Seder and Libertarians

I’m still not 100% so when JJ sent this to me, it was a relief. Readers who have been with me for a while, know I believe libertarians are unicorns, and not the good special gay unicorns, but instead animals that don’t exist in nature.

Social Security is the topic discussed by Sam Seder and Matt Digeronimo. Seder takes him to task for being wrong on the numbers, which brings me great joy. It also feels good to hear someone who uses facts to win an argument. I love when the libertarian yells about what is fair because you know who would know about fairness? White dudes.

It should be noted that Seder and Digeronimo ignore the reality of low-income individuals who would be unable to save for their own retirement. I think this is a huge oversight. After all, these individuals would be completely excluded in a “make sure I benefit right now” social structure.

I loathe the argument that people feel they should benefit from everything all the time. These people should be sent to an island all to themselves, and then we can see how much they want cast off society and the benefits everyone. This comes down to privilege and entitlement, which is why I consider libertarianism is the party and ideology of privilege, not unlike unicorns.

Favor line: “You’re using the data in a disingenuous way,” Digeronimo.

Personally, I love when people start insisting you use facts instead of heart wrenching pleas only to continuously accuse you of not using facts because they don’t like what you said. Grow the fuck up kids. Also, there are totally ways to use data in a disingenuous way, usually it means you’re manipulating the numbers or only sharing the results that benefit your argument…check out the papers written on austerity if you want a good example.

Also, Diseronimo doesn’t know how to Social Security works. Social Security is paid into by younger people to pay the Social Security payments being currently taken by those retiring, so it isn’t being set aside for those contributing’s future, because it has already been spent. Those who have retired, their contributions were spent when they were still working. This next generation pays for the previous.