Social Security and Medicare “entitlements”

1.        Social Security and Medicare are being called “entitlements” in the current “CLIFF” discussions.  I am “entitled” to these due to me and my employers paying into these funds for decades.

The current talk is to make these seem like the Government is giving to us and not returning the funds as is the agreement.  Again, I paid into these funds.

2.        I would say 60 Minutes last night showed an area that can be corrected, what I would call “cramming” beds in hospitals and there are other areas that need correction.

3.      Now they are saying that the Cost of Living Adjustment should be reduced to eliminate the "Cliff".

Yeh!!! That 1.75% COLA will really reduce the debt!?!?!?

4.      Social Security is OWED about 2.5 Trillion dollars from the General Fund!!!  It is solvent until 2033!

5.      These are the latest figures (in millions) I could find (2010).

Country	Economic Assistance FY 2010, $US millions	Military Assistance FY2010, $US millions	U.S. Total Economic and Military FY2010, $US millions
Afghanistan	4,646.50	6,800.30	11,446.80
Pakistan	1,939.60	913.9	2,853.50
Israel	36.3	2,799.50	2,835.80
Iraq	1,081.90	1,006.00	2,087.90
Egypt	397	1,301.90	1,698.90
Haiti	1,406.30	1.8	1,408.10
Ethiopia	981.5	0.3	981.8
Sudan	870.9	104.9	975.9
Colombia	677.9	185.8	863.7
Kenya	816.2	2.5	818.7
Jordan	463.3	303.8	767.1
Mexico	622.3	96	718.2
Senegal	698.4	3.7	702.1
West Bank/Gaza	693.1		693.1
South Africa	566.1	1.6	567.8
Tanzania	553.7	20.3	554.8
Russia	379.1	126.8	505.9
Uganda	451.1	36.3	487.4
Nigeria	456.1	2.9	459
Georgia	420	17.8	437.8
Mozambique	403.9	0.5	404.4
Congo (Kinshasa)	358.9	30	388.9
Indonesia	312.7	25.4	338
Zambia	331.4	0.4	331.8
Kazakhstan	304.5	17.2	321.7
TOTAL FOR THESE 25				33,649.10

6.      The “entitlements” that are being brought up are actually Earned Benefits (SS & Medicare)

7.      The definition of entitlements is being changed so let’s call it Earned Benefits (SS & Medicare).

CNN AGAIN

CNN is worried because the Pope made some "observations" on the Bible.

POINT ONE

LUKE 2.7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (KJV)

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (RSV)

 OK!  let's argue about "swaddling clothes," and "bands of cloth"

POINT TWO

Luke 2.8-52

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’(NRSV)

AND FROM KJV;
⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
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CNN you are choosing one version (NRSV) over another say (KJV)  
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I am not a Papist nor a Catholic, but these comments on his book are absurd!!!!   
It appears to me he is clarifying, at least his opinion, certain passages in the Christian Bible.
And you (CNN) are worried about the  phrase;
"a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!' " (NSRV) 
can be "said" to music or in song, an example are the PSALMS.

 

Now CNN is talking about the "obscene" gesture that girl made at the Tomb of the Unknown".  That is ridicules!!  She made an in-appropriate action.  I am sure that her "appearance" of shouting was to make a joke.  Goodness, there are more important things to be concerned.   

OK! I need to talk about all this new FOL-DI-RA.  ENTITLEMENTS

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"An entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or by legislation. A "right" is itself an entitlement associated with a moral or social principle, such that an "entitlement" is a provision made in accordance with legal framework of a society. Typically, entitlements are laws based on concepts of principle ("rights") which are themselves based in concepts of social equality or enfranchisement."

ALSO;
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Entitlements 
"en·ti·tle·ment  (n-ttl-mnt) n.

1. The act or process of entitling.

2. The state of being entitled.

3. A government program that guarantees and provides benefits to a particular group: "fights . . . to preserve victories won a generation ago, like the Medicaid entitlement for the poor" (Jason DeParle)."

Well,  THEY are calling Social Security and Medicare "Entitlements".

I HAVE PAID FOR THESE FOR 50 YEARS!!!

Well Medicare since 1965!!