John Boehner, minority leader for the Republicans in the House of Representatives, gave an interview to a Pittsburgh newspaper in which he seriously proposed raising the social security retirement age so that more funds can be appropraited for our losing War in Afghanistan. No, this is not some kind of obscene joke, Boehner was totally serious.
Having retired already, my wife and I would not be affected by such a proposal, as we are already locked into our retirement ages -- although since she is younger, her age for full retirement benefits was raised a year beyond my full benefit age. Indeed, as the baby boomers continue to retire, they will find ever-increasing age requirements already in place for them to receive full benefits. These proposals were enacted to save social security, as fewer and fewer working people support more and more retired people via their taxes.
That would seem to be a legitimate reason for raising retirement ages.
The Boehner proposal, however, is a snake of a different color. Paying for our unnecessary and unwinnable war in Afghanistan by making Americans work longer to receive full social security benefits, which are already inadequate with no inflation adjustment this year, is obscene -- but not a joke. Of course, Boehner himself will not have to worry, thanks to the lavish Congressional retirement benefits he will receive. It is just we working stiffs who would get to work more years while younger workers wait in the wings for job openings and advancement delayed by the clogging of the career ladder.
The one ray of light in this Bane of Boehner is the simple and wise solution: we begin phasing down this unwinnable war now, start pulling troops out as soon as humanly possible, and then have no need to tamper with social security to fuel an unnecessary war effort.
As for John Boehner, the sooner progressives retire him from Congress, the better. He is a disgrace to all working and retired Americans, and has fought every single proposal of the Obama administration tooth and nail. Sadly, though, he is not alone.
Having retired already, my wife and I would not be affected by such a proposal, as we are already locked into our retirement ages -- although since she is younger, her age for full retirement benefits was raised a year beyond my full benefit age. Indeed, as the baby boomers continue to retire, they will find ever-increasing age requirements already in place for them to receive full benefits. These proposals were enacted to save social security, as fewer and fewer working people support more and more retired people via their taxes.
That would seem to be a legitimate reason for raising retirement ages.
The Boehner proposal, however, is a snake of a different color. Paying for our unnecessary and unwinnable war in Afghanistan by making Americans work longer to receive full social security benefits, which are already inadequate with no inflation adjustment this year, is obscene -- but not a joke. Of course, Boehner himself will not have to worry, thanks to the lavish Congressional retirement benefits he will receive. It is just we working stiffs who would get to work more years while younger workers wait in the wings for job openings and advancement delayed by the clogging of the career ladder.
The one ray of light in this Bane of Boehner is the simple and wise solution: we begin phasing down this unwinnable war now, start pulling troops out as soon as humanly possible, and then have no need to tamper with social security to fuel an unnecessary war effort.
As for John Boehner, the sooner progressives retire him from Congress, the better. He is a disgrace to all working and retired Americans, and has fought every single proposal of the Obama administration tooth and nail. Sadly, though, he is not alone.
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