Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Chris Christie Gets Defensive Over His Social Security Plan

This will be a winner for Christie:

Gov. Chris Christie dismissed critics of his controversial entitlement reform plans Monday night as "people who don't care whether Social Security stays solvent and is really there for the people who really need it."

"Let's remember," Christie said on his monthly radio show on New Jersey 101.5. "Social Security was created as insurance against poverty for the elderly so that no one — no matter what their circumstance, would live out their years in poverty. That's the primary reason for Social Security's creation. The fact is, we need to get it back to its core mission."

Last week, Christie, who is considering a run for president, went to New Hampshire to unveil a reform plan that called for both means testing and raising the retirement age.

Here's how Christie dealt with criticism of the plan from one caller on his "Ask The Governor" radio show:

A frustrated caller named Jeff noted that he'd already seen his retirement age jump from 65 to 67 in his lifetime under President Reagan's 1983 reform. He angrily asked Christie, "How many times are you going to move the goal line?"

The caller asked if Christie would consider, if president, would instead consider raising the income cap on social security payments to tax income beyond the currently-taxed $118,000 maximum.

Christie quickly lost his empathetic demeanor.

"I love this 'gimme gimme gimme!' attitude," said Christie, "These are facts: If we don't do it, the money's not going to be there. And the solution of a guy like Jeff is: Raise somebody's taxes. Not his. Raise somebody else's. I'm sorry. We hear this all the time. But the math doesn't work, and somebody has to be willing to tell you the truth. And that's what I'm doing."

That's it, Chris.

Keep beating up on people who complain about your Social Security plan.

There are a lot of aging people in the Republican Primary who are going to feel the same way "Jeff" does when you tell them they have to go to 69 to get their benefits and they'll be subject to a means test.

That's going to be a real winner during the primaries - if you make it that far.

4 comments:

  1. This fat ass wipe is so out of touch, he is a typical fat ass politician who is trying for something "outrageous" to gain attention and create momentum for a presidential run. The only problem here is that christie is doing exactly the opposite of what he needs to do and that is to help people not divide people. This is clearly evident in his poll numbers dropping faster than his waste line. Get out of town you cartoon.

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  2. There are many reasons why I have had no intention of voting for Chris Christie in a primary or general election. His statement in New Hampshire in support of eliminating Social Security for retirees with income of $80,000 or higher was the final straw.

    I have paid into Social Security for nearly 40 years, along with my employers. These contributions amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars with interest. I have also led a conservative life financially and deferred a large percentage of my salary through 403b and 457 accounts and an IRA. I have taken on a substantial amount of extra work in my school district, which has resulted in my earning a large amount over my teaching salary.

    Now, Chris Christie wants to penalize me for working hard, shunning expensive vacations, cars, jewelry, gambling, etc and confiscate my Social Security contributions and those made on my behalf by my employers over the years? He wants to turn Social Security into nothing more than a welfare program?

    Mr. Christie: You sicken me. Resign and go and crawl under a rock.

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  3. Congress has already enacted another "penalize the worker for scrimping and putting away for retirement" bill. Check out the provisions of the "Doc fix". Beginning in 2018, anyone with income over $133,000. (yes, that includes social security and a TDA or other income along those lines) will be forking over 65% of the cost for Medicare.
    The boomers, the first generation to contribute to Medicare their entire working lives, gets penalized just as they are pushed into Medicare.
    Thank you Pelosi and Boehner, along with all members of the house and senate with their own platinum standard health coverage, dancing and congratulating themselves for working together to screw the middle class.
    There's more to come in the form of the TPP if we don't step up fast. Corporate America's goal is to keep you from having a little bit more, keep you down and struggling.

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  4. Christie is out of sync with reality. He is simply rewriting history.

    "Social Security was created as insurance against poverty for the elderly so that no one — no matter what their circumstance, would live out their years in poverty. That's the primary reason for Social Security's creation. The fact is, we need to get it back to its core mission"


    Here is FDR's quote upon signing the law : "We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age."

    Christie's said he wasn't afraid of honesty, and this piece pulls his honesty apart.

    http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/239801-kicking-the-can-on-social-security

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