitists. You have no idea how the middle class and working class people in the U.S. and Germany live. What's good for you isn't necessarily good for them. How many times have you been admitted to the hospital in the past few years? Probably none.

When I needed a doctor in Germany, I was actually pretty luck. I got to cut in line and was seen immediately. Why? Because I worked with the doctors and hospital. I was able to get seen within minutes when there was a month wait for non-emergency treatment at the same hospital.

Mine wouldn't have been an "emergency" and likely a German would not have even been able to get into the doctor. (It was a bad sinus infection, and getting into a doctor for those is very difficult because Europe severely limits anti-biotics).

[certifiedfunds]

Originally Posted by AZson

SS is not an entitlement, we have paid for it.

Wrong. You paid for someone else's.

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

You're an elitists. You have no idea how the middle class and working class people in the U.S. and Germany live.

Is that best you have? Instead of sulking about why someone wasnt giving me my share, I decided to do something about it. Maybe you should try that and you wouldnt be so upset at the world...

[muscogee]

Originally Posted by DanaT

When I needed a doctor in Germany, I was actually pretty luck. I got to cut in line and was seen immediately. Why? Because I worked with the doctors and hospital. I was able to get seen within minutes when there was a month wait for non-emergency treatment at the same hospital.

Like I said, an elitists. You get to cut in line ahead of the peasants. You're entitled to it because you're such a great guy.

[Javelin]

Originally Posted by tous

The truth is, the GI Bill is deferred compensation.

The deal is, you serve in the military for low pay and benefits for some number of years and defer a reasonable wage, we will pay the difference between what is reasonable and what you get while serving in the future.

Exactly.

You folks bashing the .mil need to read this and if it doesn't make sense, read it again.

[certifiedfunds]

Originally Posted by muscogee

Like I said, an elitists. You get to cut in line ahead of the peasants. You're entitled to it because you're such a great guy.

People who pay their own way SHOULD get to cut in line ahead of the peasants.

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

Like I said, an elitists. You get to cut in line ahead of the peasants. You're entitled to it because you're such a great guy.

And the flight attendants "gave" me an ice cream sundae on flight Friday too. I am entitled to it BECAUSE I PAID FOR IT.

You really dont seem to get that concept. Try it one day. Pay for what you want. If you want more, figure out a way to pay it. Its an amazing system. If you want something, earn it instead of whining about why other people get ice cream and you get none.

I was much happier after the ice cream. I do however, wish that United had an espresso machine on the plane like Swiss Airlines does. Actually, I wish the United planes were as nice as Swiss. But, again, if I want that,I should quit whining and fly Swiss (of course i would also have to go where Swiss flies).

[Eurodriver]

Originally Posted by Javelin

Exactly.

You folks bashing the .mil need to read this and if it doesn't make sense, read it again.

Low wages? I was making $54,000 a year after taxes as a 4 year E5 in Hawaii (With BAH and FSA)

Low benefits? Sure, I was a Marine so our BAS (battalion aid station) was practically a condemned building. But I had four years of completely free medical and dental and eye care. Completely 100% cost free. I knew girls who got breast augmentations on the military's dime. Guy's who've had lasik. All sorts of elected procedures. Doesn't sound like low benefits to me.

Have you looked at how unsustainable the GI Bill is? The Post 9/11 GI Bill? That $1200 I paid (Which pissed me off, because they switched GI Bills 1/2 way through my enlistment and now the new guys dont pay) is a mere 1% of what I am currently ENTITLED to.

For 4 years of service I now get:

5 years of free VA healthcare (I served in a combat zone)
36 months of free tuition
36 months of BAH at the E5 w/ dependents rate
36 months of GI Bill "Kicker" payments

Comes out to $115,000+ just in educational benefits (Not including the healthcare)

The only reason the damn GI Bill was made in the first place was to prevent another catastrophe with what happened after WWI and the Bonus Army. FDR saw 12,000,000 GIs coming home soon and needed to offer them something in order to prevent massive unemployment or riots.

But sure, go ahead and keep saying our vets "Deserve" this.

The only thing we're getting is more debt and an army full of Jamal's claiming "Nah brah, I don't give a damn about my country. I just needed college money"

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by Eurodriver

Low wages? I was making $54,000 a year after taxes as a 4 year E5 in Hawaii (With BAH and FSA)

Low benefits? Sure, I was a Marine so our BAS (battalion aid station) was practically a condemned building. But I had four years of completely free medical and dental and eye care. Completely 100% cost free. I knew girls who got breast augmentations on the military's dime. Guy's who've had lasik. All sorts of elected procedures. Doesn't sound like low benefits to me.

Have you looked at how unsustainable the GI Bill is? The Post 9/11 GI Bill? That $1200 I paid (Which pissed me off, because they switched GI Bills 1/2 way through my enlistment and now the new guys dont pay) is a mere 1% of what I am currently ENTITLED to.

For 4 years of service I now get:

5 years of free VA healthcare (I served in a combat zone)
36 months of free tuition
36 months of BAH at the E5 w/ dependents rate
36 months of GI Bill "Kicker" payments

Comes out to $115,000+ just in educational benefits (Not including the healthcare)

The only reason the damn GI Bill was made in the first place was to prevent another catastrophe with what happened after WWI and the Bonus Army. FDR saw 12,000,000 GIs coming home soon and needed to offer them something in order to prevent massive unemployment or riots.

But sure, go ahead and keep saying our vets "Deserve" this.

The only thing we're getting is more debt and an army full of Jamal's claiming "Nah brah, I don't give a damn about my country. I just needed college money"

I have much less problem paying someone $115k in education benefits for serving our country than I do paying $1M to keep someone old mother alive another two months.

At least one is an investment in society.

[Eurodriver]

Originally Posted by DanaT

I have much less problem paying someone $115k in education benefits for serving our country than I do paying $1M to keep someone old mother alive another two months.

At least one is an investment in society.

I'm not disagreeing with this at all. I would gladly pay vets money over Maliks and Sheniqua's raising babies.

....but my point is that they are both unsustainable.

We can't just keep giving out taxpayers money like it grows on trees.

[certifiedfunds]

Originally Posted by DanaT

I have much less problem paying someone $115k in education benefits for serving our country than I do paying $1M to keep someone old mother alive another two months.

At least one is an investment in society.

A surgeon buddy of mine talks about how families tell them "Do whatever you have to do to keep grandma alive". Of course they say this, someone else has to pay for it. As he calls it, "Dialyzing a dead woman".

He says that he often refuses and tells them to find another surgeon. The inevitably do.

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by Eurodriver

I'm not disagreeing with this at all. I would gladly pay vets money over Maliks and Sheniqua's raising babies.

....but my point is that they are both unsustainable.

We can't just keep giving out taxpayers money like it grows on trees.

I think the military would be sustainable without the rest.

[Z71bill]

Just about every person that gets government cash - and it does not matter if it is a paycheck or food stamps or a free mobility scooter --

THEY THINK THEY DESERVE IT.

The REAL problem is - we have a system that makes it next to impossible for our elected officials to cut any of the spending programs.

Every entitlement program has become sacred -

You can't reduce SS or medicare - or you hate old people

You can't cut military entitlements because then you hate the military

You can't cut student loans - because who could be against education

You can't cut food stamps - or you hate "starving people"

The one thread all of these entitlement programs have in common is they have entrenched support from the people that are GETTING the checks - and they WANT THE CASH - and if the elected representatives want to get reelected they must continue to buy the votes.

Something has got to change - unless we want to have a complete financial collapse.

Just think - in the year 2000 the federal government spent $1.6 trillion dollars

In 2012 they spent $3.8 trillion.

Taxes collected went from $1.7 trillion in 2000 to $2.5 trillion in 2012.

If you can't look at these numbers and tell that we have a spending problem then you are not trying very hard.

[series1811]

Originally Posted by Z71bill

Something has got to change - unless we want to have a complete financial collapse.

Sometimes, I think that that is the only thing that will cause our spending to change.

[muscogee]

Originally Posted by DanaT

I have much less problem paying someone $115k in education benefits for serving our country than I do paying $1M to keep someone old mother alive another two months.

At least one is an investment in society.

Off with their heads. Do you find it medieval to eliminate people when they become inconvenient. You're really out of touch with thee 21st century.

[muscogee]

Originally Posted by Z71bill

Just about every person that gets government cash - and it does not matter if it is a paycheck or food stamps or a free mobility scooter --

THEY THINK THEY DESERVE IT.

The REAL problem is - we have a system that makes it next to impossible for our elected officials to cut any of the spending programs.

Every entitlement program has become sacred -

You can't reduce SS or medicare - or you hate old people

You can't cut military entitlements because then you hate the military

You can't cut student loans - because who could be against education

You can't cut food stamps - or you hate "starving people"

If you raise taxes you're a leftist, socialist, fascist, communists and you're ignorant. The next President will raise your taxes because he has too. Do you want the working class and middle class to bear the bulk of the tax increases, like they have since Reagan, or do you want to ultra rich to bear the bulk of the burden?

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

Off with their heads. Do you find it medieval to eliminate people when they become inconvenient. You're really out of touch with thee 21st century.

I believe that people should be responsible for themselves.

I also believe that the amount of money spent keeping old people alive another 2 months is wasted money and society shouldnt be picking up the tab.

Do some actual thinking and fact checking. Find out how much medical care the last two months of an old persons life costs and how good medicine is at changing the outcome.

Of course you can't think in a logical method. First you tell me how great socialized medicine is in Germany, knowing nothing about it, deny that there are two systems in place for health care in Germany with vastly different flavors between the two, and then say I have no experience. When I tell you about when I needed a doctor in Germany and I was able to get one, when Germans in the same situation couldnt have, I am an elitist for cutting in line. You dodged the whole issue that I had to "cut in line". In the USA, if I have the same ailment, there is no line to cut into.

OF course, that doesnt fit with your incorrect narrative of socialized medicine so its easier to call me an "elitist" instead of explaining why there are lines that I had to by-pass.

So lets ask you. WHY was there a line that I had to cut into and WHY is it good that there are lines? I suspect you will dodge this question too...

[DanaT]

Originally Posted by muscogee

If you raise taxes you're a leftist, socialist, fascist, communists and you're ignorant. The next President will raise your taxes because he has too. Do you want the working class and middle class to bear the bulk of the tax increases, like they have since Reagan, or do you want to ultra rich to bear the bulk of the burden?

If I go to the local steak house, I can eat a small sirloin. I can eat a 23 oz porterhouse. If I chose to eat that 23 ozsteak, I need to pay for it.

People should pay based upon what they use. I think everyone should pay the exact dame DOLLAR amount of taxes since we get the same services.

[certifiedfunds]

Originally Posted by DanaT

I believe that people should be responsible for themselves.

I also believe that the amount of money spent keeping old people alive another 2 months is wasted money and society shouldnt be picking up the tab.

Do some actual thinking and fact checking. Find out how much medical care the last two months of an old persons life costs and how good medicine is at changing the outcome.

Of course you can't think in a logical method. First you tell me how great socialized medicine is in Germany, knowing nothing about it, deny that there are two systems in place for health care in Germany with vastly different flavors between the two, and then say I have no experience. When I tell you about when I needed a doctor in Germany and I was able to get one, when Germans in the same situation couldnt have, I am an elitist for cutting in line. You dodged the whole issue that I had to "cut in line". In the USA, if I have the same ailment, there is no line to cut into.

OF course, that doesnt fit with your incorrect narrative of socialized medicine so its easier to call me an "elitist" instead of explaining why there are lines that I had to by-pass.

So lets ask you. WHY was there a line that I had to cut into and WHY is it good that there are lines? I suspect you will dodge this question too...

Outstanding point!

Muscogee, why are there lines?