[Windwalker]

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social
Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be
Completely voluntary,

No longer Voluntary


2.) That the partic ipants would only have to pay
1% of the first $1,400 of their annual
Incomes into the Program,

Now 7.65%
on the first $90,000


3.) That the money the participants elected to put
into the Program would be deductible from
their income for tax purposes each year,

No longer tax deductible


4.) That the money the participants put into the
independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the
general operating fund, and therefore, would
only be used to fund the Social Security
Retirement Program, and no other
Government program, and,

Under Johnson the money was moved to
The General Fund and Spent


5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

Under Clinton & Gore
Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are
now receiving a Social Security check every month --
and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of
the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put
away' -- you may be interested in the following:

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the
independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the
general fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically
controlled House and Senate.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ------ --- --

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax
deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democratic Party.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -----

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social
Security annuities?

A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the
'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

Q: Which Political Party decided to start
giving annuity payments to immigrants?

AND MY FAVORITE:

A: That's right!

Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party.
Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65,
began to receive Social Security payments! The
Democratic Party gave these payments to them,
even though they never paid a dime into it!

------------ -- ------------ --------- ----- ------------ --------- ---------

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA),
the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

The worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it and believe that the Democats are "for the people."


If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of
awareness will be planted and maybe changes will
evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully
sure of what isn't so.

But it's worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to?

Actions speak louder than bumper stickers.

AND CONGRESS GIVES THEMSELVES 100% RETIREMENT FOR ONLY SERVING ONE TERM

Just thought I'd pass along something I got.
No, I did not varify it, but I'm sure someone will.:lol:

[Roadhog]

I've seen that before, and heard it's not accurate.
But who cares, everybody knows its all Bush's fault. :lol:

Besides, if you were to add all that crap up, it wouldn't begin to stack up against Obama's RAW DEAL. :roll:

Anyway, lets just let Hobo do the research.
I'm sure he has this one already saved in a stack of redneck conspiracy papers somewhere. :block:

[Mr. Ford95]

#1 is true, it is mandatory, did not find anything that said it was ever voluntary. Then again I wasn't looking too hard.

#2 seems to be that someone is confused. I read it as being 6.2% to FICA itself but if you combine it with Medicare then the number comes up correct.

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) (codified in the Internal Revenue Code) imposes a Social Security withholding tax equal to 6.20% of the gross wage amount, up to but not exceeding the Social Security Wage Base ($97,500 for 2007; $102,000 for 2008; and $106,800 for 2009). The same 6.20% tax is imposed on employers. For each calendar year for which the worker is assessed the FICA contribution, the SSA credits those wages as that year's covered wages. The income cutoff is adjusted yearly for inflation and other factors.

A separate payroll tax of 1.45% of an employee's income is paid directly by the employer, and an additional 1.45% deducted from the employee's paycheck, yielding a total tax rate of 2.90%. There is no maximum limit on this portion of the tax. This portion of the tax is used to fund the Medicare program, which is primarily responsible for providing health benefits to retirees.

The combined tax rate of these two federal programs is 15.30% (7.65% paid by the employee and 7.65% paid by the employer).

#3 is sketchy, what I read:

If a worker has overpaid toward Social Security by having more than one job or by having switched jobs during the year, that worker can file to have that overpayment counted as tax paid when they file their Federal income tax return. If the taxpayer is due a refund, then the FICA overpayment becomes part or all of the refund.

I would call it tax deductible in that case since you will get money back from it.

#4 is correct.

[Windwalker]

I had thought Hobo would at least make some comment about the "Q & A" part of it that points a finger straight at the Democrats. I guess he hasn't seen this thread yet.

[BigWheels]

Now let's all give Hobo a chance to respond.

I bet he's in research mode right now.

Heck, I bet he's driving to Washington DC to get to the bottom of this.

[VitoCorleone99]

On the whopper scale, that one's a double with cheese. These guys (factcheck.org) slant a little to the left, especially when it comes to evaluating campaign pledges, but in this case facts are facts.

The folks who would be swayed by these e-mails ( plus "Bush and Bin Laden were playing Parcheesi earlier in 2001" and so forth...) don't really need for them to be accurate though. They reinforce whatever people were already thinking.

I heard on MSNBC that Bush used the whole Social Security trust fund to buy oil from Dick Cheney so he could spill it in the Mississippi River and kill all the black people in New Orleans. That's probably what really went wrong.

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by BigWheels

Now let's all give Hobo a chance to respond.

I bet he's in research mode right now.

Heck, I bet he's driving to Washington DC to get to the bottom of this.

Hey there Big Wheels! Long time .. no see!

Research Mode??? Not quite! If I am correct, you are posting this from the "comfort" of your home OR "bunk" while I am trying to wake myself up so I can finish a mere 7 hour run! Doing a "day shift" today (starts at 1 a.m..... so my partner can have a day off!

IOW..... I'm kinda BUSY right now folks.... so um..... wach a MOVIE or somethin' while you're waiting for a load! :lol2:

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

Just thought I'd pass along something I got.
No, I did not varify it, but I'm sure someone will.:lol:

Makes one wonder what you would do if you "got" V.D. :roll:

I almost regret having spent most of the morning researching this when I could have just clicked on Vito's "factcheck" link! But, then I would just be taking someone else's word for it instead of checking it myself.... a sickness shared by many on this site, which I prefer to remain free of.

The irony in all this is astounding. Is it just the case that Republicans are totally stoopid and can't get ANYTHING right? Or is it more sinister in nature (as was suggested by Factcheck.org?) I REALLY thought at least ONE of the claims might be true. How can anyone screw up ALL those points?

Stuff like this kinda puts the whole healthcare "debate" in perspective, does it not? Which party seems to have a history of distorting the truth? And to WHICH "gullible" citizenry are such emails ALWAYS sent?

You want me to give you a HINT?

The worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it and believe that the Democats are "for the people."

I was going to "fix it for you" by changing the party name here, but.... after realizing that the idiot who penned this email can't even SPELL the name of the party, I decided to leave it as it was. It punctuates the absurdity!

Next....

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by golfhobo

Makes one wonder what you would do if you "got" V.D. :roll:

I almost regret having spent most of the morning researching this when I could have just clicked on Vito's "factcheck" link! But, then I would just be taking someone else's word for it instead of checking it myself.... a sickness shared by many on this site, which I prefer to remain free of.

The irony in all this is astounding. Is it just the case that Republicans are totally stoopid and can't get ANYTHING right? Or is it more sinister in nature (as was suggested by Factcheck.org?) I REALLY thought at least ONE of the claims might be true. How can anyone screw up ALL those points?

Stuff like this kinda puts the whole healthcare "debate" in perspective, does it not? Which party seems to have a history of distorting the truth? And to WHICH "gullible" citizenry are such emails ALWAYS sent?

You want me to give you a HINT?

The worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it and believe that the Democats are "for the people."

I was going to "fix it for you" by changing the party name here, but.... after realizing that the idiot who penned this email can't even SPELL the name of the party, I decided to leave it as it was. It punctuates the absurdity!

Next....

GOTCHA ! ! !
As originally stated, "an interesting email". Nothing more.
But, I have other reasons as to why the Democrats are not for the people.
(That's not exactly saying the Republicans are either.)

[golfhobo]

Windy:

You didn't "get" anyone. I didn't research the history of FICA because you quoted some email. As mentioned before, I already KNOW that most if not all of these emails are hoaxes. I did it because I CARE about the truth. IF any of those claims against Dems were accurate, I felt I should know it. From the first claim, I knew something wasn't right.... as I KNEW I had never heard that FICA was ever "voluntary."

You insult me if you think I don't know when I'm being baited. Heck, the other posts on this thread show that it has become a "game" to some of you. I don't mind. I'm expanding my knowledge while many of you are drinking koolaid.

I've spent most of the afternoon re-reading the decisions of the Supreme Court in Bush vs. Gore. My brother and his wife are taking my mother and father out to lunch for their birthdays, and I just didn't feel like going. You know.... 5th wheel and all.

But, if you prefer to waste my time by baiting me into "reactionary" posts rather than having an actual discussion with me about MY beliefs or feelings on a particular subject.... well, it's your nickel.

I suppose that opportunity has long since been squandered anyway.