dont agree at all. anyone who is a senior that has lived 65 or 70 years and hasnt saved or invested enough money to live on anything other the SS has no one to blame but themselves. I dont feel sorry them at all. if one cant save $5k a year for retirement then thats on them.
My biggest issue with this is the fact that these lowly uneducated folks and their employers paid a bunch of money into a system that they will never see and that congress has stole blind. In the end SS is nothing more than a hidden tax. I don't agree with all the checks SS pays out to young people that are defrauding the system claiming some disability while they keep raising the age for those that worked all their lives and paid generously into the system. I don't have a problem with the children getting benefits through college because that deceased parent at least paid money in. This after all is a forced retirement account that they have paid into with the promise of little to no return.
as far as the elected officals go try paying them $38k a yr. and see what kind of elected officials we get as a whole. if you think its bad now see who we would get as a replacement if the salary was not inviting. there not perfect but most are highly educated and could have done a dozen other things with their career to make a hell of a lot more then what they currently get paid now.
You have to understand that they don't serve based on their salary, but the power their position brings and all the nice little perks. I would hate to know what their actual annual income amounts to. It would probably even shock you. It's a corrupt system filled with corrupt individuals who accept money for votes instead of representing those back home.
I appreciate what our troops do over seas and they should certainly get paid more then they do especially while serving in a combat zone but they are well aware of what their salary is before they enlist and many are fresh out of high school with no education or experience. its not a desirable job which is why it doesnt pay much.