Retiring on SS Alone

[april47]

There is a new article on US NEWS today entitled "Retiring On Social Security Alone". What I like was a message by a poster in regards to this article.

"Let's put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home. This way the seniors would have access to showers,hobbies and walks, they'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment,wheel chairs and they would receive money instead of paying it out. They would have constant video monitoring so they could be helped instantly if they fell or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them. A guard would check on them every twenty minutes and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room,spiritual counselling, pool and education. Simple clothing, shoes, slippers,PJ's and legal aid would be free on request. Each senior could have a PC a TV, radio and daily phone calls. Private secure rooms for all with an exercise outdoor yard with gardens. There would be a board of directors to hear complaints and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to. ... ..The criminals would get cold food, be left alone and unsupervised. Lights off at eight PM and showers once a week. Live in a tiny room and pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out. .......Just a thought...."

I thought it was hilarious and might not be a bad idea!

[Bluerobin]

I'd go for that. Being older, prison does sound worry free.

[phil5185]

I have no data - but my guess is that we already have a 'homeless' population that does this. And when they are released from prison, they rob a Convenience Store and sit out front in the parking lot drinking a 6-pac until the police arrive. If you are 80 years old (too old to be 'molested', too old for a work gang) and have no relatives, it may be better than a Home.

[Agatha]

I would have some very strong reservations about leaving murderers and pedophiles left alone and unsupervised. To me the article (or, at least, the quote) begs the question: how much are we spending on each prisoner vs senior citizen? I've got to go read the article.

I found the article but not the comment quoted. Do you have a link?

[april47]

news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/20110516/ts_usnews/howtoretireonsocialsecurityalone;_ylt=AhXKzSB8qlXl7ghv2feE5DKmG78C;_ylu=X3oDMTNpaHZvZHVnBGFzc2V0A3VzbmV3cy8yMDExMDUxNi9ob3d0b3JldGlyZW9uc29jaWFsc2VjdXJpdHlhbG9uZQRjY29kZQNnbXBlBGNwb3MDNwRwb3MDNwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2hvd3RvcmV0aXJlbw--

[TheOtherMe]

My nephew via a half sister lives his life like this. He has no skills to get a job, so when he gets released from prison, he violates his probation or does something else so he can go back. I find it very sad and disgusting.. Generally manages to get some woman pregnant while he is out, too.

[april47]

It does kind of make me wonder why more 80 year olds aren't out there robbing banks.

[ty]

May 17, 2011 10:18:16 GMT -5 april47 said:

It does kind of make me wonder why more 80 year olds aren't out there robbing banks.

[nalto]

If this were to happen, there would be people screaming "SOCIALISM!" or "That's abusing the criminals! Cruel and unusal punishment!"

[bobbysgirl]

What a creative point of view. I'd go for the swap.

[Angel!]

Yeah, I think the writer is a little off on his idea of jail. Jail around here isn't nearly as great as he describes. Maybe other cities have fancier digs & more benefits though.

[Firebird]

It does kind of make me wonder why more 80 year olds aren't out there robbing banks.

So, I used to watch the legal show The Practice all the time - I was more or less obsessed. They had an episode where an old man did just that, because he needed an operation and couldn't afford it and he heard that if you go to federal prison, you get free medical care including the kind of operation he needed.

His lawyer told him that he would need to commit a federal crime "like robbing a bank" in order to go to federal prison (she didn't know what he was planning - they were talking about why he was going to county instead of federal prison for writing a bad check or something).

So the old man buys a gun and brings it down to a bank (it's not loaded) and threatens the teller. A security guard shoots at him and misses, hitting another lady and killing her. The episode ended with the old man on trial for felony murder, and he was sobbing, "I never meant to hurt anyone! All I wanted was an operation!"

It was really sad. I don't know if that kind of thing happens in real life or not.

[msgumby]

My high school tennis coach had a brother who was shot and killed by someone in a robbery attempt to go back to jail. I don't remember all the details, but he was at a local store, someone came in with a gun to rob the place, and somehow he ended up with a fatal gun shot. After the fact, the robber said he was just trying to hold up the place to go back to jail.

[Frugal Nurse]

May 17, 2011 8:06:47 GMT -5 phil5185 said:

I have no data - but my guess is that we already have a 'homeless' population that does this. And when they are released from prison, they rob a Convenience Store and sit out front in the parking lot drinking a 6-pac until the police arrive. If you are 80 years old (too old to be 'molested', too old for a work gang) and have no relatives, it may be better than a Home.

There is a man here in Lexington that does this! He holds some sort of record for number of misdemeanor arrests. His name is Henry Earl and he has a large internet following. I saw get arrested just a few weeks ago right outside the hospital where I work. It was a brush with fame

[Frugal Nurse]

The author of the article seems to believe that SS will be around forever. We all know that isn't true, and I'm not putting all my proverbial eggs in the government's basket!

[Gardening Grandma]

We all know that isn't true, and I'm not putting all my proverbial eggs in the government's basket!

Actually, we all DON'T know that that isn't true. What most of us acknowledge is that SS will likely be around, but not in the same form it is today.

[april47]

You read the articles with the headlines that say in big bold letters that SS is going broke. Then you read the rest of the article and it says that we only have enough money to last until 2036 instead of 2037. Then you read further and it says that SS won't be able to pay out at 100% by 2036 but only 90%. Now how is that "going broke"?They have a few years to make adjustments anyway. I guess the scare tactics may encourage younger people to save money now which is good. For those of us that are already in our early 60's, I'm not worrying. My hair is gray enough.

[fairlycrazy23]

May 18, 2011 9:35:50 GMT -5 april47 said:

You read the articles with the headlines that say in big bold letters that SS is going broke. Then you read the rest of the article and it says that we only have enough money to last until 2036 instead of 2037. Then you read further and it says that SS won't be able to pay out at 100% by 2036 but only 90%. Now how is that "going broke"?They have a few years to make adjustments anyway. I guess the scare tactics may encourage younger people to save money now which is good. For those of us that are already in our early 60's, I'm not worrying. My hair is gray enough.

Actually it has already started to draw on the trust fund since it is paying out more than it is taking in, and the trust fund is in US Securities that have to be redeemed by the Federal Government who doesn't have the money, so has to borrow it.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I've been inside a number of prisons; I wouldn't want to live there.

[Deleted]

May 18, 2011 12:08:19 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

I've been inside a number of prisons; I wouldn't want to live there.

If the tenants weren't all criminals how bad would it really be?

[Angel!]

May 18, 2011 12:51:49 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

May 18, 2011 12:08:19 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

I've been inside a number of prisons; I wouldn't want to live there.

If the tenants weren't all criminals how bad would it really be?

It would still suck.