Interesting

[tombogan03884]

SS is not a problem if we pay back our national debt.  We are into retired generations at this point that fully funded their Social Security and Medicare.  The problem is that the spenders could not manage to keep their fingers out of the cookie jar.  The average 65 year old Baby Boomer retiring today worked for 45 years and averaged $20k per year - $900k paid in.  Let's say the feds paid no interest on that money and took 25% for management and SSI for those not paying in - $675k in their account when they retire today.  $675k times 3% = $20,250 per year to split between Social Security and Medicare.

Now that I have that rant out of the way:

Outside of paying for Washington DC and all of our federally elected officials and their staff, what should the feds pay for?

1.  National Defense
2.  Interstate Highway System
3.  National Parks and Monuments
4.  Aid to foreign countries, or should I say protection money to foreign mafias
5.  Immigration

You are wrong about 2 of those,
 The highway system was supposed to be jointly funded from DOD who wanted an Autobahn type system to move troops and equipment, the civilian portion is why you pay that .9 cents on every gallon of gas.
Supplemental funding, when needed was supposed to be collected in tolls.
Immigration is supposed to pay for itself

[fightingquaker13]

Immigration is supposed to pay for itself

If we legalized and taxed the drugs they mule, and fined and RICOed the ones who knowingly hire them, it still might.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

The people we allow to legally come here are to aid our industrial growth. Those who come illegally need to be rounded up, registered, decimated, and the remainder sent across the nearest border under sentence of death if they ever return.

[MikeBjerum]

You are wrong about 2 of those,
 The highway system was supposed to be jointly funded from DOD who wanted an Autobahn type system to move troops and equipment, the civilian portion is why you pay that .9 cents on every gallon of gas.
Supplemental funding, when needed was supposed to be collected in tolls.
Immigration is supposed to pay for itself

Both of those fall under federal management so not wrong.

[tombogan03884]

Both of those fall under federal management so not wrong.

My disagreement is based on the fact that Immigration should be at the expense of the immigrant, not us.
and the highway system should be counted as part of the defense spending you had already listed.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

My disagreement is based on the fact that Immigration should be at the expense of the immigrant, not us.
and the highway system should be counted as part of the defense spending you had already listed.

I agree, but just like the fuel tax for the highways it is money that goes from someone, to the feds, and into the system.  It is money that should count as a state expense or benefit.  We don't disagree, we just don't read and type clearly enough 

[Timothy]

SS is not a problem if we pay back our national debt.  We are into retired generations at this point that fully funded their Social Security and Medicare.  The problem is that the spenders could not manage to keep their fingers out of the cookie jar.  The average 65 year old Baby Boomer retiring today worked for 45 years and averaged $20k per year - $900k paid in.  Let's say the feds paid no interest on that money and took 25% for management and SSI for those not paying in - $675k in their account when they retire today.  $675k times 3% = $20,250 per year to split between Social Security and Medicare.

In order to pay 20K into SS every year, one would have to earn an average of $135,000.00 annually.  Remember you only pay in 15% combined from your AGI up to $106,500.00.  This math is way off Mike unless I've misunderstood your reasoning.

I've worked for forty years and earned a little over $1,250,000.00 in my lifetime.  My account currently has about 185K waiting for me to retire.  That won't last long which is why they're raising the minimum full retirement age.  I'm currently at 66 and 6 months.

This system has been stolen from for decades but we're only supposed to live for about 6 or 7 years after retirement for the system to stay solvent.  The system wants us dead before we bleed it too much!

[Solus]

In order to pay 20K into SS every year, one would have to earn an average of $135,000.00 annually.  Remember you only pay in 15% combined from your AGI up to $106,500.00.  This math is way off Mike unless I've misunderstood your reasoning.

I've worked for forty years and earned a little over $1,250,000.00 in my lifetime.  My account currently has about 185K waiting for me to retire.  That won't last long which is why they're raising the minimum full retirement age.  I'm currently at 66 and 6 months.

This system has been stolen from for decades but we're only supposed to live for about 6 or 7 years after retirement for the system to stay solvent.  The system wants us dead before we bleed it too much!

Tim, do you happen to know how much you paid in each mo/year and what it would be worth if compounded monthly (or yearly) at 2%?

And they haven't neglected us not living too long.   If Obamacare remains, it will cover that concern.

[Timothy]

Tim, do you happen to know how much you paid in each mo/year and what it would be worth if compounded monthly (or yearly) at 2%?

And they haven't neglected us not living too long.   If Obamacare remains, it will cover that concern.

It would amount to a boat load more in my account.  I was all for privatizing the SS system when it was considered by W and fully support Gingrich in his attempts to make young peoples accounts more private and manageable by the individual.

The Feds can't manage a liquor store or a whorehouse and make a profit.  How in the world can we expect any different with SS or anything else for that matter?

[Solus]

It would amount to a boat load more in my account.  I was all for privatizing the SS system when it was considered by W and fully support Gingrich in his attempts to make young peoples accounts more private and manageable by the individual.

The Feds can't manage a liquor store or a whorehouse and make a profit.  How in the world can we expect any different with SS or anything else for that matter?

Agree on all counts.

I was just looking for a number so I could bitch and moan and whine and complain about it.   Those seem to be my new hobbies.