grant sarver
Well-known member
Wow, credits are like gold!
The Demise of the United States is Inevitable
- Thread starter Fred Sherman
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Fred Sherman
Well-known member
No, Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system, which means that payments collected today are immediately used to pay benefits. There is no trust fund. Up until two years ago, social security taxes slightly outpaced expenses, so over the years that overage has been "invested" in Treasury securities in the total of $2.3 trillion. Sounds good, right?
But not really. Its a gimmick. All it really means is that 1/6 of the US debt has been taken on by the Social Security Trust Fund. For a government that is $1.2 trillion over budget every year, that means is basically junk bonds at best or the IOU of a deadbeat debtor at worst.
The baby boom generation has begun to retire, reducing the number of workers per retiree. Meanwhile, people are living longer and thus would collect benefits longer, while parents are not having as many children, which limits the pool of new workers. What this means in over a relatively short period of time, instead of it being a certain number of workers per retiree, its going to be a certain number of retirees per worker. Thats where the systems becomes unsustainable. Those Treasury securities cannot be converted to cash, so their worthless and the system collapses.
Social Security, as it is managed today, is a forced intergenerational redistribution. There have been benefits from the socialized system, but there have also been significant costs — especially the loss of freedom. Individuals are compelled to pay into a system in which nothing is saved or invested, and in which the promise of future benefits can be broken at any time.
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
Like they did in Egypt ?
Last year, I had a nightmare that unemployment in the US hit 15% and there was a "Revolution of the People". People felt it was the only way around the corruptness in Washington and the media in general. Maybe it was a dream ?I think almost every country would benefit from Political Reform .... but it seems impossible that elected officials will reduce their own power.
hmmmmmm .... just a dream ?
sounds familiar ... !
OCCUPY
Maybe there is hope for the United States !!!!!
Anthony Parsons
Well-known member
It had to happen... now just waiting for the world war to occur, because population reduction is next on the agenda to solve many issues in that arena.
Kim
Well-known member
geeze this thread is still going?
ahhh.. you just can't keep a good Doomsday'er down Peggy.
Fred Sherman
Well-known member
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...1/11/17/gIQAWQTJUN_story.html?wprss=rss_world
A perfect example. The expansion of NATO with the US as a member is actually having a destabilizing effect. Russia would be far less concerned with NATO expansion if it were purely a European organization.
Likewise, we don't need to expand our role in the Pacific Rim. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/w...illard-expand-us-australia-military-ties.html
The rest of the world can function quite well without us having a finger in everything, everywhere. If we can only promote freedom and liberty at the end of a gun, we're not really promoting anything, are we? Nor are other countries really free, if their freedom comes only under our umbrella of protection.
Carlos
Well-known member
Yeap. Apparently!geeze this thread is still going?
Kim
Well-known member
As someone on the other end of that expansion I could not agree more (for once)
I don't want more US troops training here thank you very much! only 55% of Australians support this.
However, what you are saying is in fact not correct, my understanding of the situation is that it is strategic defence, not offence or "promotion of freedom!" As Obama said here yesterday, "America is a Pacific Nation, and we are here to stay"
This action is very much a "flying the flag" exercise.
Believe me the "region" ain't happy about it either, Indonesian and China have both expressed "concern" with Indonesia already making comments like "It would be a shame if there was a misunderstanding, and and over-reaction to that mis-understanding".
Clearly a veiled threat if ever there was one.. and Indonesia has an army of 1,000,000 and is right on our doorstep.
erich37
Well-known member
The Average American Must Work For Two Extra Years After Death
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/new-r...merican-must-work-two-extra-years-after-death
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/new-r...merican-must-work-two-extra-years-after-death
Anthony Parsons
Well-known member
From an ex Australian Army soldier, let me just say... Indonesia is not a threat to Australia, even with their troop numbers.
There is firstly a big ocean between us to cross, which most would get blown out of the water and sky whilst crossing, before reaching land.
Second, Indonesian Army doesn't even have the equipment to arm their Army, nor the equipment they do have usually does not work. I've trained with them and served on operations with them in relative countries, and let me just say, they went to pull the trigger and wondered why their rusted weapon didn't fire. Let alone they're one of the most insubordinate and corrupt armies in the world. Orders mean little to them, and they often don't like their own country due to being left in other countries to fend for themselves, without their own country feeding them, clothing them, paying them, etc. All experience here, not conspiracy or theory.
Third... Australia is one country that is near impossible to actually invade, because the nearest land structure is the North of the country, hence the majority of our military is based in the North, and when you hit land, after getting past the crocs, snakes and other 10 worlds most deadliest creatures on the planet, the most you will get is Darwin and maybe some Northern QLD country towns, everything after that you will die trying to get by having to cross the Australian country side, being desert and croc infested rainforest in the North of Queensland.
Where is the majority of Australian residents? The east coast of Australia, from Brisbane to Melbourne. A land size the same as the USA, with the population of one US city. Good luck trying to invade and inflict a great deal of damage to this country.
Even America have stated Australia is a naturally defensible country... near impossible to successfully invade. This is why we only need a small army in this country. The country itself works to our defensive advantage. Australians die trying to cross parts of Australia... let alone a foreign person. The majority of deaths in outback Australia are tourists, because they don't understand how deadly our country naturally is.
IF you actually made it that far, there would be little of your Army left. Australia's defence strategy uses our country to our defensive advantage.
whynot
Well-known member
The keyword is "near", Anthony.
In WWII without the US help it could be invaded.
Kim
Well-known member
There is also more than one way to adversely affect a country than landing and invading it, no country is an island.. oh wait.. we are.. AND we import/export a heap of crap, most of it passes right by our Northern neighbours, I am all for neighbourly peace and quiet myself, and for diplomatic solutions to differences. When you have two friends who don't like each other, it's probably best not to invite them to the same party.
Besides which the point is more not the risk of invasion, but the regional diplomatic and domestic political issues arising from this increase in US troops on Australian soil.
We love the USA, BFF's forever and all that, we have been in every scrap you've asked us to be in... but we don't actually want to shack up with you.
I am all for neighbourly peace and quiet myself, and for diplomatic solutions to differences. When you have two friends who don't like each other, it's probably best not to invite them to the same party.Besides which the point is more not the risk of invasion, but the regional diplomatic and domestic political issues arising from this increase in US troops on Australian soil.
We love the USA, BFF's forever and all that, we have been in every scrap you've asked us to be in... but we don't actually want to shack up with you.
Sadik B
Well-known member
Why is it that everywhere I read somehow US is doing something somewhere where it brings in unrest and instability. We, in India, love the US too, most of our brightest and best students go to US, but US should just start to leave people alone and let others solve their own problems.
Kevin
Well-known member
Ever consider that the US is not a fault in some cases? No matter what the US does there are some regions where the US will always be vilified not for what they do but for what they are.
x_Stricken_x
Active member
Leave people alone and let others solve their problems? The US does a decent job of this. What exactly do you feel should they leave alone? Obviously when they take action though, people aren't always going to agree - this is where freedom of speech (and, in theory, opinion) applies. Granted, they don't always make the best decisions - but some decisions you can't really have an opinion about because with how things are now a days, you can't get the whole news story without someone locking their kids in the basement... Okay, maybe that's drastic, but it gets a valid point across: Every "issue" now a days, is a huge crisis - and, as far as my opinion goes, rightly so. I personally don't vote, and never will simply because I feel "All elections prove is who is a better liar". Think about it.. Well, not necessarily you (sadikb), but people in general... How many promises did Obama make to get elected, and what percent of those has he FULLY gone through with? (the ones within his power, anyways)
Anthony Parsons
Well-known member
Exactly... same applies to the US in the war of 1814, lost the US capitol: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Washington
All countries 'could' be invaded... how successful it would be... that is another story.I don't think having troops here is an issue to be perfectly honest. Australia has agreements with other countries to utilise their military bases, and they do... unbeknownst to many Australians.
To be perfectly honest with you, I couldn't care less if someone dropped a nuke on Indonesia. As I said, I've done operations with these people, even had to fight against them because they turn so readily... very nasty, manipulative, back stabbing country. I don't really care personally if Australia is friends with them or not... they're useless, ruthless and deceitful. I wouldn't trust one of them...
grant sarver
Well-known member
Leave America Alone!
craigiri
Well-known member
From an ex Australian Army soldier, let me just say... Indonesia is not a threat to Australia, even with their troop numbers.
Where is the majority of Australian residents? The east coast of Australia, from Brisbane to Melbourne. A land size the same as the USA, with the population of one US city. Good luck trying to invade and inflict a great deal of damage to this country.
Even America have stated Australia is a naturally defensible country... near impossible to successfully invade. This is why we only need a small army in this country. The country itself works to our defensive advantage. Australians die trying to cross parts of Australia... let alone a foreign person. The majority of deaths in outback Australia are tourists, because they don't understand how deadly our country naturally is.
IF you actually made it that far, there would be little of your Army left. Australia's defence strategy uses our country to our defensive advantage.
Sounds like you think of war from before the time they had missiles.......
From afar, it sounds like just a very few - maybe borrowed from Pakistan, could do away with the entire seats of government and much of the infrastructure.
Nah, I would not worry about the old fashioned invasions......but if you don't have a way of surviving a couple Pakistani nukes coming out of the stratosphere, then you are indefensible....in the long run. The rest of it is just a game designed to keep you feeling safe and parting with your money (taxes)....
MAD - Mutual Assured Destruction.....is the name of the game in the last 50 years. It's keeps us all safe, as much as I hate to be a proponent of it. As long as Aussies have a treaty with either NATO, the Brits or the US (nuke and missile powers), they can rest pretty easy and continue to bang their chests. Short of that, they'd be very tempting to the hordes of Asia due to the vast resources and low population.
IMHO, anyway!
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