Roy,
Where's the link to the petition?
SS for illegals is WRONG. It's one thing for naturalized citizens whom have contributed to the failed system, however, to give benefits to thos who are here illegally, and have paid nothing into the system it ludicrous. This system is broken, and will remain so. The lawmakers participate in SS, however their private retirement program in the federal sector is really superior to most that any company in the private sector offers.
I have long said, the only way to reform the SS system is to force the lawmaking assemblies (and the like) into the same bucket that most of us are in. The federal retirement program for these folks is leaps and bounds ahead of most out there (and while the emails still churn around, they do input to SS just like we do, however, their overall benefit package is quite good by today's standards). We all know that SS won't allow even remedial "living". Our pension plans are being eroded and altered every few years. Hell, keeping a job long enough to earn a reasonable pension, in the white collar I.T. sector, is a daily battle. The medical benefits are being cut back so much that there is no feasible way that you can eat and also have sufficient medical insurance, at least when I could possibly retire (20 years from now). Yeah, we should all save in our 401(k) programs, true. Still, for those of us whom are single income families, this won't really fund much, as the monies are needed today to "live".
My kids will HAVE to go to state schools with student loans. No choice. I will have to work my whole life, no choice. When I met with my financial planner a few years ago, he stated that with my income, I needed to put away 40% for education and retirement. The problem is, I use 90% of my income for living expenses, and I make a good living, live in a small house, with a reasonable mortgage. Do the math, it don't work. I refuse to suffer my whole younger life, so that I can live well in my latter years (when I really can't enjoy things as I do today, with my wife and kids).
Oh, can you tell this is a sore spot with me?
South America is looking better and better as a retirement destination (somewhere like Belize, today anyway). |