Jul 17 2008
McCain drawing Social Security
Wait a minute…
McCain gets Social Security but criticizes system
John McCainKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Although Republican presidential candidate John McCain has called Social Security “a disgrace,” he still cashes his own retirement check every month.
“I’m receiving the benefits, the system is broken and, unfortunately, my children and grandchildren, according to the trustees of the Social Security system, will not have the same benefits the present retirees have,” McCain told reporters Thursday on his campaign bus.
McCain’s 2007 tax return shows Social Security benefits of $23,157 for the year, an average of $1,929.75 a month. He said he started receiving the payments “whenever I was eligible.”[..]
McCain, who will turn 72 next month, was eligible to receive full-retirement benefits when he turned 65. In 2008, the maximum benefit for a person retiring at full retirement age was $2,185.
McCain reported a total income of $405,409 in 2007. As a senator, he is paid $169,300 a year. Last year, he donated $105,467 to charity, his return shows.
McCain’s wife, Cindy, reported a total income of more than $6 million in 2006, according to the campaign. She files her tax return separately from her husband and has received an extension for 2007. Heiress to a large Arizona beer distributorship, she is reportedly worth more than $100 million.
People are not required to take Social Security payments, according to B.J. Jarrett, a spokesman with the Social Security Administration.
(Emphasis added.)
In addition, Senator McCain’s pension from the senate will be the average of the highest 3 years of his salary (currently $169,300). If, gods forbid, he is elected president, his annual salary will increase to $400,000. Will he still collect Social Security?
So, basically, this hypocrite is sucking at the teat of the animal of which he is so critical. (Not right, Johnny. Not right at all.)
I would say he’s a typical Republican, but… Oh, what the hell? He’s just a typical Republican.
If the old coot had any dignity at all, he would be paying the government back for all the Social Security benefits he has received. Plus interest. What does the old geezer need money for anyway? His wife pays all the bills.
8 Responses to “McCain drawing Social Security”
i think mccain is too old to be your pres eventhough he’s experienced.
How the heck is he getting that much money? My understanding is that, other than military, Federal employees do not earn SS benefits. He retired from the Navy in 1971 and went directly in to politics, so I know he did not earn that many SS credits to be pulling in that kind of SS benefits. Additionally, my understanding is that if you are SS elible, and are still working, your SS benefits are reduced by the amount of income you bring in. So, essentially, this guy should not be getting one dime of SS. What a wanker.
The solution of course is a “means test” for Social Security. There are a lot of rich old folks who don’t need the SS check every month but they take it anyway. However when means testing comes up the AARP screams bloody murder and Congress backs down.
While Social Security isn’t perfect (or even close to it,) why should he abstain from taking the checks? He put his money into the system like everyone else. The idea that he is rich, and therefore doesn’t deserve or need the money is simply ludicrous. Turning it into another socialist program isn’t going to fix anything. The fact of the matter is that it isn’t supposed to be the full retirement income to live off of, but rather a supplement.
Why should people put money toward their retirement, if it will be determined by some arbitrary source that they don’t need the money?
I would have to agree with Anthony Fuller. He paid into it during his lifetime and therefore has every right to the benefits thereof.
It’s time for folks to stop their whining about the rich.
Rebecca and Anthony are, of course, correct.
You libs need to worry about yourselves and stop worrying about everyone else.
You want the government to care for you instead of caring for yourselves, then you get pissed when someone DOES care for themselves and gets more money than you.
Get over it.
If your that jealous of McCain’s money, see if your boy Barrack Hussein will loan you some of the millions you blogged about yesterday.
What if we thought of Social Security more like car insurance? You pay into that your whole life but don’t get it back unless you need it.
Deb, but unlike car insurance, we don’t have choices as what we can choose from. There aren’t any spiffy Geico or Progressive commercials offering alternatives to it and how I can save money.