I defy anyone to prove your numbers wrong. Thom Hartmann has been banging this drum for quite a while and even wrote a book on it.
I'm a blue collar guy who always built or flipped houses in addition to my day job in hopes of retiring comfortably and early. 2008 came along and wiped out 20 years of sweat and hard work. I got to start over at 50 after a divorce and bankruptcy. So I agree completely that the deck has been stacked against the middle class ever since Reagan was elected and began the republican war on it.
So, seems like a Clear and Present Danger ... what is the vision/prescription/plan to do something about the future that you and many others extrapolate from these insights?
Remember that the CBO generates reports for congress to guide their decisions. So, anything they do is by intention and knowing the outcomes and projected consequences. The CBO analyses the impacts of every bit of proposed legislation, including renaming a post office.
Here’s a useful one:
Congress budget office options to reduce the deficit (see summary table of options)
It shows how much insurance companies rip off the government with Medicare Advantage, how much it costs to continue the wealthy tax cuts, how much we lose by rich people not paying into social security above the income cap.
See also the fascinating Congressional Research Service, which provides reps with research on numerous topics by request: https://crsreports.congress.gov/.
“Guide” would say is a bit of an overstatement. “Inform” perhaps… if most of those idiots could actually read and think.
The only thing that guides Congress from the CBO is bill scoring back in the days when we seemed to care about that. Now? I have no idea.
And CRS is indeed a good resource. They are part intern researcher and part legal counsel to the Congress… but again … it presumes any of those feckless asstwits read and think… which is pretty damn rare.
I was stunned that CBO would issue this with this level of analysis. I mean for those of us who can read… it’s pretty damning. I have no doubt if someone at OMB gets a clue… the director of the CBO will be shown the door by MAGA “Fucktwit” Mike himself.
Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is now the most predictively accurate S&P500 EPS forecasting factor, because the chaos of Complex-PTSD now drives US policy and the Oval Office.
I appreciate this article. Awareness is the first step to realizing change is necessary. It’s like we have been living in an abusive relationship, and yes, agreeing to it. Fear, promise of better times, the occasional gifts, gaslighting, etc, etc, work in both. Opening up our eyes to the truth, which is happening now in the US and globally, we take back our power, end our identification as victims, and decide to create healthy, sustainable societies. The abusers have no real power without “we the people”. And we have each other. I support your idea of no borders.
I'm sorry, but how does '401k balances' get lumped in with Social Security projections? I don't disagree with your overall point, but it's unclear how a 401k bal contributes to the 'brittleness'.
The system is brittle not just because of looming Social Security shortfalls, but because millions of Americans are also relying on 401(k)s that were never designed to carry this weight alone. Social Security was meant to be one leg of a three-legged stool—pensions, personal savings, and government support. But with pensions gutted and savings precarious, we’ve put the full load on volatile, individually managed retirement accounts. This means every person invested in the stock market has to be an expert to ensure returns. That’s not resilience. That’s luck and market timing disguised as a safety net.
I defy anyone to prove your numbers wrong. Thom Hartmann has been banging this drum for quite a while and even wrote a book on it.
I'm a blue collar guy who always built or flipped houses in addition to my day job in hopes of retiring comfortably and early. 2008 came along and wiped out 20 years of sweat and hard work. I got to start over at 50 after a divorce and bankruptcy. So I agree completely that the deck has been stacked against the middle class ever since Reagan was elected and began the republican war on it.
Historically, that has always resulted in collapse or revolution or both.
So, seems like a Clear and Present Danger ... what is the vision/prescription/plan to do something about the future that you and many others extrapolate from these insights?
Borderless Living offers one idea about what to do (leave and find opportunity elsewhere).
Other articles I've written... including the one that preceded this... gives action recommendations.
Remember that the CBO generates reports for congress to guide their decisions. So, anything they do is by intention and knowing the outcomes and projected consequences. The CBO analyses the impacts of every bit of proposed legislation, including renaming a post office.
Here’s a useful one:
Congress budget office options to reduce the deficit (see summary table of options)
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60557
It shows how much insurance companies rip off the government with Medicare Advantage, how much it costs to continue the wealthy tax cuts, how much we lose by rich people not paying into social security above the income cap.
See also the fascinating Congressional Research Service, which provides reps with research on numerous topics by request: https://crsreports.congress.gov/.
“Guide” would say is a bit of an overstatement. “Inform” perhaps… if most of those idiots could actually read and think.
The only thing that guides Congress from the CBO is bill scoring back in the days when we seemed to care about that. Now? I have no idea.
And CRS is indeed a good resource. They are part intern researcher and part legal counsel to the Congress… but again … it presumes any of those feckless asstwits read and think… which is pretty damn rare.
I was stunned that CBO would issue this with this level of analysis. I mean for those of us who can read… it’s pretty damning. I have no doubt if someone at OMB gets a clue… the director of the CBO will be shown the door by MAGA “Fucktwit” Mike himself.
Good points. The CBO is really good.
Having good data and ignoring it stupid, but sadly par for the course in this congress.
But, for now at least, WE have access to that info and should use it.
Thank you for doing just that!
Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is now the most predictively accurate S&P500 EPS forecasting factor, because the chaos of Complex-PTSD now drives US policy and the Oval Office.
https://open.substack.com/pub/greensoldragons/p/the-most-accurate-predictive-metric?r=5fqqav&utm_medium=ios
I appreciate this article. Awareness is the first step to realizing change is necessary. It’s like we have been living in an abusive relationship, and yes, agreeing to it. Fear, promise of better times, the occasional gifts, gaslighting, etc, etc, work in both. Opening up our eyes to the truth, which is happening now in the US and globally, we take back our power, end our identification as victims, and decide to create healthy, sustainable societies. The abusers have no real power without “we the people”. And we have each other. I support your idea of no borders.
I'm sorry, but how does '401k balances' get lumped in with Social Security projections? I don't disagree with your overall point, but it's unclear how a 401k bal contributes to the 'brittleness'.
The system is brittle not just because of looming Social Security shortfalls, but because millions of Americans are also relying on 401(k)s that were never designed to carry this weight alone. Social Security was meant to be one leg of a three-legged stool—pensions, personal savings, and government support. But with pensions gutted and savings precarious, we’ve put the full load on volatile, individually managed retirement accounts. This means every person invested in the stock market has to be an expert to ensure returns. That’s not resilience. That’s luck and market timing disguised as a safety net.
Oof. That's an excellent (albeit depressing) point. Thank you for the clarification. Much appreciated.