Fixing Social Security

[Gorp]

11. For the millionaires and billionaires, FICA is like dropping a penny in a parking lot...

... and not bothering to pick it up. It's as regressive as you can get. We all pay the full percentage on our income (twice if you're self-employed or run a side business). Everyone should pay the same percentage and the employer percentage should be eliminated for anyone without employees under said business. At least kill the cap.

Capital gains, foreign or domestic, should simply be treated as regular line 7 income and FICA payments should be based on that as well. All other loopholes aside, those two simple changes would cure the budget woes and pump up the economy because Congress could actually afford to rebuild our infrastructure. Obvious defense boondogles like the F-35 wouldn't even have to be cut (although that one should be).

If Congress had the guts to make just those two changes, nothing more, SS income could easily provide at least double the current payouts and still run a massive surplus. We could actually provide the care and support our veterans deserve. Medicare and Medicaid could be expanded rather than cut. Education's obvious deficiencies could be overcome. The amount of money involved isn't even known because people like rMoney hide so much income in off-shore accounts. The bill could accomplish all of this in two or three pages using simple language and Congress critters might even consider reading a bill for once.

Then again, monkeys might fly out of my ass and it could start raining gold coins. All the roads could magically repair themselves by eliminating their own potholes and water fountains might sprout beer tap buttons. Nothing in the refrigerator would ever mold and the toilets would never need to be cleaned and would smell like roses. Cars would all suddenly get 5,000 mpg without modifications and fast food would stop making people fat. I'm not holding my breath for any of that to happen.