Obama, Dems Seek to End 401(k) Plans

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By Mark Impomeni http://news.aol.com/political-machine/bloggers/mark-impomeni/
Oct 24th 2008 9:00AM


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Sen. Barack Obama's Democratic allies in Congress are looking into a radical new plan that would fundamentally change the way Americans save for retirement. House Democrats recently heard testimony on the idea and, under a potential Obama administration, would likely move to put it in place. Democrats want to seize http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2008/10/23/would-obama-dems-kill-401k-plans.html the money that workers currently invest in their 401(k) plans and replace the popular retirement savings accounts with a one-size-fits-all government sponsored retirement account. Under the scheme, Americans would be forced to transfer all of their hard earned retirement savings from their 401(k) to the government.

The government would contribute $600 a year to fund each account and would pay a rate of return of around three percent in interest. The government would also mandate that each worker contribute 5% of their yearly salary to the accounts. Under current law, workers with 401(k) plans contribute to their retirement accounts and earn interest tax free. The Democrats' plan would end those tax breaks, amounting to as much as a 15% tax hike on each American worker.

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) said recently that Democrats had better ideas for the $80 billion that Americans contribute to their 401(k) plans each year. "We have to start thinking about whether or not we want to continue to invest that $80 billion for a policy that's not doing what we say it should." Sen. Obama would likely sign on to the plan as president.

Obama, McDermott, and Congressional Democrats miss the point that under current law, Americans have control over their retirement savings, where and how it is invested, and when and how much they contribute. The idea to nationalize retirement savings is another example of Democrats' socialist proclivities. They want control of Americans' retirement to reside in Washington DC, not on Main St., all in the name of "retirement security."
http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/10/24/obama-dems-seek-to-end-401-k-plans/
 
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Did any real news media report on this?????? Anyhow we're going to find out real soon arn't we?
 
Look at how much more would have been lost in the stock market had Bush been allowed to privatize Social Security. Right now tens of thousands of Americans may lose much if not all of their 401K investments. So far I haven't seen this 700 billion bailout do anything to help those people.
 
How so? I know the stocks were down around 30% at one point is that what you are referring to?

Some of the smaller large banks that failed were holding 401K, that the feds so far said that they won't cover in entirety, I think they will only cover up to 250K for 401K. The plunge in the stock market doesn't help either, a friend of mine who is a college prof, said his 401K plunged over 250k in recent weeks, he's just leaving everything as is hoping for a rally in the stock market. The guy has been teaching at the university for 33 years and was planning to retire in two years, now he's uncertain of when to retire.
 

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