Hi, Burt,

Good column, as usual. I don't understand how the government can imply that the problems with Social Security are all my fault and I will have to suffer for it. I have been paying into the system all my life, and now they tell me that it is broke, and I will have to tighten my belt.

Burt, if you had faithfully paid insurance premiums on a policy that was designed to pay you an annuity when you retired, and then found out at retirement time that the executives of the insurance company had stolen the money, those executives would go to jail and fast.

On the other hand, Congress has spent our F.I.C.A. contributions on anything and everything, and no one seems to notice. Back in the Johnson era, they moved the SS funds from a "locked trust fund" to the general fund and proceeded to spend like crazy. They should all go to jail for their criminal behavior!

Hey Burt, jus wonderin‘... Will this new CA law that mandates school instruction on the gay contribution to society also require education on the hazards of the lifestyle? Will the new curriculum delve into statistical data regarding mental health issues, drug usage percentage, STD frequency, life expectancy, levels of promiscuity and long-term sexual fidelity? Or could it possibly be just another liberal exercise in promotion and extolment at the expense of balanced education? Am I the only one who finds irony in the fact that this “progressive” cause celebre can not be effected until 2015, because the liberals who sponsor it have so completely devastated CA finances that they can not afford to change the text books until then? Pity us trapped here in this coastal asylum where they have obviously run out of meds…

@Connie

Some of us have always understood that Social Security was not a retirement program but a way of raising taxes without calling them taxes. I wasn't around when SS started, but my mother was. She told me about all the promises made to get it passed. Such promises as "Your social security number will never be used as an identification number." "An SS # will not be required until you start paid employment." "SS taxes will never be collected on more than the first $3000 of your income."

My great-aunt schoolteacher paid into "the system" for one or two years and then retired. She collected for the next 30 years. No annuity does that.

I agree totally with Bert about so-called homophobia. I DO NOT CARE what someone's sexual habits are. It's not my business. Keep it in your own bedroom and stay out of mine and especially my children's.

I feel sorry for all the women who happen to be named Gay. Being sexualy confused doesn't mean your happy, it means your queer, odd, abnormal. Using the term homophobic just discredits their cause. Phobias have nothing to do with finding an activity queer. I have no problem facing queers in my daily life. I am in no way afraid of them or interacting with them and I wish no harm to come to them. I will leave their activity between themselves and God. I just don't like companies like Home Depot promoting things like the Gay Pride Parade. That's why I now go out of my way and shop at Lowes instead.

Burt--you caught me by surprise. I will just say, I wish the queer's would leave well enough alone. If it wasen't for straight people, there would be no queer's.

For emil shule.....the new California law actually forbids any information adverse about homosexuals. Yes, it's true.

Sounds a lot like a prior restraint of free speech, however, the California courts probably won't worry much about that.

Connie & Mumsie: We had a depression, so FDR and his cronies invented Social Security; like suicide, a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Of course they lied about it. Pols lie about everything. Do you recall that Hubert Humphrey announced that the Civil Rights Act would never lead to racial quotas? He even promised to eat the Act if he wasn't telling the truth. Well, he wasn't, but he didn't.

Emil, David is correct. The California school texts are refrained from mentioning anything adverse about the homosexual life style. And God help the teacher who somehow slips and mentions AIDs or the Peter Pan syndrome from which so many homosexuals suffer.

MARINE--There you go, blaming the parents. Just kidding.

Burt

Complaint #1 Why is it that people that"worked their whole life and paid into the system of SS expecting paid retirement" think that when the pittance they paid in runs out, I should then support them. They should get back what they paid in with interest and nothing more. I have a finite amount of time on this planet and it should not include spending some of that time supporting others with money that's been chipped away at by despotic politicians.

Complaint #2 The majority of people screaming with righteous indignation about how I should pay more taxes don't pay ANY federal income tax. Should I see about one more increase in my costs in any form, I will fire my remaining employees, close another store. work more hours myself, and find even more ways to contribute less to this govt and these greedy self serving, ungrateful leeches. michelle obamster said she's finally proud of this country-the fact that she said that and what I've seen lately of my fellow countrymen prompts me to say I am no longer proud of my country due to the actions of the people. Screw the Bozo's!!!

Our country is slipping away and what's important to most is American Idol and Callee Anthony. We may deserve what we're getting.

TERM LIMITS-RECALL-REFERENDUM-IMPEACH-PROSECUTE

Give me my contributions along with what my employer contributed in my name plus interest on both for the past 35 years and I will gladly relinquish my claim to any benefits. I will manage it myself, thank you very much.

Burt - Otto Bismarck invented social security and Adolph refined it. Joe Stalin's best friend FDR fits right in with these two great humanitarians. BTW, the reason 65 was picked by Bismarck for retirement was because most people never lived that long.

What really got my father upset was using the SS number for identification (he didn't like the entire idea of SS). The original SS law said the number would not be used for identification. Try filing your 1040 without it.

Also can you tell me which section of the Constitution authorizes social security, I can't find it?

I wish people would stop calling SS a Ponzi Scheme, there are two major differences. You get a better return in a Ponzi Scheme and no one is forced to join a Ponzi Scheme. Bernard Madoff's investors all went in willingly.

B.J.- KN.Howard-Last.I agree with you. But as i'm sure you know.All these government programs are about "control" of the masses of morons who now expect to be taken care of by someone else.At the beginning it was only the very poor and elderly.Now it starts at birth and follows till our death.As we also know our so called[best&brightest] come up with hair brained ideas that never seem to work well,99% of the time because [1] They were never supposed to work in the first place.Or[2]They're working as our social engineers in Washington have planned.[3]Our best and brightest, are brain dead.[4]Any combination of all the above.I think if George-Washington were alive.He'd demand that his name be removed from the sewerage plant that is wash.d.c. He'd further demand it be changed to wilson or rooseveltville,the hamlet of hitler,stalintown,mao-boro.Or maybe even castrotown.I doubt he would consider the pharaoh obama.Unless we were to build a National Garbage Dump. In the middle of Nowhere.That way all of obamas followers would have a nice place to eat drink sleep and worship. This super dump could also be used as a burial site.Then Arlington National Cemetary would no longer be desecrated with the burials of trash and human debris like the late and soon forgotten [deady-teddy-the swimmerkennedy] Semper Paratus.

kennedy

Mr. Bones: And I thought I despised Obama and his cronies!!!

Burt

Burt,

We've had this discussion before! In the words of the late, great Ronald Wilson Reagan, "There you go again"! I am one older American (of many, I'm willing to bet) that could be told that there needs to be substantial changes to SS and Medicare/Medicaid, without going berserk or whining. You sir are painting with too wide a brush once again. SOME, repeat some, seniors whine about everything from their social security to their DAMNED free "HoverRound". Some seniors have been drinking the coolaid for a lot longer and are, therefore, more prone to whining about their purported entitlements. I am NOT one of THEM!

I concur with KN, and have been saying for a long time, give me back all my FICA taxes paid out over 50 years of work (it was MY money before they took it), let me invest and/or spend it as I so choose, and I'll never ask for another cent from Uncle Sammy! Unlike those whiners you speak of, I've done alright by myself by using a little common sense as well as benefiting from my commonsense parents, and can easily fend for myself.

Love your stuff Burt, but, sometimes you need to be a little more specific when naming the scourges of our country......

Burt,you've only found another brother in arms.Of which there are more than our enemy thinks.And I beleive the number grows by leaps and bounds each and every day.Our dear leader the pharaoh obama has awakened the ire of the common man and woman who never gave a wit about politics.How do I know this to be true.That's Simple! I'm married to a woman who is as nice as the day is long.Her use of vulgar vocabulary is pretty much non-existent.So when you hear her voice an opinion on anything of a political nature you listen up.And when it comes to our B-ball bouncing golf playin home-boy.I sometimes think i'm married to a sailor and not my even tempered thoughtful wife.mr.obama seems to bring out what liberals would call the worst in people.I on the other hand would say he's made people think! It's been a long time since people in our country actually thought.To many of our citizens have been conditioned to feel and not think.But obama is just the tip of the iceberg.The 10% you see.All the flacks and tzars who are planning the destruction of our republic through the many fascist and marxist programs they have already instituted,and the ones they haven't gotten to yet.Need to be exposed.Burt continue to keep fighting the good fight.Semper Paratus.

John H.I think it's should be a given that Burt can't be expected to hold everybodies hand when he pens an article.If you're not part of the problem then why take offense to what is written.I think as you do about S/S payments.Give me the money i'll make my own choices.I also think that the majority who read P/P would like to make their own choices in reguards to S/S.Semper Paratus.

Mr. Bones: Thanks for taking my back. Much appreciated.

JohnH: As Mr. Bones pointed out, would you have me writing articles in which I claimed that I am not of course referring to JohnH or Mary of St. Louis or Bill of Oklahoma? That way lies madness. If you can't bear to occasionally being included in generalizations, I would suggest that the solution is to avoid my articles...along with everyone else's.

Finally, it's silly to say that one would be happy to forego monthly checks from Social Security in exchange for a return of all the FICA taxes (plus interest)one has contributed over the years to the fund. If they had all the money that would be required to carry out this notion, we wouldn't be in this pickle in the first place.

Best, Burt

Regards, Burt

Burt - if social security is so great make it voluntary. I am still hanging by my thumbs (not) for someone to show me where social security is authorized by the Constitution.

What all the 40-and-over crowd misses is that no matter how they feel about the situation of SS and Medicare, it's already gone and it's not coming back, because eventually my age cadre (I'm 28) is going to gain enough voting clout to cut it all off for good.

THE MONEY IS GONE. You trusted the government. Bad move. We're not going to be fleeced because you didn't have brains enough to realize trusting the state with your future was a bad idea.

And these are the same people who have the nerve to say that MY generation is going to lose the country. It was already long gone by the time I was born. Thanks to you folks. All you left us is debt.

Howard: There is a great deal that the feds do that isn't mandated in the Constitution. But inasmuch as you can't always trust the Supreme Court to object, it's difficult for the rest of us to do anything except elect better people who, in turn, will appoint more justices like Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and Alito.

Regards, Burt

@ Howards Last:

You'll never get an answer to that request, and here's why:

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." -- James Madison

Burt,Mr. Bones, etal,

Maybe a measured use of adjectives, such as, some, a few, even many, at the beginning of the staement would assuage my angst at such inclusive wording.

Did you ever sit and listen to a speaker, particularly a liberal one, go on about subjects like men being misogynists, whites being racists, or conservatives being terrorists? They make these statements without the least mention of the fact that most men, whites, and conservatives are nothing of the kind. And, guess what? There are many on the left that actually think exactly that way, that if you are one of these groups, you are inherently guilty as charged.

Burt, I always thought it was a great thing that you actually take the time to read your readers comments and respond accordingly. I was also under the impression that inclusion of constructive criticism, in debatable positions, was a hallmark of conservative thought. If I offended you, I humbly apologize............

Burt---I have taken offense by one of your commenter's--Bob. I get the impression he feel's we have done a bad job during our existance. Most of us were born during or just after the great FDR, and we really didn't have the opportunity to take control of anything until the sixties. His feeling about the S/S issue are shared by many of us, yet he insist's it's our fault? I would suggest that if he think's he can fix that problem, he would begin by not letting his employer withhold any S/S deduction's from his paycheck, as well as possibly any tax's. Most of the people who comment on your article's have tried to get thing's straightened out for some time, however you have to consider the fact that not all have done so whole-heartedly. I can only hope that if Bob get's a movement going to regain the country he will let us know so we can assist in his endevour. We had a chance in 2010, gave the GOP the house and look at what they are doing. The same thing the Dem's did, so if you think you can change the country at the Booth, good luck. If the GOP give's in to the debt ceiling B--- they are essentially handing the 2012 election to Barry. They have control, yet they are timid to enforce it, so where did the election go? I did agree with you Burt, that any GOP running in 2012 was better than Barry, but now I'm not to sure. Now I'm sitting and waiting to see how the debt thing work's out before I even consider voting again. I will wait and see how the 20 and 30 year old's select the canidate for the GOP, and if they think they can really change thing's. Our generation didn't lose the country, because we learned form our parent's who went through the depression. I have children 27-38 year's old and they don't pay attention to the shape of our economy, so I would say they ain't going to change nothing.

Burt - there is one other thing we can do, get active in the republican party and vote in the primary for CONSERVATIVES. In most cases the so called leaders have to go. One that has to go is Behner. If he had a pair he would tell Barry to go pound sand on his negotiations. If his picture was in the dictionary the caption would say "RINO".

This column is about homosexuals and the graying population, created by a television writer, so I must ask this: Why are so many shows now including "gay" characters when they add nothing to the story line? Yes, a rhetorical question!

With examples like Grey's Anatomy, the story is basically about "who is zoomin' who" so I can expect it. However, the new series White Collar recently introduced the fact that the female FBI agent is gay-- to what end? I've about given up on finding a television program that doesn't have strong political (Lie to Me) or sexual (above named) innuendo or outright raunchiness (Californication). So Burt, tell me, is there anything you find entertaining and well cast?

The "gay" community has hijacked nothing more than a "sex act", albeit deviated to gain their political and financial clout. We have so many "special" people in this country demanding "special" consideration that I am not sure that I can actually recognize the rest of the population.

The mere idea that a "sex act" can determine "special" anything is truly lost on most of us.

I, too am tired (really sick and tired) of Hollywood shoving "gay" down up our brain stems. It's enough already. Quit trying to indoctrinate our children with your deviations!

Try the "100 year Island" theory. Put all gays on an island for 100 years and whoever is left standing, they can have their own "special" place in this country. They produce nothing, not even children. Their lifestyle is a dead end.

@Merry

Try Masterpiece Theater, Masterpiece Mystery or any British Comedies.But avoid the rest of PBS

My wife was an elected democrat councilwoman in a small city and she's the sweetest, most polite midwestern gal you'll ever find. Mention BO and she'll all of a sudden cuss out a blue streak that sends the dogs into hiding. She recently re-registered as an independent and has learned to be a very good conservative.

Social Security is justified because of the liberal interpretation of the Interstate Commerce clause.

Tsk, tsk, Burt. You tar with too broad a brush. To paraphrase the old engineer joke, “yesterday I couldn’t spell ‘elldurlee” – today, I are one”. I don’t come unglued if sacred entitlement programs are on the chopping block BUT make it fair and equal – everybody takes the same cut. Something Milton Friedman recommended years ago as an effective handle on then manageable national debt. And while we’re at it, let our elected representatives stand forth as shining examples. As an essential element of a presidential plea to economize, let him announce he, his cabinent and multifarious staff were all taking a substantial pay cut. And then Congress, following up in good faith, would do the same. Must have over-medicated; it’s making the world look all rosy, and sane.

The trouble with being gone all afternoon is that I return and find I have to comment about so many comments. It's like homework, but here goes.

JohnH: Liberals lie in their generaliizations, I don't. I assume all my readers are grown-ups and understand that generalizations don't include every single person in a group.

I'll be back. My computer tech is here to help with a problem.

Burt

Robert Burger-- thanks, I'll check them out EXCEPT British comedy. Have never been able to wrap my head around those... Maybe a leftover from college days outside of London where, in the early 70's, the Brits hated us Americans.

It boggles the mind that "gays" insist they are a special class, equivalent to other minorities. Any rationale person would see it as a scam, but the homosexual activists insist on creating another niche in Title VII, Civ. Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

These folks will not be satified with that. They and their ilk will insist on other "rights" based on even more spurious reasons. Are gingers next?

If "gays" are to be a special class based on who they have sex with, we'll need some sort of point system to see who gets the most preferential treatment. A gay, black, illegal alien, Iraq War veteran would accrue 4 points while a white, male, NRA Life Member, Viet Nam vet would accrue minus 4 points.

That would REALLY suck (pun intended).

As promised, I have returned.

MARINE: The problem with the debt debate is that if Congress doesn't raise the limit, Obama will have total say as to how the available money is disbursed.

Merry: Hollywood is pushing the gay agenda because, one, so many of the actors, producers, executives and writers, are homosexuals; two, the straight ones don't wish to be ostracized or, worse yet, blacklisted. The fools in Hollywood believe that in pushing that agenda, they are promoting civil rights. Just about the only scripted shows I watch are "The Middle" and, like Mr. Burger, "Masterpiece Mystery."

J. Henry, Jr: If your wife is a conservative, she shouldn't be a registered Independent, she should sign up as a Republican so that, one, she can vote in our primaries and, two, so that I don't insult her when I ridicule Independent voters.

W.T. Door: You are obviously over-medicated if you believe that politicians will ever play fair with us. We can only hope to elect ones who will take our shirts, but leave us our trousers.

Burt

Burt - the republican leadership is not conservative, they are RINO's. If they don't change their ways they will be as relevant as the Whig Party.

Sorry Burt--Barry has no say as to the debt or how it is spent. Although he can influence the treasury to pay certain debt's first, it would be the biggest mistake he could ever make, because there are to many watch dog group's hanging around D.C. I, for one would be willing to let them raise the ceiling all they want, raise all the taxes they want and wait for the bottom to fall out. I still beleive that if you want to catch a criminal, think like a criminal. If you think Barry will try to use a twisted version of the 14th Amendment, as he has been told by the Treasury Attorney's not to, you are right. Hell he's broken every other Law, but this one would be more impeachable.

On a different note, I watched a HBO documentary last night called "The sex crimes of Kabul", about the women in Afghanistan who are im-prisoned for either pre-marital sex or spouse cheating. It showed how the Islamic rule of women is dispensed, and the punishments for it. If anyone, especially women want to think we can bring these people, even into the First century let alone a self governing society with demcratic rule HAS GOT TO BE CRAZY. These people are so backwards, it makes Viet Nam look like the 20th century, and I thought when I was there they were in the Stone Ages. We ain't got enough money, intelligence, or know-how to bring these people up to our standard, with the exception of sending the entire US Congress over there, including Barry, and take the whole place over. We don't need the Military trying to do educate these idiot's. Afghanistan is a classic example of what the US would look like if we keep letting this Govt. continue on the course we are going.

@ Merry Colin

Funny you brought this up - I just finished reading "Primetime Propaganda" - a book about how Hollywood works (and thinks, if you will). Our dear Burt P was referenced in it, so I hope he won't mind me plugging it in his comment section. The book goes into a lot of detail re: how the industry works, but the most enlightening thing to me was the interviews that are insights into the minds that write, produce, (etc) the stuff we see. We are not going to get much of anything that doesn't actively promote the liberal worldview because they truly believe that it is the only "right" view, they feel they have a mission to promote their causes, and they truly see us (conservative, normal, old-fashioned Americans) as defective and in need of reforming.

The book goes into some solutions (though not enough and I'm not sure about some of the conclusions - Burt, your take?) but I do recommend the read!

@ Merry Colin

Funny you brought this up - I just finished reading "Primetime Propaganda" - a book about how Hollywood works (and thinks, if you will). Our dear Burt P was referenced in it, so I hope he won't mind me plugging it in his comment section. The book goes into a lot of detail re: how the industry works, but the most enlightening thing to me was the interviews that are insights into the minds that write, produce, (etc) the stuff we see. We are not going to get much of anything that doesn't actively promote the liberal worldview because they truly believe that it is the only "right" view, they feel they have a mission to promote their causes, and they truly see us (conservative, normal, old-fashioned Americans) as defective and in need of reforming.

The book goes into some solutions (though not enough and I'm not sure about some of the conclusions - Burt, your take?) but I do recommend the read!

Burt, why are gay people so special? Without them, where would straight women go to get their hair cut? What would become of California Closets? Would employees at the SEC, National Parks Service, National Science Foundation, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, et al, continue to be ecstatic about their jobs without lesbian porn and after-work stick-it-in-the-tail of the donkey parties? Would America survive if the social status and influence of Arne, Barney, Carney, Denis, Elena, Sonya, et al, decline? Would all of the fantastic ideas presented by our esteemed Obama even be possible without his experiencing "My Reggie" Love and the daily "workout", the mentorship of communist, homosexual, pedophile Frank Marshall Davis, the influence and activities sponsored by Rev. Wright's "Down Low Club" and Men's Country in Chicago, where Obama likes to blow off steam? Does Trinity Church Choir sing the same tune since Donald Young was murdered? Would the Richmond Fed have to fly the colorless flag of the State of Virginia? In fact, would there even be rainbows without gay people to see them? And what about those California wildfires? If there weren't a bunch of flamers prancing, skipping, and frolicking around, how many acres a year could be saved? What would happen to the economies of Key West and Fire Island? So you see, in life and in government reflecting life, gays are not only special, they are a necessary component for the existence of parallel universes and psychiatrists....and, of course, Weiners.

Holmes: The weird thing I have discovered is that when I allude to the sexual activities of gays, they insist on playing down that aspect of their life styles. However, when they hold demonstrations and conduct parades, what other distinction are they celebrating but what they're up to in their bedrooms and bathhouses?

Mary H: Although I was certainly aware of Hollywood's left-wing bias, what I wasn't prepared for when I read "Primetime Propaganda" was how much so many people with whom I had worked truly hated conservatives. When they believed they were speaking to one of their own, they were quite content to dismiss those of us on the Right as untalented and stupid. They actually boasted about blacklisting conservative writers, and these are the very same oafs who are still whining about the Communists who were blacklisted for a few years during the 1950s.

Burt