Jan 30, 2024

How Crazy Is The Right Wing In America?


     People are starting to ask what will happen to Social Security benefits if Texas secedes.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... shortfall eliminated in the trust funds.

Anonymous said...

Easy: The average IQ of recipients will rise immediately and dramatically

Anonymous said...

While not exactly parallel (I'm guessing a "mass renounciation of US citizenship" would flow from a secession),seeing how someone who individually renounces their citizenship might be illustrative. It does hinge on whether or not the US and the new country could come to a totalization agreement. But we're only talking cash benefits, not medical or others.

Does anyone else smirk at the "I want what I want - free from the clutches of the US yet I want my check."


https://moodysprivateclient.com/what-happens-to-my-social-security-payments-and-some-common-myths-about-life-after-renouncing-your-us-citizenship/

Anonymous said...

The average IQ of US citizens as a whole would jump at least 20 points, I reckon

Anonymous said...

More than one in seven Texas residents – over 4.4 million people – receives Social Security benefits. These payments inject more than $72.8 billion into the state's economy every year.Aug 3, 2023 AARP

Almost 73 billion is a lot of reasons to stay.

Anonymous said...

Doesn’t matter because it’s not going to happen.

Plenty of idiots on both sides of the political spectrum…PLENTY!

Anonymous said...

Texans may not pay into SSA if they secede but the money out in would still be theirs. If someone works here and moves to another country when they retire they still are eligible for SSA benefits. Medicare doesn't cover foreign hospitals so that would be an issue.

Drew C said...

@12:54 I dont think you understand the political and legal consequences of secession. In the very unlikely scenario of a successful secession, persons in these states would be blacklisted from receiving payments. Americans in Cuba and North Korea are not eligible for payments, regardless of how much they paid in. These people would no longer be US citizens and would not be protected by the Constitution.

Ironically, former US citizens in seceded States would be become the foreign migrant invaders when their quality of life drops off a cliff. Secession would be like Brexit x100. They would be completely cut off from trade agreements and all domestic companies would be prohibited from operating in States that seceded. Its economic suicide, which is why it will never happen.

Anonymous said...

Just as crazy as the Left Wing....

Anonymous said...

It's not even close. This isn't a "both sides" thing. Supporting trans rights =/= supporting secession and fascism.

Anonymous said...

Buh by!

Anonymous said...

All of this is about "Social Security benfits." Am I safe in assuming the equation would be very different for SSI recipients, just like PR? I'm assuming that would be an immediate cut, not that I think any of this is happening.

Anonymous said...

Payments are not made to US citizens in North Korea and Cuba because we don't have diplomatic ties. People who travel there don't get paid but when they leave they are paid all of their retroactive benefits. I'd assume Texas and the rest of the US would have diplomatic ties. Those convicted of treason are a different matter.

Anonymous said...

9:33 all Congress has to do is make a new SSA rule that says all SSA money and entitlement is null and void for residents of the country of Texas. Take away what they paid, what they are do, everything because they would be enemies of the US. FAFO

Drew C said...

@9:33 Why would you assume the Federal government would maintain friendly diplomatic ties with seceded States? That would simply incentivize more States to secede. Seceding is not at all like England renouncing EU membership.(and they still paid a huge economic price). Do you remember what happened the last time States attempted to secede? Secession is treason. The federal government would give loyalist the opportunity to leave Texas, but anyone that remains in Texas would be renouncing their US citizenship. None of them would be eligible to receive SSI or DIB benefits. This is not an ambiguous political or constitutional question.

Anonymous said...

Drew, you think Texas would be more of an enemy than China or Russia? Claimants can receive benefits in those countries. Vietnam as well.
One doesn't have to be a US citizen to receive T2 benefits in a foreign land, even a country that is an enemy.

Anonymous said...

You need to be a citizen or have lawful status in the US to collect benefits. A Texan traitor would be neither of these things and be lumped in with illegal immigrants, who have to pay FICA on their wages but receive nothing in return for them.

The only folks in Russia and China receiving benefits from SSA are US citizens or lawful US residents living abroad.

Anonymous said...

@910. One can receive benefits abroad if one is insured no matter what their citizenship or permanent residence status is. Re Texan traitor, if he or she was in Texas that person wouldn't be in the US so wouldn't need to be a citizen or permanent resident. They'd just have to make a visit here every 6 months.

Drew C said...

10:56 Secession would have massive political and legislative consequences. Your operating on assumptions/rules/statutes that will not exist in current form in the post-secession world. The Constitution and Federal legislation supersedes SSA's administrative regulations. The US federal government will not keep an open border with a seceded State. Non-citizens from a treasonous seceded state will not be provided legal standing to claim SSA benefits, or any other federal entitlement/protection.

Secession would almost certainly result in mass death, displacement, and economic devastation for persons in seceded states. It is not a standard legal process that you can hold a referendum on with an accommodating federal government. It would be the largest geopolitical event of the 21st century, and secessionist cosplayers are deluding themselves if they think SSA benefits, medicare, and free movement within the states would be preserved.

Anonymous said...

Actually the good news would be never having another layover in Dallas.

Worth the price in that alone! Oh and making the Cowboys officially not Americas team!

Smile, none of this stuff is actually important.

Anonymous said...

Drew, there was an open border the last time any state seceded and there was a war going on.

Anonymous said...

For TX, agreed. And the rest of the nation’s avg IQ will continue to plummet.

Didn’t go quite the way you expected, did it?