What sacrifice would you make to help the country?

Question

We obviously need to cut back on some government spending, but it doesn't seem we can agree on what.

Most people suggest programs that others take part in, but not something that would affect their own pockets.

Would you be willing to give up your Social Security benefits to balance the budget? Would you accept a mandate to use mass transit? If you are a farmer, would you give up subsidies (if you get them for your crop)?

Ten years ago I would have opted out of Social Security and let them keep anything I had put into it (if they let me manage my own retirement). I don't think that qualifies as a sacrifice anymore (since Social Security seems to be heading towards insolvency), but it's sort of what I'm looking for.

Answer 1

I'll gladly throw 10 Liberals in a volcano as a sacrifice.

Why do people think SS is going toward insolvency ?

In 2017 SS revenue will not meet demand for SS benefits.

But the SS system owns 3.5 trillion dollars worth of US Treasury Bonds.

So they start cashing them in to pay the difference.

Around 2070, all the Treasury bonds have been cashed in.

Then SS will not have enough yearly revenue to continue paying benefits at the normal rate.

But SS will not be broke, not even close to being broke.

They would then just have to pay less benefits, or raise the retirement age, or increase the SS tax, or increase the SS tax threshhold.

Those are the same options they are looking at today. the earlier one or all of those option are incorporated, the longer it will be, before SS revenue falls behind SS benefits.

Answer 2

All is summarized in the French national anthem !

Arise children of the fatherland

The day of glory has arrived

Against us tyranny's

Bloody standard is raised

Listen to the sound in the fields

The howling of these fearsome soldiers

They are coming into our midst

To cut the throats of your sons and consorts

To arms citizens Form your battalions

March, march

Let impure blood

Water our furrows

What do they want this horde of slaves

Of traitors and conspiratorial kings?

For whom these vile chains

These long-prepared irons?

Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage

What methods must be taken?

It is us they dare plan

To return to the old slavery!

What! These foreign cohorts!

They would make laws in our courts!

What! These mercenary phalanxes

Would cut down our warrior sons

Good Lord! By chained hands

Our brow would yield under the yoke

The vile despots would have themselves be

The masters of destiny

Tremble, tyrants and traitors

The shame of all good men

Tremble! Your parricidal schemes

Will receive their just reward

Against you we are all soldiers

If they fall, our young heros

France will bear new ones

Ready to join the fight against you

Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors

Bear or hold back your blows

Spare these sad victims

That they regret taking up arms against us

But not these bloody despots

These accomplices of Bouillé

All these tigers who pitilessly

Ripped out their mothers' wombs

We too shall enlist

When our elders' time has come

To add to the list of deeds

Inscribed upon their tombs

We are much less jealous of surviving them

Than of sharing their coffins

We shall have the sublime pride

Of avenging or joining them

Drive on sacred patriotism

Support our avenging arms

Liberty, cherished liberty

Join the struggle with your defenders

Under our flags, let victory

Hurry to your manly tone

So that in death your enemies

See your triumph and our glory!

Answer 3

I already sacrifice a substantial amount of money in the form of taxation

What is needed is better leadership that can spend it more wisely, and not on so many wasteful social programs

Social Security needs to be abolished, once and for all

Answer 4

I would sacrifice everyone's safety.  

How?  By stopping hand-outs to other countries!

We need to start taking care of our own -- everyone should have access to quality health care, decent housing, and nutritious food.  

Taking away the hand outs we give everyone else would cause an uproar in the international community.  We would be branded as insensitive to the plight(s) of others, we would be hated, and we would be attacked.

But is that actually any different than it is right now?

Answer 5

We can start by end welfare, food stamps, section 8 housing

and get these people to do the "jobs Americans won't do"

Answer 6

i quit making sacrifices - it is like rats running down a hole.

our country has a very long way to go before effective sacrifices can be made - for one thing we have to get off these dam computers and reach out to each other.

Answer 7

Excellent question.To come out of debt we need to make sacrifices. I can only hope that a president either Republican or Democrat will be elected that is not afraid to go against popular opinion  to do what is really in the best interest of the nation.

Answer 8

I already sacrifice enough ,I pay taxes.

Answer 9

We shouldn't have to give anything up! If we weren't spending 40% of the Federal Budget on the War, this wouldn't even be an issue. This is a non-issue that Neo-cons are using to keep people in line. Get Kucinich or Edwards in office!

Answer 10

I believe that the USA would do better to ask the middle east for donations,  because as I know America owes it people money.

Answer 11

Well, some of those social programs benefit us disabled veterans. Put me back in the Army and I will give them up.