what I don't get is if social security is projected to "go bust" in 2022, how is it smart for either party to cut the SS payroll tax at all?

The Dems rejoice at the de-funding of Social Security and the Repubs go along with it!!!!

I say out with both parties as both have lost their way.

The payroll tax cut was not in the best interest of the US. Of all the things to cut it should not have been Social Security Tax. I truely believe Congress things the American People are morons. At this point Im not sure who gives us the most BS, the Republicans or the Democrats.

This temporary cut, which makes no sense at all, is just another example of Congress "leading" the country to ruin while placing at least one hand over their backside.

"another year or two to fully dig our way out of this hole."

A rare case of truth telling from Chairman Obamao. Keep spending to get us out of debt. Has that plan ever worked for anyone in the real world? Only the insane, useful idiots, or complete traitors to America could vote for this fraud.

As an employee, I'm glad to get a dollar or two more in my paycheck. As a person a decade away from Social Security, I am appalled at the fiscal disaster my government has left me with and as an American citizen I say that it's time to bite the bullet (Ron Paul style if necessary) so that maybe there is a chance I won't have to work until I'm 80, like some of my staff. I am SO tired of the your fault, my fault mentality that the media has foisted on the American public. Congress could probably do it's job if the media would just lay off the sound bites that do more to hurt the government and the American people than they realize.

I think the payroll tax 'holiday' is a bad idea. But, I'm on SS and 2 retirement checks plus a part-time teaching job. So I spend the extra at the local diner on breakfast.. to keep them open and the waitstaff happy.

We still get water delivered to the house- to keep the delivery man employed and our son, who used to deliver it...but he's with the same company in Florida now. I spend my $$ locally at the hardware and appliance stores before I go to the big box stores. I try to buy quality over price and to be nice to all the folks that go out of their way to be helpful when I shop.

But, I'm old now. I have the time to be patient with people and to look for what I want.

Has Obama endangered National Security with his budget? No—with his election.

Robert A. Hall

Author: The Coming Collapse of the American Republic

All royalties go to help wounded veterans

For a free PDF of my book, write tartanmarine(at)gmail.com

Tax Holiday my tail feathers! Even though both Houses managed to come to a concensus, it's still more of the same old BS. A short note to Sen. Baucus...You congratulated Congress on a job well done...really? Perhaps in the House YES, but in the Senate you are a dreamer. Y'all have done nothing but obfuscate and drag your sorry feet. All the old fuddy duddies in the Senate need to go and spend more time with their families, and far, far away from the Beltway.

Any justice who claims that the Constitution doesn't give the right to "bear arms", doesn't belong on the bench, as they are ignorant and unable to read or understand the plain language of the document. If they don't understand the Constitution, how in the world couldl they be expected to enforce it? This is how the liberal marxist statist traitors are going about the business of destroying America. They have controll of the media, the schools, the courts, and two thirds of the government in Washington. Vote Democrat for the destruction of America.

Just another "smoke and mirror" tactic by the obama administration to show how much he is really helping us. More of the same and harmful, long term, as usual.

1) It is NOT $80 per month - you bought the democrats lie. )$50,000 X 7.65%)/12 = $31.88.

2) If the republicans can not convey the message that tax cuts have to be balanced with either other tax increases or spending cuts, than they are no better than the democrats when they vote for legislation such as this payroll tax cut extension.

pass the Fair Tax and eliminate the 16th amendment, that was never ratified in the first place,and you don't have to worry about a payroll tax. Fire everyone of the bumb asses in washington!!!!

In the immortal words of Uncle Sap - what's in it for me?

For years politicians have been crying about Social Security going broke. Then they do this insuring that it goes broke more quickly. Only in D.C. can they come up with this kind of wisdom. Now that we have voiced our displeasure with Washington, do we go on Janet's terrorist watch list at DHS?

With the way things are running in DC and the rest of the political country, will there be anything left to defend? When we are taken over by the enemy they will get a great suprise. A lot of debt.

I think this payroll tax holiday sucks. The Congress thanks to LBJ has already robbed the S/S fund. Now it will shrink even more for future generations. This stupid president and Congress should have been football players as they're all experts at the end around play. Not the will of the people be done, but my will be done.

The payroll tax "holiday" is another democrat scam to fool voters into thinking it means something to their lives. All it does is accelerate the demise of Social Security or increase the debt. And the democrats don't care which because they've already positioned themselves to deflect blame completely back to the republicans. And their constituents lap up their lies and hypocrisy like mother's milk.

The stupidest animal on the face of the earth is the liberal voter. I think we should back to the days when only property owners were allowed to vote. We are the only ones with skin in the game. We're the only ones who want our children to do better than ourselves. We are the ones who pay the bills.

The question is not who should determine what is healthy but who should go to jail for not following the diktat?

problem solved..i inherited boardwalk and park place from my father..with the rental money i bought 2 railroads and a utility..and as a bonus i received a get out of jail card which i am saving for obama...hope he gets to use it...your throw of the dice...

Another example of buying votes by putting something in the out stretched hand of someone who will vote based on immediate gratification rather than long term effects. I am self employed and tried not to take the 2% bribe the Obama adminsitration offered last year but was told by my account I had to take it. I may not live to see the day when I will regret this tax holiday but my nieces and nephews (I have no children) will certainly live to do so.

stick to the constitution and we will be fine. the crooks in Washington have instituted unconstitutional entitlement programs to buy votes and maintain power. We need to review EVERY program for its constitutionallity and eliminate all that conflict starting with all public/private Federal welfare. Unless this happens soon we will go the way of Greece only we are an armed people and the politicians will see the French revolution on this continent.

The budget mirrors his policies. Since the moron Pres is determined to "lead from behind" and not do anything to help our friends, why pay for a military we have already loudly announced we will not use under any condition? Speak loudly and carry a broken stick is the new mantra.

the fact you have to ask that question says we are toast! Maybe the taliban would be doing us a favor if they got rid of this govt as it is. Then we could restore the original constitutional republic. Shame on every politician in Washington today

Re: The Entitlement State (Must be one of the 57 states he visited in his first campaign). My idea of an entitlement state is simple - you get what you earn.

In the letter, Obama admitted that it would take "another year or two to fully dig our way out of this hole."

Note to White House: When you find yourself at the bottom of a hole, quit digging.

It's stupid, and a farce. Reducing contributions to a broken social security fund is crazy. All the politicians are to blame for not acting in a responsible manner. Shame on them!

Why don't employees realize that the cut in payroll taxes merely takes away from their future retirement income? Since a very large % of retirees live only on social security, one would think that these people would want to put as much as they can away for the future.

Who should determine what constitutes a healthy lunch for children?

I have and I do decide for my children. No one else is going to. It is not open for discussion. If a Fed wants to argue otherwise, (s)he can start the arguement by pointing out his/her authority in the United States Constitution....it will be a short arguement.

How does under-funding Social Security solve any of our debt/deficit problems??? It only makes things worse!

Common Sense from the Heartland - http://howardwemple.com

We hear constantly that welfare was ended during the Clinton adminsitration during the 1990's. It was never ended just split up. Now a person can live pretty well with food stamps, free health care, rent assistance, free cell phones, and free energy assistance and do nothing to be a productive member of society. If an able person refuses to be a productive part of society than they should have to live at a level that reflects their effort or lack thereof to take care of themselves.

Please also highlight for readers the youtube video calling for African Americans to unite for Obama. Can Romney now call for caucasians to unite for Romney? Should he hold a beer summit after falsely accusing someone of dereliction of duty?

Strap in and watch himself in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjoHA5ocwU

Just unconscionable!!!

Regarding Obama's socialist cadre of unions, et. al's "truth team;" we need to counter that with a Bullcrap team to expose the lies coming out of chairman Obama's mouth.

Let's fight fire with fire.

How about parents determining what constitutes a healthy lunch for their children?

When the reduction in social security tax for employees was first implemented, I could not believe it. All of this talk about Social Security and the funds being raided and all of that, and the federal government wants to reduce the taxes going into it? I was floored and frankly bewildered that there was not a huge outcry. It made no sense. Did I personally like getting more money in my paycheck for no particular reason. Yes, but it was stupid, false, manupulation of the population. You tell us there is no money in social security, and then you reduce the money going into it. Anyone I talked to about it felt really nothing about it. They just liked their additional money in their paychecks. Amazing. So, now, there is this false "tax cut" to play around with for politics and nothing else. Ridiculous.

Has anyone heard one of the crooks and/or mental midgets say, "where is social security authorized in the Constitution? I am not hanging by my thumbs waiting to one of the Republican Big shots (you can't call them leaders) say it. Social security must be ended NOW. The big problem is how to make whole the citizens who had their funds stolen for these many years. Yes stolen, what else would you call it when something is taken from you under duress? Don't pay your FICA and see what happens. Just be glad it is the IRS coming after you and not the ATF.

As for Romney wining Maine, don't jump so soon. There are still votes to be taken and votes that are being hidden by the republican big shots What are they afraid of? Could it be the republicans are just following the democrap play book? Think Chicago.

Does anyone notice that we are un-funding the social security system with this tax holiday?

I don't somehow think that a woman with the shape of a pear should be telling parents and school nutritionists what constitutes a healthy lunch for children. Unfortunately, thanks to the nanny state and it's welfare recipients, parenting as I remember it doesn't exist anymore. It's really simple, people, just tell your children "NO" when they want all those empty calorie snacks and fast food. Are parents so spineless these days that they can't do that?

Why do publications insist on using the politically correct, although incorrect, translation of "Allahu Akbar" as "god is great?"

The translation of "Allahu Akbar," is "Allah is greater."

Greater than what? Greater than your god.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but ain't this 'tax holiday' you're talking about just the latest extension of the Bush tax cuts that conservatives once lauded? Because of late, I've been seeing the Democrats and Republicans switch sides on them, and now you are complaining about them. Maybe I'm missing something, but that don't seem too consistent to me.

The last item in the Post today says it all as to how stupid and insignificant our government has become. Deporting hair dryers...now I ask you?

They can keep their "tax holiday" ain't doing me any good. THat 2% does not offset the larger increase in gas for my vehicle, food purchases or any other kinds of purchases. Plus any tax income the Feds and the state don't get from my pay check they add to the sales tax on purchase and property taxes.

I believe raising children, including what they are provided to eat, is a job for parents, not government. If the child is otherwise healthy, why all the fuss about vegetables. AND, how can chicken nuggets which are loaded in fat be superior to the lunch prepared by the parent. I do not believe federal government should have a place in our home, our religion, our daily lives. No one can deny however that they do. Not one aspect of our lives is untouched, and I fear the impact is increasing.

Same-O same-O

All said and done Congress will always vote for something they think will help them get re-elected.As usual we the people do not bother to read the small print.

For today, folks, I recommend reading - from "Atlas Shrugged" - The Tramp's Tale, or Jeff Allen's Lament.

Damn, this book is prophetic...

Do the current American workers understand that the 2% S/S payroll tax cut will lower their eventual retirement checks by 33%? It's not 2%...it's a 1/3 reduction in thier contributions toward retirement. Somebody better tell them now!!

I would really like some clarification regarding the president's use of Air Force One. I have read that the cost of a "flight hour" is $181,500. which I don't think covers all the other planes, staff, vehicles the "beast", etc, etc. When Obama is off fund raising, campaigning and doing other re-election activities does the DNC reimburse the taxayers? If not why not? bill

Looking into a childs lunch bucket constitutes an invasion of privacy. Keep the Government out.

As much as I depend on my Social Security check and my Medicare card, America has become an entitlement state--not quite as bad as some European countries, but entitlement recepients continue to increase to unsustainable levels.

The Elephant in the room that everyone ignores is "What do we do about it?"

Company, state and government pension plans seemed like a good idea until they were raided, cancelled or devalued leaving the retirees holding an empty bag.

So what is the alternative? What is the answer?

Will those who make millions in free enterprize capitalism help support the less fortunate--the +/- 99%? Or do we allow those who do not save for retirment or do not have medical insurance to simply wait silently for death?

Government officials for years have been raiding the Social Security trust fund and then saying we are running out of money. The current administration decided to give a "tax holiday" which decreases the amount taken in to keep the trust fund current. This is causing the funds for Social Security to run out at an even faster rate. I have paid into Social Security ever since I began working as a child. It is money my government said I would be entitiled to and I expect it. My grandchild should be able to expect it as well. The very term "entitlement" has come to be so misconstrud by this administration as to mean a government give away which Social Security is not. Everyone who is entitled to recieve the benifits from that fund should have paid into it. Through the years generous administrations have also added foreigners to the rosters of Social Security and others who have not paid into it. These are folks who haven't paid a dime in yet are receiving monthly benifits just as folks like me who have worked and paid into the system all their lives have. None of it is fair. It is Socialistic and it stinks! It is time all the politicians and everyone else are put on the same system. Things would change real quick.

As usual, the disinterested, gullible, sheeple will vote with their hands. "Hey, where's my handout?"

Modifying the entire tax sytem from top to bottom would do this country a world of good and primary is to rid ourselves of progressive income taxation and the IRS that collects. A fair tax on "ALL" citizens would be non discrimiatory and eliminate class warfare as proscribed by the government. It could be put on the national ballot every ten years and would result in a government budget run by consensus of the governered and not 549 inept politically motivated imbeciles.....

It’s been said that a tax is a transfer of one’s personal freedom and rights over to the government. So, like Milton Friedman, I’m always in favor of any tax cut. The nation is in debt because of too much spending – not too little taxation.

This is just more leftist smoke and mirrors. The only real result is bankrupting Social Security much sooner than otherwise.

Actually, bankrupting Social Security might not prove to be a big problem: the Obama plan seems to be for working people to work until they die in order to support a bloated government and their professional supporters, aka the poor, aka the welfare class.

Re: Attack Watch will defend the president against "false" attacks, which seem to be any statements that criticize Obama in any way.

Each of us is human, and therefore subject to criticism. What is the matter with this man, that he cannot handle criticism?

Keeping GOP Honest will in turn make false statements about the Republican agenda and record.

This sounds so much like the intention of the Alien and Sedition acts that I am in total shock. Another reminder of why American History 101 goes almost completely dark between 1788 and 1864...

Keeping His Word: Honesty and truth speak for themselves.

Why does this man need a whole group of spin doctors nipping and tucking his every word and deed to make them less objectionable?

Geh...

Re: Who should determine what constitutes a healthy lunch for children...

This in not a new thing. Nearly 40 years ago we were a struggling family of 7, owning our own auto repair business as well as raising farm animals for sale and our own consumption. The local school began a program of providing milk at lunchtime (which we had to pay for)and when our children brought their own thermos'filled with fresh goat's milk (along with sandwiches made with home baked bread and home raised meat) the principal confronted us. His estimation was that we could not afford to buy his milk and proceeded to bring his vehicle to our shop for some repair and then to ask us if we could now afford the milk. My husband was livid. What I am getting at is it is the same old story of control. I am tired of being controlled like a herd of sheep and am becoming a cranky old goat in protest.

It is NOT a payroll tax holiday - it is defunding social security. I wish the Republicans would get this straight & educate the public. The social security tax is reduced on the employee portion, but not on the employers portion. The Dems are purposefully defunding social security by this scam and the Republicans are so stupid to go along! A payroll tax holiday would be a reduction on Federal income tax - but oh no, that must not be! Afterall the Dems and Obama and the elites want higher taxes so they can continue the spending!!!!

The PRTH is a farce. We need long term tax reform, not 2 months or one year or whatever short term fix that our representatives can come up with to hinder businesses from doing long term planning and hiring and we need to have an adult conversation about Social Security. Not the rhetoric that produces sound bites that say someone wants to push grandma under the bus or steal from soup kitchens. Obama is not the first president and won't be the last to demonize individuals for trying to salvage our republic, he is just the most recent tyrant in the WH.

My first thought was that Congress had somehow gotten even stupider than before. Drain money from a "trust fund" with no actual positive balance that just started having negative cash flow? Crazy talk!

My second thought was more rational: use the money to fund my retirement. I took every dime, invested it in a mutual fund, and called it Terry's Actual Social Security Account.

Really folks - will my "entitlement" be there in 2025 when I hit my official date? Don't make me laugh.

Payroll tax holiday? Not really because those getting the benefits now will get less later on when social security is out of money, IOUs and the government can't borrow any more money. Instead, it should have been an income tax reduction. Obama and the democrats had to go with the Payroll TaX Holiday because that gets more of the money to their base. The government dependent poor.

We have saddled our grandkids with galactic sized debt. Yet, our politicians are too scared to be blunt and honest with Social Security, Medicare, and the coming entitlement anchor of Obamacare.

This country is being destroyed by politicians that refuse to be adults. And yet, Obama leads in the polls..... I am really trying hard to find a positive spin for this country's future.

Food police. Is this part of Obama's private police force he promised? As well trained and large as our military? Michele you are busy telling everyone else how to eat, by the way what are you doing about your own figure Michele? Turkey, bread, cheese and a fruit, sounds like a pretty good food group. then the food cop replaced it with fried chicken nuggets? It is apparent Michele you and your husband are all rhetorical B.S. By the way, how's the veggie garden doing on the south lawn? More all show and no go. Got a photo op holding a hoe and you abandoned the garden. You and hubby need to go to Hollyweed with your Pals where all of the pretenders and posers go. You've had four years of experience.

If it causes us to enlarge the National debt it is no good,,we have to try to get out of debt before we are like Greece etc. We HAVE to stop the borrowing .

There is no money in the SS Trust Fund. And, except for enough to pay administrative costs and current benefits, there never was. The "Trust Fund" is just a gimmick to fool us into thinking our payroll taxes were actually being set aside.

In reality, what our payroll tax purchased was nothing more than a promise to pay. Promises can be broken.

Socialism in all its forms should be abolished from our republic.

Has anyone at the Patriot Post seen the latest Obama campaign video calling on all African-Americans to vote for him. Talk about racism.

I am afraid that whats coming, due to people sitting on their hands, not speaking up and raising hell....are extermination squads that will search out those responsible for attempting to destroy America and our freedoms....they will find them, skin them and hang whats left in trees...think I am being harsh? read you history of the world and governments! These people in this govt better wise up and do a bit of history studying themselves I think! If they think trying to destroy the 2nd amendment will help.....they are even more insane that I suspect, That will only advance whats coming! I am not a fanatic and not inciting to riot...but I am a bit of a history buff....I do know what has happened in the past and as the Bible says "there is nothing new under the sun".

Whitney Houston was a famous singer. SEALs are, on purpose, not famous. But fame is not a measure of value to one's country.

BTW, someone should fix that graphic. His name is misspelled "Muphy".

If the post about the hair dryers was supposed to be a joke....it is not! My daughter and daughter in law won a trip through work to a mexico resort for a couple of days....somewhere on the return trip, my daughters hair dryer was confiscated.....free country my a--!

A tax HOLIDAY during a period of massive DEFICITS seems so LIBERAL I can hardly contain my nausea.

Maybe a return to normal rates and spending reductions in unnecessary areas (i.e. Dept of Education--like that really worked!) and a constitutional amendment for term limits for congressmen and senatiors. OK, I CAN dream, might as well dream for the impossible!

Who should determine what constitutes a healthy lunch for children?

That's the wrong question. The answer is too obvious - the child's parents, of course! Not gov't - let alone Federal gov't.

The right question should be: Why, in the first place, do we need a DHHS, and a Division of Child Development and Early Childhood Education?

Thanks, Patriot Post, for pointing out another manifestation of excessive government. "Tax dollars at work." - indeed!

Again, I wonder what we taxpayers are getting for our money - how much is that "agent" paid, along with the expense of the immediate bureaucracy that comes up with such idiocy? If we knew more about the "cost" of that "benefit", outrage would be greater.

Mark, in your lists of drains on the entitlement systems, do not forget to note SSI. Supplemental Security Income can be obtained for children under 18 who have a reported physical or mental disability. In my opinion, and in my work with the poor, I believe this is one of the most overused entitlements. Many indigent families I know will get a diagnosis of ADHD on a child which can make them qualify. Then they receive a check of around $600 a month supposedly used to care for the child but in fact pays the parent's bills. What does the child need an income for anyway? I know of one family where the single mother was able to receive a diagnosis of ADHD on all four of her kids and the resulting $2400 a month is a decent income for her. If I were queen of the world, this would be the first program to go. http://www.ssa.gov/disability/Factsheet-CHLD.pdf

I would be for not extending the tax holiday if our Government could and would decide to spend tax payer’s money wisely.

Real Life Example: My 66 year old friend recently filed for his Social Security benefits for which he received the full amount for his many years of work. BUT: His 24 year Moroccan wife of 2 years receives a $900/mo check and their 2 year old baby gets $600/ mo check. These people are not Americans and have never worked here. Worst, they told him they would send separate checks so he would not have to pay tax on their checks. WHO IS POLICING THE SS WELFARE FUND? I am on social security but my 52 year old wife (Turkish/American) does not get a dime. Where is the justice?

What about the people who win American VISA lotteries in their county and bring their family to America with no job, no skills and the American tax payer’s cover their food stamps, family financial support, medical needs and free schools for the children? Why does our Government continue to let this happen? We can’t cover the needs of real Americans so why are we handing out tax dollars to non-Americans?

Re: The payroll tax cut

The payroll tax "cut" is another faux tax cut by the Democrats that the Republicans have wrongly bought into. Social Security is going broke and this is the solution??? I hope that everyone in Congress is removed as it is clear that although the bell at the 2 minute mark has sounded, no one on either side is willing to do anything to modify entitlements. I just wonder how everyone who has children is going to explain the future disaster that is coming to them. The day is coming when this cannot be papered over. Socialism fails again.

To: MNIce

Re: your reply posted 2/16/2012

Sorry for my late reply. Thank you for taking the time to engage. I think this forum is a terrific means to exchange ideas, and for me, it’s always exciting when someone actually acknowledges what I write. Mr. Alexander presents the topics, we all comment, and hopefully discuss, and we all learn in the process.

It seems to me, that if I read you correctly, abortion should be illegal, and thus the rights of women to manage what’s going on inside their own bodies, would be rescinded. My understanding of Roe v Wade is that the Constitution doesn’t address abortion and therefore congress has no constitutional means to forbid it. Aside from the legality or Constitutionality of it, I can’t help but put myself in a pregnant woman’s shoes, or skirt, if you will. I know that I wouldn’t want any legal restrictions influencing my decision either way. But at the same time, I recognize that every woman who has an abortion, is using a medical means to create a miscarriage – something that mother nature normally does on her own. I see both sides to this argument, and as such, I think it is one the most, if not the most, contentious issue we face. I’m sorry, but again, if I were a pregnant woman… Therefore, my take on this issue is to lean towards the woman’s right to choose.

I’m also very dubious about your arguments about the social security balance. Firstly, I don’t think social security should have ever been started. I think the math behind it probably would show that there would never be a true balance. Secondly, you only mention abortion as a factor influencing the solvency of social security. There are a whole lot more factors affecting social security over the decades. There have been monetary taps off the system that weren’t intended from the start. The system has been repeatedly raided by greedy politicians. Also, and this is a big one, society has changed in such a way, that senior citizens no longer live their later years with one of their children. As a consequence of this, social security is now being expected to not only be a retirement supplement, but is expected to support the cost of households! Whether a senior remains living in the old family residence long after the kids move out, or whether the senior moves into a retirement home, their housing costs are not absorbed into one of their children’s households, they are footed by the social security system.

I hope you understood my original purpose in my reply to RK Sprau. I was trying to point out that if you were to make two separate lists, Democrat and Republican, of all the issues that government touches, or tries to touch, the Republican list would be far superior. This is because if there were, say, 100 rights that could be impacted with all the issues, the Republicans would support 99 of those rights for each individual, the glaring exception being abortion. The Democrats would be against 99 of those rights. So in my view, as I posed to RK Sprau, which would he choose?

SEIU to support the "truth team"? Isn't that a little like saying ACORN is supporting "fairness in elections"?

Maybe we should mandate the flags be flown at half mast Nationwide for as long as we have our young men and women in harms way. We lose troops on a daily basis, don't we? The honor should be there on a "just in case" basis. If there were no losses on any given day,,,, wonderful ! ,,,, the honor is still there,,,, just in case.

Stupid! They keep calling this a tax cut. Don't people realize that it is taking more money out of the social security fund which is all ready broke? A real tax cut would be on income. Just playing mind games.

As I understand it, Social Security benefits are based on the amount paid in by the individual over his career. Will not these "temporary" rate cuts then decrease the benefits paid later? That means people will have to make up that much more of their retirement income from their own savings and investments.

Looking at it from that perspective, it sounds like the Democrats have actually made a good start at what they (of course) demonized when George W. Bush proposed it: the privatization of Social Security! The only difference is that they have neglected to inform voters that they should be making up the difference. Pie in the sky tastes so much sweeter when you think someone else is paying for the pie!

Let's expand and make permanent the payroll tax cut, and allow people to opt for cutting it completely, as long as they know (and acknowledge) that their reduced or eliminated contributions will effect their eventual Social Security benefits. Heck, I'm 50, and I'd let the government keep ALL that I've paid in, if I could instead invest it someplace where I'd get a decent return, and OWN what I have.

On that last note: since current payees are simply funding current retirees, no one gets to keep "their" Social Security benefits; if you die at 62 or 65, it's just lost, rather than something you can leave to your heirs. Why don't Republican leaders point out to the black community (which has a statistically shorter life span) the racial unfairness of the Democrats' beloved program?

excuse me but the patient is on life support and the IV's are not putting life into the patient but draining out more blood, the patient is not getting better but is almost dead. blood letting went out a hundred years ago but we believe the politicians and want more, soon the patient will be gone and they still won't be happy.they will prey on their own bloated bodies till the meat rots and blame everyone else. WAKE UP AMERICA, there is no free lunch and the pidgeon died. are you going to continue to walk tha same blind path to your own end. rise up and see a new day. its your choice.

Press On!

As a volunteer tax preparer for AARP Foundation/IRS I have found that people are UPSET because they aren't getting their Make Work Pay credit this year. When I explain to them that it was replaced by the 2% cut in payroll tax they all look at me blankly and none seem to have even noticed that they got more in their paychecks. So it appears it doesn't help the economy and people don't even notice so what exactly is the point - except to get certain politicians elected? BTW My 25 year old daughter used the extra money she got to fly to Germany to attend Octoberfest so the money wasn't even used in the US (except for the plane fare).

I'm all for the payroll tax cut. In fact, I'm all for anything that takes more money out of the hands of government and puts it in my pocket.

If you pay taxes the only thing you can be sure of is government is ripping you off. Most of us who are employed "make too much money" to qualify for government goodies. Those are paid to others. Fine. But I'm sick of government toadies insulting our intelligence by having us believe Social Security is "just fine" when in fact it's a wreck. In theory it was supposed to be simple: people forced to pay into a system for life - because government didn't think it could trust you to save money - then once you lived to a magic age they would dribble it out to you or your spouse in tiny payments until you died. If say, you drop dead the day you're eligible to collect, and you don't have a spouse, then all the money you've paid in the government gets to keep; it is not paid to progeny or other designated heirs. Perfectly fair - if you're the government.

In the present age, when they're talking about moving the rotten carrot to the end of a longer stick by upping the minimum age to collect SS, they're also talking about SS as being "needs based", the new buzzword. Meaning, if the government feels like you don't need it then you won't get it.

So, excuse me and anyone else age 50 or under for not wanting to give a dime to the government more than we're forced to. Because the majority of us will never be recompensed what government owes us.

Bamer has removed the magazines from the rifles,and now the military must use the bayonet.

I hate to say it but one of my senators, Mad Max Baucus, is a total bonehead. Since he's a Demorat that's not too surprising I guess, but thinking that reducing the FICA tax by 2% is doing something great for the country shows a total lack of thought.

How is social security supposed to be funded without the FICA tax? Where's Congress supposed to steal money from to squander on Obama's various unworkable "solutions".

I'm disgusted.

The Republicans and the Republican party have no one to blame but themselves if the come out looking like wimps. They cave in to the Democrats all the time. I am an unenrolled voter because I do not wish to be associated with the Republican party on a list, even though I vote with them many times. They refuse to listen to the Tea Party voters who got them voted in the last time. Shame on them if we lose this next election.How does the old rhyme go "no one listened to Andrew and there was a lion in his closet"

I think the 2% cut is great! In fact, I think the cut should be 100%. Any cut means more of my money in my pocket NOW vs. NO money in my Social Security checks later. That's right, I don't believe there will be any money in the SS system by the time I retire. My retirement will be totally self funded.

The parents,or Guardian,should be the sole power,of their child's lunch fittness.Not some stranger,on the publik dole.

With respect to conservatives not opting out of their "welfare state" entitlements: If I had been able to keep some of the money that has been confiscated from me over the years, I wouldn't need to rely on the Social Security check when I reach retirement age. As long as they can buy votes with entitlements, we're doomed.

If Republicans had any marketing sense, they would

1) Note that the $300/week extension of unemployment benefits is higher than most social security benefits, and say Democrats are not being fair to the elderly

2) Praise Democrats for finally admitting that Social Security is not financially sustainable as it is (quote the ultra-liberal Demoncrats who are denouncing the poroposal).

3) Insist on cuts in Federal benefits, after first documenting that Federal benefits are significantly higher than private enterprise and state government benefits. Use the 99% argument to show that federal benefits are a cause of being wealthy.

Asked about Obama's broken pledge to "cut the deficit in half," his spokesman Jay Carney insisted, "It was a promise based on what we knew about the economy at the time. The economy turns out to have been far worse and in far greater distress ... than we knew at the time. The catastrophe was far worse than we knew."

Follow up question: "Given the recent status of the economy, do you have a more accurate picture of how bad it is now, or are you still as clueless now as you were then?"

It's much too late to point fingers. We are all guilty. To some extent we all have our hand in the pot. It's going to require a lot almost super-human integrity. That right there is the essence of any hoped-for revolution. Suck it up.

A really bad idea. We already have too few people working and paying into that ?fund?, so why make it worse? IT IS NOT A TAX REBATE, OR TAX CUT, OR ANY OTHER MAGIC WORD(S) THAT WILL MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY. They want to cripple SOCIAL SECURITY so that it will collapse, and make even more people dependent on BIG GOVERNMENT.

Lets see if I have this right. if I can make it to the delivery room I will have big brother tell me what I can eat then what I have to learn and then what I must do to be a profitable citzen to the stete, then they are going to take care of me if I give them what they want and they will make me happy, then they take it back and say I don't give enough so I have to be happy on the plantation they made for me and then when I am sick they won't take care of me so they will take it from my grandchidren and then when I die they take more because its not mine its theirs. then they start over again with my grandchildren and greatgrandchildren

What a Country.

Ready for a change?

Is it possible that someone has a list of all the promises made during this Control Thief in Office's election campaign in '08? It would be nice for America to see this long list before us to give a good understanding of all that we need in order to hold this Presidents feet to the fire during the upcoming election season! Unfortunatley the "Entitlements" of America seem to be on the rise, but they need not be able to deny the truth when it is presented before them!!

Thank you,

Truthfully Starved

I am a conservative on medicare and I am disgusted with it. Because I am eligible for medicare, my regular medical insurance will only pay a small portion of my medical bill. Specifically, that portion that medicare does not cover. So, if I had not signed up for medicare, I would have left myself open to catastrophic financial losses in the event of a major medical emergency.

I would be happy to go back to the way it was before turning 65, when I had a $20 co-pay, my insurance paid 80% of the bill (after meeting a deductible), and I paid the rest.

By the way, it is government policies and interference that has driven up the cost of medical services to what we have today.

RE: Hamilton: I can always count on you to cut to the chaste, keep it up.

For the editors: It isn't the tax holidays, it is what was pointed out, the message, yet how far off? If I would propose "No no new taxes, but I didn't sign my sold to a lobbyist, (Norquist)I would be drawn and quartered. What shocked me i s in the morning, the GOP will fight to the death for budget cuts but they heard the clarion call of the people they represented and caved in without a whimper that afternoon. this makes them look week and the president strong for no one remembers beyond your last victory.

Coodous for the CMH receipted verses a pop icon. I don't know if you meant to or not but you hit the nail on the head. we are fascinated with power, glitz, glamor, the reality based television life style and the REAL HEROES get lost in the shuffle.

The payroll tax cut is an election ploy which will amount to nothing in terms of bringing the economy back to health. It is ironic that the democrats are reducing funding for Social Security. All my life the democrats have accused republicans of wanting to cut social security or even kill it, but now the democrats want to cut the funding and the mainstream press does not comment on the implication for social security. Will the press ever notice?

It isn't a payroll tax they are playing with.

It is your contribution to social security. For years Congress, the IRS and the Executive branches have said: "It's not a Tax" "it's money to pay your social security"

I guess obama wants that to go-a-way, too!

The so called payroll tax holiday is an election year ploy by the Democrats to buy votes. The payroll tax is supposed to fund Social Security. If people are paying less into Social Security each month, social security will go broke sooner than expected. I know I will not see any of the money I paid in since Social Security is scheduled to go broke before I reach the current retirement age.

The GOP just gave the Democrats a talking point for the 2012 election. Democrats can claim that if Obama is defeated in 2012 the "payroll tax" will go up on January 1, 2013. The Democrats will claim the GOP wants to raise taxes on the middle class.

"A democracy survives only as long as it takes for the citizens to realize they can vote themselves largesse from the national treasury." This is vote buying in its most naked form.

It does nothing but drain the Social Security Trust Fund. Both Parties are to blame for this one. It should not have beeen extended through 2012. I have lost faith in the whole bunch in Washtington. It will do absolutely NO Good at all.

EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) is one of my pet peeves. I beleive it was originally meant to offset payroll taxes for low income people to keep them off of welfare but it has grown and grown and now more than offsets payroll taxes. I do taxes and some of the refunds people are getting are startling. In one family the husband and one son get Soc Sec, the other son just became a citizen. The wife works and makes about $20K. They not only don't pay any federal taxes at all they get over $8,000 in EITC and child tax credit. It seems like Soc Sec should be included when determing eligibility for EITC and the max EITC shouldn't be more than what was paid in payroll taxes and other income such as Soc Sec should be considered when determining eligibility. And now, they have reduced the payroll tax by 2% but the amount of EITC someone can receive has gone up and the level of income where they can receive it has gone up too so it is a double taxpayer whammy when it comes to having to pay for this government goodie. It seems there would be a better way to credit people under a certain income limit for payroll taxes if that is the purpose. EITC is simply another welfare program but pretty well hidden from the public unless you understand taxes.

US Army officer, US Representative, now let's promote him to POTUS! Says what he means, means what he says. Understands the responsibilities of command. Some other good folks, not in the race. Draft 'em! If we can "draft" people for government military service, why not for government civilian service? The current crop of "wannabes" are lacking in the one quality that is essential. Leadership! Congressional folks are not leaders because of that role. Speaker of the House is third in line---you have a clear picture of SanFranNan Pelosi as POTUS?

This Republic was baptized by fire, created by men who respected the art of arms. Parabellum--latin for a part of an important statement, "If you wish to maintain peace, prepare for war." That calls for the art of arms! Reagan recognized and pursued this. Out current "leader", no military experience, no practical experience at anything, really, does not understand this. I strongly agree that the military should be controlled by the civilian sector. But that sector should understand the role of the military. "If you wish to maintain peace, prepare for war." A military function.

A brief look at a 'pie' graph showing the expenditures of the federal government will show that the largest (by far) expense is in the area of entitlements. Hoping & presuming that VA & military pensions are not included in this entitlement scheme, testifies to the fact that those on entitlements are seriously dragging this nation down into the greatest debt imaginable. It is long past time to either restore these entitlements to their original conditions (that were only temporary) or modified to correct this mad drive to bankruptcy.

How hasn't Obummer hurt this country?! The great Divide is how historians will remember this era. Be jealous of those who clawed their way up the economic ladder.

To the question, "What do you think of the tax reduction?" What tax reduction? Seems the "contribution" to Social Security was "not a tax". The net result? Less money for the Congress to steal. Maybe that is a good thing! Not really. There is no "tax cut'" More smoke and mirrors. Too much attention given to "personal self-image" in my view. To wit; Republicans will be charged with, name it--. So what, if it is good for the Republic, do it! Alan West is correct; Democrats (and RINOs) have created a society of "slaves" with the constant barrage of "benefits". We in this Republic are wrapped in the arms of an over reaching government, and have as little power as the babe in arms. Totally dependent on the "parent" for sustenance and comfort. Bondage is another form of "slavery". The many working for the benefit of a few. Example; The President and his family require the expenditure of several millions of (taxpayer) dollars to attend a golf course, a family vacation, a visit to Spain, or anything else including the children's education. How is that different from several black families providing the wherewithal for the plantation owner to do whatever, whenever he wishes? Then it was called "slavery". Not much different from the "bondage" of whites for passage to the 'new world." hmm? Now slavery is called a Democracy. Should be a Republic, and the president should pay his own golf fees without the cost of shutting down the course, and guarding it with civil servants! If it is that dangerous, don't do it!

Stupid!! Just like the annual extention in Unemployment benefit eligibility!!!

The Democratic Blame the Republicans tactic, continued obscene spending, and with the open support of the left wing media are well known to everybody, except to the Republicans in Congress.Very dissatisfied with John Boehner's leadership and others the last three years, should be replaced. They can't even defend themselves well, much less attack the opposition's positions. Conservative Republicans need to find ways to get their message out in this election cycle. An Obama return is a disaster for the USA as we know it.

When an American citizen has worked for 44 years in the USA and paid into Social Security for those 44 years, why should they be denied their monthly Social Security check? It sure helps make ends meet these days; higher taxes, higher gasoline prices, higher food prices...all thanks to obama. Hopefully, enough people will wake up to what's taking place, despite the media lies that obama is a messiah of some sort, and vote this dude out of office.

To all of us victims...

Reading over this P.P. issue, plus the comments, above, by MadAsHell, brought me to this:

As we all complain about the social security tax, the payroll tax, deductions, the EITC, child tax credits, etc, we fail to see the big picture.

We're like a bunch of bafoons arguing over the diameter and the depth of the hole we're digging, while we're standing in the hole, continuing to dig!

The entire country is feeling the pains of mistakes we've made in the past. We really are like the cartoon included in this P.P. issue, showing Obama kicking the U.S. Debt can down the road, which is actually a snow hill, causing the debt can to grow in size.

Our mistakes were caused by having allowed the government to tax us and redistribute our wealth - OVER TO ANYWHERE AND OVER TO ANYBODY. That was the immoral precedent. The government was never meant to delve into micromanaging the vicissitudes, joys, and perils of life in the private sector. It was only meant to protect the private sector so that it could go about its business - so that we the people could go about our own business. ONCE THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALLOWED TO TAX AND REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH, FOR OUR OWN GOOD, AND ACCORDING TO PERCEIVED NEED, THEN THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN THE POSITION TO DECIDE HOW MUCH AND TO WHOM AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES!!! AND FROM THEN ON, THE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS KEPT COMING, ALONG WITH THE UNHOLY SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAXPAYING BENEFIT RECIPIENTS AND PANDERING POLITICIANS.

We have allowed our government to devolve so far away from what it was intended by the Founders to be, that most of us, in this generation, have no idea, REALLY, what the problems are. We've never lived in a time when the government WASN'T in our business!

And now, the government is like some sort of restroom warden, conscripting half of us to supply the labor and resources to wipe the backside of the other half of us.

This is how far we've come. This is how far towards socialism we've slid. Adopting liberal principles and creating liberal policies, is how we've done this. So consider this when evaluating the current field of Republican presidential candidates. Should we really pay ANY attention to anyone who says any given Republican candidate is too conservative?

I find it amazing how the Republicans continually get outmanuvered politically on this issue. Since when has any Democrat really been in favor of a tax reduction....unless they catch the GOP flatfooted and make great "political hay" out of it???

To: RK Sprau

Thanks.

I don't believe whitney houston deserves to have the flag lowered to half-staff. This should be reserved for dignitaries and American heroes.

Granted she was a very good singer, but this is going too far.

The only thing Maxie could do to help the country would be to resign at once

To Tom - the reason why Republicans consistently get outmaneuvered on this and other issues is that Mitch McConnell doesn't have a clue.

To: Keith

I perked up to read your request for anyone to publish a list of Obama's campaign promises. I too would like to see such a list. However, as a side point, but a very important point, none of us should ever want to see such a list from any president. Since American presidents aren't dictators (or shouldn't be) we shouldn't, as a society, be looking to them for salvation, or a new kitchen, or an HD flat-screen, etc.

A couple Patriot Post isues ago, I requested, in a like manner, for anyone to publish a list of Obama's lies since he's been in office. Unfortunately I haven't seen it; HOWEVER YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN A LIST OF OBAMA'S MALFEASANCES, WHICH WAS PROVIDED BY READER JILL J.

Go back to the following issue:

http://patriotpost.us/edition/2012/02/15/chronicle/

It's a very long list. Start from the bottom and scroll up to find it.

Thank you Jill J.

As with all of Washington, it is obscene,abusive, should be deleted

The RINO Republican governor of NJ honors a pop diva whose most significant contribution to our nation is how to NOT live the last years of your life: as a drug addict. However, the Gov. sees no problem with failure to honor a legitimate hero, a Medal of Honor winner, a young man who sacrificed his life for this nation, whose heroism is not even remotely questionable, who should be lauded and emulated by all.

If we elected officials who have proven themselves worthy of the oath by laying their lives on the line, for real, then we might not have such incompetence and disrespect.

Gov Christy is an embarrasment to all loyal Americans. Shame on you, Gov!

I think it is ill conceived. The few extra dollars "workers" get will have very little impact on the economy and will increase the national debt further.

The parent is best qualified to judge their own child's nutritional requirements. Our country is awash in communism, and it makes me fighting mad.

I think any fool that believes that an extra $80 a month will be enough to offset the extra #300 a month I'm paying for food, gas, home heat and electricity, not to mention my HEALTHCARE costs hasn't got the brains God gave a screwdriver and has no business running the affairs of dog kennel let alone this country.

THE PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Concerning the government's intrusion into dictating what they say is healthy for us to eat or breathe is hypocracy. The nation's public schools and universities have been polluting our and our children's minds for fifty years with liberal "junk food" and "bad air" and not a single bureaucrat from Washington has made an attempt to stop it, only to increase it with impunity.

Reducing the payroll tax for two years is like taking money from your 401K plan contributions. In each situation, the total amount you contribute to either SS or your 401K becomes less. When you retire at age 66 or so, your SS benefits will also be less because you have not contributed as much. Your SS payout is based on the age you retire and on the sum of the payroll tax contributions made during your working years. There is no free lunch.

On the other hand, some younger folks may see this as a great idea since they expect SS to be broke before they retire anyway.

It is totally insane to think that reducing worker payments into the Soc Sec plan will do anything but weaken it!

Instead we should eliminate the income tax and raise the Soc Sec tax. A sales tax is a fairer way to raise govt revenues, and taxes everyone equally on everything excepts necessities like food and medicines which should be exempt from taxes. Also a sales tax captures taxes that are evaded now by cash paid workers.

I hate the 2% tax cut. The Soc Sec Trust Fund is already filled with IOUs, and less cash is going into the Fund each month. This puts seniors at even greater risk, and encourages BHO to threaten to withhold SS checks because there is little to no cash available.

SS payments are not handouts or entitlements. They are repayments to citizens who have paid into this Fund, without a choice of whether to pay, nor a say in how the money would be invested.

Do you deposit, lend or invest in a bank without knowing how your money will grow or be paid back? Uncle Sam makes us do this, and then takes our cash and replaces it with IOUs.

Congrss must leave the Fund alone and not steal the cash to "balance" the budget.

"The economy was far worse than we knew", Jay Carney, presidential mouthpiece. This retard was not even in the position at that time. If accepted at face value it is a confession of this tribe in office that they have no clue as to corrective measures. They did not know? Agreed, never did, never will. The whole tribe, including many in the Congress, is completely lacking in common sense, economics, finance, or anything else that applies to leadership of government. Bottom feeders, for the most part. Not worth keeping.

Looks like when I get finishing my taxes for last year there wasn't enough taxes with held. So now instead of getting a refund, I'll owe A LOT. How is that helping the economy?

I am amazed as all these smart people--elected people--stand by and let Mr. Obamma dismantle the military and the country. They criticize but they do nothing. We have safeguards in the constitution but they act comatose.

Mark and team,

Please call 'crony' capitalism by its proper name that is Corporate Socialism.

I have been corrected on this & I think you will hopefully agree too.

Crony capitalism allows the socialist off the hook every time , they say ' see capitalism it doesn't work, it's corrupt'. even when their ideology is largely responsible for what they complain about.

If one is to defend capitalism putting the word crony in front won't work, not in western societies infested with socialism, it might OK call in a tin pot dictatorship.

Corporate social responsibility and green agendas on companies books are all illustrations of socialism, not capitalism.

Socialists need it shoving hard in their faces, the buck stops with them.

regards

freepeoples

It is great to see the Republican party starting to wake up to the evils of the Romney campaign. True Conservatives must rally behind a worthy candidate and leave Romney in the dust. As some one recently said, no matter where you stand Romney is your candidate. A cute way of saying it: A liberal, a moderate and a Conservative entered a bar. The bartender looked up and said, "Hello Mitt". Unfortunately Flip Romney has the very same 'conservatism ' as B Obama and that is not what I want in a President. A B R Anybody But Romney

My question is not why we have food police in our schools. My question is why these mothers even allow their children to attend a school at four years of age. They should be at home learning how to be good little children instead of learning marxist crap, like sharing and learning to love other people and being indroctrinated to love people with not their best interest at heart, only the governments view of things.

I am dismayed that the Republicans went along with the payroll tax cut in the first place.

Diverting revenues to a program to benefit someone else would normally be called missappropiation.

There is been no discusion of replacing the funds.

The social security trust fund and medicare trust fund will now go broke sooner. How does that help the economy?

Will seniors end up taking cuts that were passed along to today's working employees?

The expiration of the payroll tax cuts along with the Bush tax cuts in 2013 will all be blamed on the Republicans.

@ Maj USA, Thank you, Sir! Absolutely agree with that comment. The CMH has a high price, typically. It is fitting that all, not just military, should honor those that have fallen in service to this Republic.

Someone wants to lower the colors to half-staff for the recently departed female drug addict. Why?

@ Gary Chambers; agree with you, also! The more I hear, the more I agree. Romney is Obama lite. Maybe not so lite. Santorum is surging, of all those in the vie, he seems to top out. Probably will run out of money, but we can hope, not.

The caption under the picture of the Navy Seal has both his first and last names misspelled ... at any rate, they are spelled differently than they are in the accompanying story. How about issuing a correction?

It's absolutely ridiculous that a "popular" drug addict should rate flags at half-staff for her funeral, while a man who gave his life for his country should be forgotten by the media (as well as have his name misspelled).

The failure to computerize the voter lists and cross-reference them on a weekly basis or more often with issued death certificates in criminal.

Now another request. Whenever publishing stories on the "unemployment" statistics, would you please also print the Numbers of employed for the same month in the previous 8 years?

The dems know how to buy votes! Deeper in debt! China owns us. We are going the way of the Weimar Republic and similar to Greece today.

Border Security? Thousands of hair dryers? Where is the connection in that event? Where were these devices manufactured? Mexico? I suppose there are people that use such devices around water. In the tub, shower?, or just while brushing teeth. While using a hair dryer? In AZ every "cattle guard" in vehicle travel paths has a second sign. "Bicycles cross with caution." One needs a warning to do so? And a Governor wants to half-mast our flag for another deceased drug addict? Seems values are reversing in this Republic. Maybe lost altogether.

Obama MUST be defeated in Novemeber...can you imagine this Socialist, free of re-election worries, unleashing his full Marxist agenda over the next four years? We will not recognize our country after a second term turned in by this president.

His proposal to eliminate 80% of our nuclear arsenal, if tied to his budget, is tantamount to painting targets on the backs of every American. This is especially true as we debate the issues of a nuclear-armed Iran, hardly an U.S. ally. I can hear China and Russia rolling in the aisles with laughter as this neophyte continues to put America at risk. The fact that the budget tacks on additional trillions of debt in itself is putting America in a hole it will never be able to dig out of.

This payroyy tax cut tax cut helped tremendously when it was instituted, and It still gives families more to spend, for which taxes are charged for the items purchased. The fewer taxes paid to an overspending government is good. L.B. Strawn.

The payroll tax cut is just another gimmick to make taxpayers believe that they are getting a break. The bill will come due in spades when we taxpayers are trying to pay for Social Security benefits for the babyboomers. Of course, I am not the one affected since I am 72 years old. It will be my kids and grandkids who will be done in by this "gift" from the meat heads in Congress. There will no S.S. benefits for them.

Once again, Republicans are "played" by the Dems. I despair that the GOP will ever wise up and figure out how they keep playing into the liberals' hands. Between the extension of the payroll tax cuts, the raising of the debt limit without getting anything in return and the GOP candidates for President wiping the floor with each other, I fear another 4 years of Obama and the literal destruction of our Republic.

I am 72 and do receive both Social Security and Medicare benefits. Worked from high school until retiring without a break. During that time I paid all the taxes due including the infamous FICA (Soc. Sec.) I was told that a pension would be forthcoming and, separately, health care would be available. As a result of that "contract" There is no guilt with taking what was promised in return for my forcefully extracted money. I would much rather have kept my own money to invest and reap the greater rewards. The reason Soc. Sec. is in such trouble is that Pres. Johnson put those funds in the general fund and we loaded costs on Soc. Sec. that were never anticipated or funded. Blame that on criminally irresponsible legislators from both parties.

No question we must restructure to have any chance of avoiding disaster but not by breaking the present contract with those who paid in in good faith. There will be plenty of pain to go around but the time to start is now.

Did anyone lay this on spineless Republican leadership?

It hasn't stimulated the economy to any extent whatsoever, can't be extraordinarily meaningful to consumers and robs social security of badly needed revenue.

FYI - a little known unintended consequence of the EIC - proving a parent has failed to support his/her children is a common method of terminating parental rights by someone seeking to adopt a child. Deadbeat dads/moms often avoid losing their rights (and their children can't be adopted into permanent families) because they're 'entitled' to an income tax refund due to the EIC, which refund is then intercepted by the child support enforcement agency, which then applies it to the outstanding child support obligation and it's considered under the law as 'payment of support.' See what happens when they start redistributing redistributed income!

EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) is one of my pet peeves. I beleive it was originally meant to offset payroll taxes for low income people to keep them off of welfare but it has grown and grown and now more than offsets payroll taxes. I do taxes and some of the refunds people are getting are startling. In one family the husband and one son get Soc Sec, the other son just became a citizen. The wife works and makes about $20K. They not only don't pay any federal taxes at all they get over $8,000 in EITC and child tax credit. It seems like Soc Sec should be included when determing eligibility for EITC and the max EITC shouldn't be more than what was paid in payroll taxes and other income such as Soc Sec should be considered when determining eligibility. And now, they have reduced the payroll tax by 2% but the amount of EITC someone can receive has gone up and the level of income where they can receive it has gone up too so it is a double taxpayer whammy when it comes to having to pay for this government goodie. It seems there would be a better way to credit people under a certain income limit for payroll taxes if that is the purpose. EITC is simply another welfare program but pretty well hidden from the public unless you understand taxes.

I think this "tax holiday" is a joke. All this does is to contribute to an even faster social security ans medicare crisis.

Let's see - the avg of $40 per week will buy 8 gallons of gas @ $5 per gallon (the expected price this summer). That should be enough for two trips to the unemplyment office after you've been laid off. Works out as a real "economy booster", for sure! The wonks in Washington sure have a handle on the needs of us average folks here on Main Street!

Taksan - you are on target. In addition we should add: inept, passive, short sighted, and intellectually challenged to the list of Republican leadership issues. The Obama administration is providing ample cause for aggressive, factual attacks. On the other hand, the so-called MSM is on its knees for Obama & facts regarding the economy are willfully distorted or concealed. I guess this will keep going until the knee pads wear out.

As reported, U.S. Judge Meyerscough ruled against the 2nd Amendment as it applies in Illinois, saying that the Supreme Court hasn't recognized a right to bear firearms outside the home.

Since the 1st Amendment guarantees our rights to freedom of speech, without specifying that those right apply only inside the home or only outside the home, it's intuitively obvious that those rights are in force everywhere and anywhere. And in practice, the 1st Amendment has always applied that way. Therefore, since all the amendments address the rights of individuals, then for the same rationale that applies to the 1st Amendment, the 2nd Amendment cannot only apply inside the home, and Judge Meyerscough is obviously wrong.

And if a layman like myself can figure this out, I can only conclude that Judge Meyerscough has brought personal opinion and/or partisanship into the courtroom where it most certainly does not belong. Accordingly, I call for Judge Meyerscough to resign.

To whom it may concern.

If you would listen that would be fantastic. But I know that congress does not care what anyone on the lower level of society has to say. Personally if you would jusr ask we have ideas on how to stop the problems. All that matters is how the congress, White House, Homeland security, Federal Agencies ,Etc. Keep their own salaries and benefits. If all of the above had to survive on what the rest of the citizens have to live on this would not be happening, If they where forced to run elections without the big business interference or contributions from the greedy, maybe this could work for all involved. Lets just take into account all the money being spent to get a person or president ellected, Millions of money for someone that is supposed to be fro the PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE. Yeah right. LIKE I SAID WHEN YOU REALLY WANT HELP JUST ASK , we do have solutions.

Sincerely,

Preacher/Minister

William Barnes

@ Hamilton: I'm no fan of Social inSecurity either. It's unconstitutional, despite a New Deal Supreme Court decision claiming otherwise (the Court never addressed the plaintiff's argument, but simply asserted that if they ruled for the plaintiff, old people would be starving in the streets, so they denied the request for injunctive relief). Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, so it requires an ever-growing base of workers to support it. That was my point in connecting it with abortion - a section of the pyramid was literally sucked out.

Your argument that having an abortion is simply using medicine to do what "nature" does in a miscarriage reminds me of a line from a story in which a person at odds with a totalitarian government mysteriously died while in custody. "They said he died of heart failure." "Maybe. But in the end doesn't everybody die of heart failure?" Just because we all die someday doesn't mean it's right for one person to intentionally kill another.

It is no more permissible for a mother to kill a child in her care than it is for a father. Suppose you were carrying your toddler on a mountain trail, and decided the task was too much of a burden for you. Would it be right for you to throw the child down the mountainside? Would anybody accept your argument if you claimed that sometimes children naturally fall down the mountain, so you were just using your skills to do what nature does in those cases?

Pregnancy is temporary. Death is a permanent change. Justice Harry Blackmun notwithstanding, the right to privacy is never superior to the right to life. A person has no more right to kill in private than in public, and has no right to kill simply to maintain privacy. (Try shooting an unarmed window peeper - you'll be in more legal trouble you've ever had!)

So yes, government has the authority and the duty to prohibit a mother from murdering her child before birth as well as afterwards. It is the government's duty to keep people from killing or robbing each other. The problem we have is that instead of fulfilling this duty, the government is doing the robbing for the covetous, and now it's trying to force us to pay for the hired killers of unwanted children.

If the government performs, aids or abets robbery and murder, should we be surprised when the politicians lie to us also? Should we be surprised when they dismiss our rights as inconveniences, or invent "rights" to have or do things at public expense? If we give way on the unalienable rights for any one person, do we not leave open the door for our own rights to be stolen?

@Hamilton. Good call on Judge Meyerscough's error in logic. I would also point out that she misread Article VI Paragraph 2 of the United States Constitution. It does not say, "The Supreme Court shall be the supreme Law of the Land."

It has been said that an armed society is a polite society. The judge and quite a few of her political allies need to learn some manners.

ADOPT THE FAIR TAX (NATIONAL SALES TAX)AND RETIRE THE I.R.S. PERMANENTLY.

DO AWAY WITH THE CURRENT ABUSIVE AND INTRUSIVE PRACTICES OF THE IRS. MAKE THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY CONTRIBUTE TO FUNDING THE FED AS THEY BUY GOODS.

GIVE FREEDOM BACK TO AMERICANS.

Not very smart in the long run. Let's eat all the food now so we won't have any tomorrow.

Until we get rid of Boehner (can we?) things will remain like this and Obama will get another 4 years. Frick n Frack, like George Wallace called people who have the same goal.

the parents not the gov.

I see all the good leftist are posting on on the patriot post

Egypt will drop the treaty with Israel if we stop the funds is blackmail. Suppose also they'll further detain the Americans there as hostages now for ransom.

Obama will probably send them our money and the Brotherhood will drop the treaty anyway. No wonder Obama wants 800 million for jihad, I mean the Arab Spring.

Why are we cutting the "payroll tax" for the middle class? Can we agree that Social Security is at least on shakey financial ground? Instead,why not cut the income tax for the middle class? Could it be the middle class pay little to no income tax. Of course this would expose as a lie the contention that the rich don't pay their fair share. If the middle class isn't paying and the rich aren't paying their fair share, then who is paying the taxes? And what about the idea the Bush tax cuts only bebefitted the rich?

everything this Congress does or attempts to do is a JOKE

The problem with this is that Congress bundles bills to vote on. All bills should be stand-alone. I.e., if a Republican thinks its prudent in the current economic climate to extend jobless benefits they also have to cut the payroll tax or they are accused of not caring about the unemployed. All this political crap needs to stop; how about our elected reps actually doing things for the GOOD OF THE COUNTRY instead of the next election.

Frankly, the $26.00 a month I netted from this tax cut is worth a trip to Noodles for me and my kids but not much more. It certainly doesn't offset the rise in gas and food prices.

The payroll tax "cuts" are a flacid farce!

Question: Do the self employed get this discount on the social security tax? Did we last year? Will we this year?

More political gimmickry by Obama and the Democrats. Basically, stealing more money from Social Security and gaining political points by having the Republicans being forced to go along, or be accused of raising taxes. Too bad more people don't understand what kind of "games" are being played.

STOP giving the "earned income credit" to anyone on Fed assestance! And explain better to the ederly that their check will not be affected. At least with Ryan's attempt last year I had a shot at having something coming back that I put into the pyramid scheme. The Reps need to go a backbone and make the pres and dems own this mess. FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION or else no more job!

Why a $1000.00 a year for employed workers only? Why aren't retirees included? After all we didn't get an cost of living increase in SS for two years.

that aside the 2% reduction will harm SS, bringing it closer to bankruptcy. How about that deduction now?

First of all, let's not call the president's submission to Congress a "Budget". It is more aptly called a "Fudget" because it defies the definition of a budget. A budget is a plan to reasonably allocate your financial resources to as to minimize your debt, stave off bankruptcy, and pay your obligations while enabling you to acquire things you need and want. This is the exact opposite of what Obama's "budget" does, since it is designed to increase our rate of plunge into debt and borrowing, accelerate the nation toward bankruptcy, curtail our ability to meet obligations, and deny us the ability to pay for the things the nation really needs or would like to have. What we need is a contraception to prevent this kind of freak from coming out again.

VOTE EVERY LEGISLATOR OUT FOR THE NEXT 4 ELECTION CYCLES!

It has been and continues to be a terrible idea! The payroll tax is an investment into our retirement (or at least that's what it is supposed to be). What possible sane rationale is there to cutting that investment?? If we wanted to put $$ back into the hands of taxpayers, then send everyone a check out of the general tax revenue, not from Social Security! What are we thinking here???

I am on Social Security. I do NOT receive the maximum benefit since I never came close to earning near the maximum taxable amount. I also identify with Conservatives, they of the TEA party, although not a member.

I worked for just under a half-century before claiming my benefit, and believe I earned it.

However, I am prepared to give part, if not all, back to the government if that is what it would take to break the dependency cycle our population has come to rely on.

On the other hand, I sacrificed greatly to purchase small amounts of stocks as supplements for my retirement. Unfortunately they are virtually worthless because Mr. Obama chose to take MY hard-earned investments away because union-destroyed companies were "too big to fail".

Where is the justice in that? I can't even claim a loss because the money was put into IRA's.

Frankly, I'd never support a Democrat again. If they can't tax it from you, they simply take it anyway.

WHAT National Security?! Other than being radiated and groped, I've seen little of it. We can't be said to be safer due to any policies Mr. Obama has implemented.

Conservatives must point out how much this so-called holiday has already cost the Social Security funds -- as exact amount that can easily be calculated from the current tax filings. Remind the public that this amount will have to be supplied by a subsequent increase to payroll taxes, just like we have to pay for our own holidays to the beach or mountains. Remind them that this is not a tax increase, only a holiday as promised by Obama and the Democrats. Just like any holiday, this one must come to an end, and we have to go back to work.

Keep the message simple. People who bought the story that this holiday would stimulate anything have already proved that they are not very knowledgeable.

Bottom line

I think that for the period of the payrol tax cut that the Social Security benefits being paid out during that same period be reduced to compensate. Then let the Democrats argue why this is not the clearest approach to assuring that such short term reductions do not further reduce long term benefits that these taxes were created to fund.

To: MNIce

I've carefully read over your arguments. I understand them and I find them quite compelling; and I find myself agreeing with them, especially when they relate to action-reaction, i.e. when our actions to allow government liberties over us lead to other unwelcome usurpations over us. However, while still wearing my woman's skirt, with an elastic waistband, I cannot resolve the conflict that still exists for me. I want that abortion and I don't want anyone standing in my way. I'm in charge of what's inside of me, and that is that. When I put my trousers back on, I can better see your point, but not entirely.

Has anyone ever asked you about the government's role in abortion? Remember what I said before about Roe versus Wade. If the Constitution doesn't address abortion, then the supreme court cannot forbid it. I think a huge part of my conflict comes from the fact that the fetus is inside the woman, 100% dependent on the woman, essentially a part of the woman, and therefore should be 100% controlled by the woman. Under these circumstances, I see a risk with allowing the government to dictate policy over any contents of a woman's body. My understanding is that China doesn't respect their peoples' body contents, and hence forcibly harvest body parts. If we allow government jurisdiction over fetuses, then couldn't they expand it to anything? You know how government works. Give them an inch...

Your arguments are so good, I'm going to read them over a few times over the next few days, and ponder the issue more at length. But right now, I don't see how this conflict can be resolved. This is why I acknowledged to you that the abortion issue is probably the most contentious issue we have in society.

To: MNIce

Re: 2nd Amendment

I'm glad to hear your agreement with me about the 2nd Amendment and Judge Meyerscough. It's a wonder that twisted minds like hers can become judges.

I have two questions for you:

1. Since the Constitution doesn't say that the Supreme Court is the supreme law of the land, what role is it supposed to play, and how the hell did it become, as seems to be apparent, the ultimate arbiter of all arguments.

2. The 2nd Amendment specifies the individual right to keep and bear arms. It does not say those arms have to be either in the home or outside the home. We've discussed this already. But it also does not specify that kept and born arms must be concealed! So given this fact, why does it seem that these concealed-carry laws are necessary in order to fulfill the rights specified by the 2nd Amendment? It seems to me that, given the right as expressed and meant by the 2nd Amendment, concealed-carry laws would actually constitute an infringement because they place a condition upon which arms can be born. I have asked both the NRA and the SAF this question but have not gotten an answer. So what do you think? Anybody else know the answer?

Tax cut? It is not a tax cut, just a cynical joke played on the uninformed. The Republicans are once again out-foxed by a pretend-a-president and his cohorts in Congress and the media.

The payroll tax cut is a farce they are just robbing the social security trust fund (sic)which doesn't really exist any way.As far as it helping the economy, also a farce the extra $40.00 a month won't make any difference.

The parents!!!!

I don't believe you can have tax cuts or holidays without paying for them. This is merely pandering to the American worker, not sound economic policy.

Hair driers must be immersion proof in case one may accidently fall into a tube when one is bathing and not in use at the time.

The payroll tax holiday was just that - a holiday. The vacation should be over and funding of Social Security and Medicare should resume. No need kicking that can further down the road with escalating numbers of retirees entering the programs in the near future.

The comments on these Patriot pages are, for the most part, embedded in Conservative ideology. And there's a great reason for that...

This nation was FOUNDED on Conservative principles, resulting today in close to 80% of Americans still claiming they are conservative. But that's where it ends.

Lost in the mainstream media bias and accompanying rhetoric plus an administration chin-deep in a Statist/Socialist agenda that promulgates class warfare to the point of "sound good" politics which, to the barely-informed voter, is subscribed to without thought. The outcome of this ignorance can be seen all around with no end in sight.

Another "Great Awakening" is needed fast. Our prayers should be just that: that the people of this land quickly realize what's happening and stop supporting the nation-changing agenda now being advanced by this administration.

Whatever needs fixing in this country can be taken care of without the nation-changing policies that the Obama administration constantly advances.

As I said somewhere else, we need a real education in history and economics. Until then we will continue doing stupid things.

The New York Times has a very transparent habit of cherry picking the data that supports its agenda, and your otherwise perceptive staff has given in too easily to its false premise. A much more informative and accurate article would have included statistics on the percentage of residents in each county who actually receive government assistance and their political affiliations. Had that been done in this case, would anyone like to bet on whether liberals or conservatives received the greater share of government benefits?

The selected anecdotal vignettes, rather than demonstrating hypocrisy, only serve to illustrate the seductive lure of the government freebie. It's easy to to tempt self reliant types when they see themselves falling behind their less productive neighbors partaking of the spoils. When you've spent your working life paying for someone else's pie, it's easy to justify wanting a slice for yourself, which is a sentiment the redistributors count on.

Due to the fact that expectation of a return to some reasonable tax plan seems hopeless, I am convinced that any ability to keep more of the money I make in my own pocket to be a good thing.

"Would it not be better to simplify the system of taxation rather than to spread it over such a variety of subjects and pass through so many new hands." --Thomas Jefferson

If we could have the annual budget posted transparently on April 1st with tax day on April 15th and election day on on April 30th maybe we could see some change. I do worry about April fools day for a budget though.

When it comes to deciding how any child does anything The Government should not be part of the equation. Although there are some ignorant parents out there who would feed their children twinkies Parents should be the decision makers. Perhaps with their personal Dr's review.

As a retired member of the armed forces - STILL of working age - I'm disgusted by this president and his administration. Our "fearless leader" is at the forefront of a systematic attack on our military and retirees. We can't wait to provide "free" healthcare to illegals and layabouts, but this president and his cronies are hell-bent on raising TRICARE premiums on retired veterans and their families.

I can't wait until election day. I only hope the American people are smart enough to send this crowd back to Illinois. 2012: The end of an error.

....and Carney says, "gee, we didn't know just how bad it was..."

These MORONS are still blaming Bush!

Oh, yeah - narcissists can't take blame...

Just one more of 10,000 reasons we need to get the "PEOPLE" educated about this administration before November.

Then maybe it will be possible to get government out of our "UNION" schools and every other aspect of our lives

The tax "holiday" has been touted to actually put more money in workers' pockets, a ploy to cause us to think we will see a difference in our paychecks. Instead, we won't see a decline (of $3 per week in my case). I agree that the whole scheme is a farce, and more of a smokescreen to deflect our attention from the real problems with the deficit. Congress is betting on the public's continued complacency, and that by "giving" us more cash, we'll be grateful and vote them back into office. If we're all that stupid, maybe we will!

Why am I hypocritical to take Social Security? My money was taken at the point of a gun to "insure" that I (because I'm stupid) have a retirement income. If I had been allowed to invest 15%(7.5% from me and 7.5% from my employer) of my income over my work life, I would have had plenty to secure my retirement.

It is so sad to watch this national tragedy unfold.

The purpose of the fraudulent "payroll tax holiday" and the numerous lies coming from the demoncrat rulers is to indoctrinate their voter base and thus ensure re-election. The "dems" don't really care about the accumulating damage to our economy and society caused by their socialist economic and class warfare campaigns.

It is equally sad that (1) Republicans are not sufficiently organized to bluntly and consistently tell the truth about these matters and (2) the so-called main-stream (dinosaur) media would block such communication or distort it.

Have you seen this 1 minute 35 seconds of Obama suggesting racial voting??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjoHA5ocwU

Ridiculus, absurd, typical Obama....Wake up America

T.O. Donovan.....

Arizona