Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

Social security is not money people are getting back. There is no "lockbox"; the system pays money out immediately from one person's paycheck to the retiree's SS check.

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

Hmm . . . I expect that the 15% (i'm self employed) i pay every year in social security tax i will get back (in the form of social security) when I retire.

The problem is that the social security surplus is being used to hide an even bigger deficit. If it were set aside there wouldn't be a social security crisis.

[ April 24, 2004, 22:32: Message edited by: rextorres ]

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

If it were set aside, A. it wouldn't work as of now, because most people would either already be retired or have nothing in their box and B. you'd be better off letting people keep it and invest it themselves..

EDIT: and very shortly social security won't have a surplus, it'll have a deficit. Should point out this proves it isn't the lockbox model, since by definition you can't have a surplus in that.

[ April 24, 2004, 22:45: Message edited by: Phoenix-D ]

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

sigh, I guess there is no chance for this thread now. *shakes head and walks away*

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

Rextorres, you said 50% of your tax dollar. As you point out, if you amend that to nearly 50% of discretionary federal spending, then yes, I agree.

Geo is right, though. This thread has gotten ridiculously OT the OT.

Tillman is a hero to me. As are my dad, Dietrich Bonhoffer, Corrie ten Boom, and many others than mean nothing to many of you. That's fine... everyone is free to choose those that they emulate. I just happen to believe that the world would be a better place if more people approached it with a value system similar to Tillman's.

Bill

[ April 25, 2004, 02:51: Message edited by: taterbill ]

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

That's part of the tragedy. The politicians who sent Tilman are the very same ones who did not follow Tilman's example. They did everything within their power not to go.

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

Alpha you may delete the thread if you wish. That will end the off topic and political discussion in your thread. Or you can ask that it be locked since you originated the thread.

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

For those of you that may have misunderstood:

What I posted below may sound like some poem I found or made up. IT IS NOT! This is the pain that I live with every day of my life; these are things that creep into my mind no matter how hard I try to drive them out.

Tillman is a hero! So are all the others in our armed forces. They are heroes because they chose to join. He didn’t go over to die, he went to serve. Damn the Webster definition of a hero. If you save a baby in a burning car does that make you a hero? If you help a trapped man after a storm does that make you a hero? Yes it does and why? Because you chose to help and he [Tillman] is a hero, along with all the other men and woman of the armed forces, because he choose to serve!

[ April 25, 2004, 02:10: Message edited by: President Elect Shang ]

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

From Taterbill

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Couldn't agree with you more!

Seems the only thing we are arguing about is the definition of "hero", not the quality of Mr. Tillman.

Re: OT - Tribute to a hero
 

The reason that I consider Pat Tillman a hero is not that he died, but what he gave up to be a soldier. I considered him a hero the moment he gave up a multi-million dollar contract to join the army. There aren't many who have made that sort of sacrifice voluntarily. I respect those who define hero differently, and have no problem with them. I read a post in another forum by a currently active service member that summed it up well. She said that she had joined to serve, but also because she needed the education and experience to open up a future for herself, while Mr. Tillman already had all of that. He didn't need anything from the military, he only wanted to serve.

What I see in the death of Pat Tillman is a reminder that the news everyday of another soldier or soldiers fallen is not just another numbing statistic, but the loss of an individual. I understand that there are differing political views on this forum, and I appreciate the fact (and am not surprised by it) that those who oppose the current administration still recognize the courage and value of his choices.

I do not give up hope for this thread. It's purpose is to honor those who willingly put themselves in harm's way to protect the rest of us. It may have been sidetracked a few times, but there is still a sense of respect here that has value. I do not doubt that there are a significant number here (not just Americans, but from all over the world) who have a friend or loved one (or even themselves) in the military and have to wonder every day what will happen. That is something that transcends politics.