So then if the banks take our savings and lend them to others,

[malaise]

is that a Ponzi scheme?

Would someone ask that capital-punishment loving scumbag of a ReTHUG Perry.

[dkf]

1. It would be if the depositors were promised outsized returns higher than the revenue generated.

The thing about a ponzi scheme is that it is unsustainable because the promise made to investors Isn't a reflection of the return generated by those funds.

[hobbit709]

2. Facts and repukes are incompatible with each other.

[Javaman]

3. cement head perry is a greedy opportunist, he would reply in an off topic manner

and walk away.

never ever expect 1) a straight answer from him 2) him to actually answer a question with an answer

he will always use bullshit rhetoric that will leave the questionnaire confuses and pissed off.

he will walk away laughing at having dodged another question yet still making him look good.

in a phrase: he's a smarmy fuck.

[alc]

4. banks have stated rate of return and FDIC guarantee (to a limit)

SS is not a Ponzi scheme, but it's also hard to defend its current implementation. SS payments are basically up to the government. The supreme court said there is no guarantee to them (http://aging.senate.gov/crs/ss2.pdf)

the 1960 Supreme Court decision in Flemming v. Nestor, wherein the
Court held that an individual does not have an accrued “property right” in his or her Social
Security benefits.


SS payments are dependent on the government collecting enough money in the future - from new SS "investors", or from general taxes. It's not a Ponzi scheme but there are plenty of tricks involved that would probably be illegal if a private company tried to implement it.
1) Collect 12% of your salary (50% from you)
2) Don't guarantee any return and don't mention the risks.
3) Put the money in non-marketable bonds (SS trust fund doesn't own normal US bonds)
4) Leave it up to the board (Congress) to determine if/when the bonds can be redeemed.
5) Let the board consider current/future collections in determining current payments

[kctim]

5. The answer is no

because you have a choice on where to put your savings.

Come on, we need to make it hard for the Republicans, not easy.
The best bet is to keep telling the older generation that Perry wants to take away their social security the day he is sworn in.
May not be true, but is VERY effective.