Strong jobs report brings a new problem: labor scarcity

[danielpalos]

Fifteen dollars an hour for minimum wage!

 

[toomuchtime_]

Joseph Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US LLP, points to a concern that hasn't gotten much airing recently: are there enough people to fill the open positions in the workforce? Here's what he says in a post-report client note:

"With little to no slack left in the economy, the major challenge for both policymakers and firm managers is where will businesses find the workers to meet growing demand in a new economy increasingly organized around science, mathematics and technology in a tightening labor market.

U.S. Adds 200,000 Jobs; Wage Growth Best Since Recession

The Democrats seem to believe the way to fill these jobs in science, mathematics and technology is to bring in more undocumented farm workers and laborers. Why can't the Republicans see the wisdom in this?

It will be interesting. The labor market is not much different now from Obama's last two years, and that's not to say Obama or Trump have that much effect. The predictions seem to be that having more jobs than applicants will raise wages. But if you have that plus the tax cut, you have stimulus and at the same time the Fed is trying to reduce stimulus by winding down QE.

Productivity has not increased in more recent years, and that was what fueled the 90s. More recently there were predictions that we just didn't need as many workers, but soc sec and medicare require workers.

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Joseph Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US LLP, points to a concern that hasn't gotten much airing recently: are there enough people to fill the open positions in the workforce? Here's what he says in a post-report client note:

"With little to no slack left in the economy, the major challenge for both policymakers and firm managers is where will businesses find the workers to meet growing demand in a new economy increasingly organized around science, mathematics and technology in a tightening labor market.

U.S. Adds 200,000 Jobs; Wage Growth Best Since Recession

The Democrats seem to believe the way to fill these jobs in science, mathematics and technology is to bring in more undocumented farm workers and laborers. Why can't the Republicans see the wisdom in this?

It will be interesting. The labor market is not much different now from Obama's last two years, and that's not to say Obama or Trump have that much effect. The predictions seem to be that having more jobs than applicants will raise wages. But if you have that plus the tax cut, you have stimulus and at the same time the Fed is trying to reduce stimulus by winding down QE.

Productivity has not increased in more recent years, and that was what fueled the 90s. More recently there were predictions that we just didn't need as many workers, but soc sec and medicare require workers.

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Joseph Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US LLP, points to a concern that hasn't gotten much airing recently: are there enough people to fill the open positions in the workforce? Here's what he says in a post-report client note:

"With little to no slack left in the economy, the major challenge for both policymakers and firm managers is where will businesses find the workers to meet growing demand in a new economy increasingly organized around science, mathematics and technology in a tightening labor market.

U.S. Adds 200,000 Jobs; Wage Growth Best Since Recession

The Democrats seem to believe the way to fill these jobs in science, mathematics and technology is to bring in more undocumented farm workers and laborers. Why can't the Republicans see the wisdom in this?

It will be interesting. The labor market is not much different now from Obama's last two years, and that's not to say Obama or Trump have that much effect. The predictions seem to be that having more jobs than applicants will raise wages. But if you have that plus the tax cut, you have stimulus and at the same time the Fed is trying to reduce stimulus by winding down QE.

Productivity has not increased in more recent years, and that was what fueled the 90s. More recently there were predictions that we just didn't need as many workers, but soc sec and medicare require workers.

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

It will be interesting. The labor market is not much different now from Obama's last two years, and that's not to say Obama or Trump have that much effect. The predictions seem to be that having more jobs than applicants will raise wages. But if you have that plus the tax cut, you have stimulus and at the same time the Fed is trying to reduce stimulus by winding down QE.

Productivity has not increased in more recent years, and that was what fueled the 90s. More recently there were predictions that we just didn't need as many workers, but soc sec and medicare require workers.

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

 

[KissMy]

Joseph Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US LLP, points to a concern that hasn't gotten much airing recently: are there enough people to fill the open positions in the workforce? Here's what he says in a post-report client note:

"With little to no slack left in the economy, the major challenge for both policymakers and firm managers is where will businesses find the workers to meet growing demand in a new economy increasingly organized around science, mathematics and technology in a tightening labor market.

U.S. Adds 200,000 Jobs; Wage Growth Best Since Recession

The Democrats seem to believe the way to fill these jobs in science, mathematics and technology is to bring in more undocumented farm workers and laborers. Why can't the Republicans see the wisdom in this?

Yeah, business owners don't want people whose only skills is thumbing a phone or sitting at home drinking a latte.

View attachment 174562

B.S. Those scientist are the ones who created the modern world. They sure weren't Republicans, because they never invent or create anything. Only 4% of scientist are Republicans. Republicans only copy & steal from real wealth creators.

There are still 15 million more people to employ to get the employment to population ratio to Clinton level of 65% employed

 

[toomuchtime_]

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

I don't know of any perfect solutions, but I can't think of any way to avoid continuing to raise the retirement age if the programs are to continue.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

I don't know of any perfect solutions, but I can't think of any way to avoid continuing to raise the retirement age if the programs are to continue.

Sure there are, increase employee contributions to the programs.

What irritates me the most is our tax dollars going to reward the irresponsible while taking more from the responsible. I work so I can live in the suburbs, and I have HUD people living right next door to me. That should be eliminated. I see fat welfare moms with four or five kids trying to stuff all their purchases in that big cart of theirs, and then paying for it with my tax dollars.

I'm sorry, but as a responsible tax paying citizen who never even had so much as an outstanding parking ticket in his life, I want a reward of some kind for working my entire life and being self-supportive. All the money I contributed to these programs supported our elderly, now I want the same. Either that or we end the programs starting with the young adults now, and they can put their money into the market for retirement and to insurance companies for long-term medical coverage.

Telling people they have to work beyond their ability to do so is inhuman.

 

[danielpalos]

The solution for SS and Medicare is to continue to raise the retirement age for full benefits. After all, when SS was first enacted, it was expected workers would not live too long after retirement.

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

Only the right wing is for, "work or die" ethics. The left wing know we have a general welfare clause, to help out.

Welfare instead of unemployment compensation.

 

[hadit]

Yeah it's a great solution when everybody has a desk job. But people in physical labor barley make it to retirement now.

Do you want to see a 68 year old man climbing a ladder two stories high carrying roof shingles on his shoulder? Do you want to see a 70 year old bricklayers laborer carrying clamps of bricks or 8" block to the job site in 95 degree weather? Do you want to see 67 year old road construction people carrying planks and heavy equipment on beams of a new bridge?

Hell, I'll even use my own trade. Do you want your minivan in front of my tractor-trailer when I weigh 75,000 lbs and we suddenly come to a stop in a rain storm???

There will always be jobs that we can't extend retirement age to. I have two cousins, both who've worked their own remodeling company. After several surgeries each, both are praying they can make it to 65 years old to retire.

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

Only the right wing is for, "work or die" ethics. The left wing know we have a general welfare clause, to help out.

Welfare instead of unemployment compensation.

Do you really think you can just pop up again and offer the same failed excuses?

 

[danielpalos]

No solution will be perfect for everyone, but perhaps some people should be able to retire with full benefits under disability if they can show they are no longer competent to perform the work they have been doing for many years. I don't see any other practical approach to maintaining SS and Medicare but raising the retirement age.

Okay, so they go on disability instead. What was solved?

Yes, there is a solution, and that is if we want to keep these programs, we need to pay for them, that's all.

I can't think of the last time Medicare contributions went up for workers, nor can I for Social Security in spite of cost of living increases and huge medical cost increases. If we have to pay more for things and funding doesn't go up equally, then of course you will eventually have a problem.

The Democrats nor the Republicans want to increase anything because if they did, eventually the public would lose trust in these programs and demand an end to them. Democrats really don't want to see that because they need government dependents for their party to survive.

So what they do now is tell us not to worry, they have it under control. They do for now, but it's a time bomb ticking.

One of the reasons healthcare insurance is so expensive is because of government medical care. They typically only pay 2/3 of the cost of their patients, so doctors and medical facilities need to make up that loss by increasing prices on everybody else. Only paying 2/3 isn't a huge loss for an office visit, but it is a huge loss for a $380,000 surgery. That's why when you see facilities close, they are usually in lower income areas where most everybody is a government patient; not enough private insured patients to make up the loss.

I agree with you that raising the retirement age is not a complete solution to all of the problems of SS and Medicare, but I think it is an essential component of any plan. While it will not fix all the problems, it will go a long way to keeping them from getting worse.

I don't want to see people too old for work going in and killing themselves. Even if we raised the age, that would prompt businesses to get rid of their older workers earlier. Let's face it, young athletic full of spunk workers do a lot more work than a 67 year old man or lady.

They want me to work until 67, and I don't even know if I'll live that long given my medical problems. So what am I supposed to do, work until the day I die? That's what I get for a lifetime of working and not going on the dole?

Only the right wing is for, "work or die" ethics. The left wing know we have a general welfare clause, to help out.

Welfare instead of unemployment compensation.

Do you really think you can just pop up again and offer the same failed excuses?

It is not an excuse, it is in our Constitution.