Please help me to understand!

speyfly · 12-20-2002, 08:41 PM

I am including a link to a news story. I can't understand where this would be good for us (tax paying Americans). Please read and give me your take on this.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/849447.asp?0si=-

[ 12-20-2002, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: speyfly ]

Chukrchaser · 12-20-2002, 09:39 PM

Spey,
I only got through about half the article before I developed the need to hurl :shocked: -- none of what was said in the article should be too surprising as long as we understand that Mexico will be the 51st state.

Chuck

1pump · 12-20-2002, 09:41 PM

OK, this kinda made sense until I got to the last paragraph:

Quote:

The GOP aide said Mexican officials would also like benefits to be adjusted upward for a legal Mexican worker who worked in the United States for some time illegally and paid into the Social Security system using a false Social Security number. Lemus said there is as much as $21 billion in Social Security payments that have not been tracked to potential beneficiaries, most likely because they were paid under a false Social Security number.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Leave it to the Mexican government to demand benefits for illegal aliens. They seem to think we "owe" them something. I had a El Salvadoran employee a while ago who's been in the US for 10 years, 100% legally. He had some minor hassles with the INS, but it wasn't that tough to get a green card and stay out of trouble. It cost him about $200 a year to stay current. He doesn't complain, and he said it was a lot better than going back home and getting shot by some Marxist guerilla or corrupt government soldier.
I have a better idea:
How about the Mexicans improving their working conditions in Mexico so their population stays down there? Then they won't have to worry about our mean old nasty Social Security system. And what about the Asians, Middle Easterners and countless others that are here illegally? I guess they're entitled to our retirement as well. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

12-20-2002, 10:12 PM

If they were legal and paid taxes they deserve the SS benefits. If they weren't legal they shouldn't get a nickel.

thankful · 12-20-2002, 10:13 PM

Speyfly, I believe it to be like this. Imagine you go to Canada legally to work to catch pogeys and they pay you one Canadian penny for every 100 pogey you catch. You got to catch plenty of those pogeys and you know, you got to use your hands and you got to bend real low just to see those frisky little buggers. You'll probably have to work early in the morn till sundown and sometimes into the night. The Canadian people and especially the fishermen do really appreciate you doing that kind of work cause they surely don't like to. Those pogeys like to eat salmon eggs and the fishermen sure do put up a fit when the pogeys steal their bait. Anyway, come payday time your are just glad to get what little you get to send back to Oregon cause your relatives back home are starving. Now what you don't know is that the Canadian government has been taking a part of your hard earned money and putting it in a slush fund to pay their fishermen retirerees. Now President Bush is negotiating in your behalf with the Canadian president to get that money back to you or else they have to find someone else to catch those bait stealing pogeys. Are you with me? Oh well........Did you know if Lott could only had his slip-up edited, people would still think he is of good character but we know better don"t we? Ifish is the best!!!!!!!

12-21-2002, 07:38 AM

Thankful,
Mostly right :smile:

speyfly · 12-21-2002, 07:41 AM

Thankful, I agree with you simple and understandable example BUT, have you ever tried to live and work in Canada (if you are not Canadian)? It is next to impossible. They believe in taking care of their people first. Just a thought

thankful · 12-21-2002, 12:11 PM

Exactly Speyfly, I was just using the Canadians as a metaphor. Anyway, they do have great fishing and I just can't understand how their pennies keeps getting into my pocket. Keta, hope everything turns out okey on your upcoming med. appointment.

12-21-2002, 11:20 PM

Speyfly,
Try being a Mexican in the US.

[ 12-21-2002, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

Gobbaworms · 12-23-2002, 09:33 PM

First blush of the story was maddening. But then I thought, the SSA will be bankrupt in 30 years with more retirees than workers. So how do you get more workers and increase the current liquidity of the system. Fresh meat. Then equalize the payments somehow to match the cost of living in Mexico vs the US. Then give the "illegals" an incentive to become legal and then more accountable for fed and state taxes.

Then again, maybe not.

I've got to believe there is no free lunch with GW. Mexico wasn't so supportive on the War with Iraq and these SS talks are at an "acelerated pace" hmmm......

sinker · 12-24-2002, 04:43 AM

I heard Bush was gonna pull us out of NAFTA. He doesn't need it for these deals with Mexico and Canada is getting to be a pain to do business with. I know several truck drivers that drive there now and then. They're having to wait for hours at the border for permits. No background checks or anything just a little piece of paper that says they can haul into Canada.