Social Security was created as a Retirement for

[RegieRocker]

the common man. Why? Because after the stock market crash of 1929, any fool that had invested in the market realized it wasn't the best place to put one's money. Many people lost all their retirement funds. Because of this, Social Security was born. Afterwards, companies started to offer (secured) retirement funds to entice people for employment (a great alternative to the stock market). These things were good for the common man. One is almost completely gone, the other is on it's way. Oh how soon we forget history. They have people right where they want them. People can't do a thing. If people upset the apple cart, they will punish all people by stealing your retirement funds (by causing another crash). People say they're against big business, but people invest in them. They invest in companies that send jobs overseas. How does that make sense? People are stuck. Quite simple really. Will I feel sorry for those that have forgotten history if the stock market crashes? No. Will I feel sorry for the suffering that will come to all if it crashes? Sad and mad yes, sorry no, for I had nothing to do with it. People don't seem to understand, that to gain control, they must break free from the chains that bind them. It's painfully obvious since people merrily allow themselves to be bound with chains, that will never happen.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. So, you're an uncompassionate, self-employed, non-user of anything corporate made man?

[RegieRocker]

2. Doesn't even deserve a response.

Good luck with your concrete shoes.

[proud patriot]

3. Don't let em' get to you

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I'm not. Anybody who hopes that common people's 401Ks are destroyed aren't progressives.

[RegieRocker]

6. Emotional are we?

Did you miss this: Will I feel sorry for the suffering that will come to all if it crashes? Sad and mad yes, sorry no, for I had nothing to do with it.

Now a rebuttal to your false accusation: A person that invests in the stock market isn't a Democrat. You should be fighting for company retirement and social security. Instead your a Corporatist.

[hack89]

8. Where do you think corporate and public pension funds are kept? nt

[RegieRocker]

10. Read this

http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/07/retirement/pension_safe...
Maybe it will help.

[hack89]

12. What about public pension funds?

where do you think the states and cities put their pension funds? Do you realize that there is not enough tax revenue in the world to pay pensions without investing individual and state/city contributions somewhere?

I understand the problem with private pensions - that's why I prefer a 401K. I like the control.

[RegieRocker]

13. Didn't read it did you?

The ground rules

Traditional pension plans give you a guaranteed annual payment upon retirement, based on your final average salary and your years of service. Your company puts up all or most of the money, and unlike the case with a 401(k) plan, the benefit you accumulate under a traditional pension can't be demolished by a plunging stock market.

and this

Corporations are required by federal law to pay premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the government agency that steps in to provide promised benefits to the employees of bankrupt companies.

Those were very important.

[hack89]

14. Did you read this?

"Most pension plans have the majority of their assets invested in stocks, so the brutal market we've experienced this year will undoubtedly require companies to cough up more cash than usual."

So how do you plan to fund pension plans without the stock market?

[RegieRocker]

15. I don't believe in it

So I wouldn't.

[hack89]

18. So you don't support pension plans?

how do you generate the wealth that pensions represent? How do you even keep up with inflation?

[RegieRocker]

19. Only those that use the guaranty program. That is a secret.

Both questions answered.

[hack89]

21. So companies deliberately go bankrupt so the taxpayers can pick up the tab?

that's your plan?

[RegieRocker]

23. How does Pluto look up close?

[hack89]

5. I intend to benefit from this crash

any young investor will also benefit. Just like I did with the "crash" of 1987.

This "evil" stock market funded a great retirement for my parents though a union pension fund.

If you are near retirement age, your money should not be in stocks.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Funded my pension as well.

[RebelOne]

9. I am in retirement and my money is not in stocks

but safely tucked away in the bank. When I retired, my 401K and IRA funds were dropping because of the Wall Street fiasco. So I cashed them in and put them into a savings account. I may not be getting much interest, but I at least I know that my bank balance is not dropping like the stock market.

[FreeJoe]

22. Be careful

Cash isn't all that safe. If inflation starts back up, the value of your cash will drop fairly quickly. 10 years of 7% inflation will wipe out about half of your savings.

Diversification...it's the safest option that you have.

[GKirk]

11. FYI

A. Social Security wasn't created in response to the crash of 1929.
B. I doubt if today's crash was created as a way to steal money from small investors,
because although we might have lost thousands recently, the big boys in the stock market
lost millions.

[RegieRocker]

16. Yep the money simply vanishes into thin air.

We will have to disagree on A.

[former9thward]

17. Your history is lacking.

People did not lose retirement funds in 1929. There weren't retirement funds as we know them in 1929. Very very few people had investments in the stock market in 1929. The average person had absolutely no stock investments directly or indirectly. The creation of Social Security had nothing at all to do with the 1929 crash.

[RegieRocker]

20. Wrong. A BIG wrong. Look it up. People were using the market for

retirement. Don't ask me to do out for you either. Let your fingers do the walking on google.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. You are not correct. Not in general, the other poster is more

correct. Working people were not invested on Wall Street at that time in any significant way or in any numbers beyond the negligible.

[RegieRocker]

26. Mind boggling

http://econc10.bu.edu/Ec341_money/Papers/Carroll_paper....
Many, many more for your enlightening pleasure by searching.

[B Calm]

24. When corporations do away with pensions, you really don't have much choice

but to invest.

[RegieRocker]

27. Most intelligent reply I have witnessed yet. The question would then be what to invest in.

Land is my choice.