A Theory of Politics

Should politics be organized by the question: how am I being screwed?

A lot of the anger out there can be attributed to this, I think: people know they are being screwed, but can't exactly see how.

Heard this on a podcast this AM: our social security system favors the rich over the poor. How? The rich tend to be healthier and live longer and thus reap the social security benefits far over the poor. This is a perfect example about how a "fair" system built in the 1930s has been hijacked by real life developments. Think on this - the rich overly use Social Security as an "annuity," waiting until the oldest age possible to collect the largest benefit whereas the poor use Social Security as a way to eat. Not only that - the system itself is running out of money - and we are paying rich old people who don't need the money and who will live a long time for the rest of their lives at the expense of future generations who will certain either - take cuts or pay higher taxes. This systemitizes theft - rich from poor, present for future all under the guise of a fair system. The flip side is -- hey this is money people (rich or poor) put into the system. We can't take their benefit away. This was the game we agreed upon. But is it? Isn't this a game that accumulates and confers benefits to winners at the expense of losers? All under the guise of a social safety net? Something to me is fishy....

And this: older homeowners have rigged the housing market to transfer wealth from younger generations to themselves by manipulating local zoning laws to discourage building. This is why housing costs so much in certain regions.