We have all heard that the Social Security trust funds will go bust sooner or later due to gross incompetence on the part of the federal government. Nothing new there—I fully expect gross incompetence from career bureaucrats and politicians. Am I a little biased here? Well, yeah, I have witnessed the government screw things up for decades. Why change now? The new Trump Administration, along with DOGE, may well shake things up, but what’s needed is an act of Congress passed by both chambers and signed into law by the President. That’s a tall order. Does the Beltway crowd have the political will to pull it off? We shall see.
So for now, here is some hard data, compliments of the Social Security Administration. The new maximum earnings subject to Social Security taxes is $176,100. That means employees and employers only pay Social Security taxes on that amount or less of taxable income. Everything over that amount is not subject to the dreaded Social Security tax. Incidentally, the total amount of the tax is 12.4%, split evenly. The employee pays 6.2%, and the employer also pays 6.2%.
I have heard many potential solutions to combat the trust fund’s demise, and some of those schemes seem to be worth considering. Obviously, none of them will be popular. Various groups—from the Boy Scouts to the Sierra Club to Over Achievers Anonymous and the ACLU—will shout at the top of their lungs that any proposed increase is unfair, racist, homophobic, anti-American, and so on. But here are two viable ideas for Congress to consider. Keep in mind that these are not my ideas. They come from research I have studied from the
Social Security Administration, the Congressional Budget Office, the MIT AgeLab, and others. Understand that there are no perfect solutions, but there are a host of pretty damn good ones.
The first idea: Over a five-year period—not 20 to 50 years—increase employer and employee contributions by 1.75% each from the current 6.2% to 7.95%. The total Social Security tax for an employee would be 15.9%, up from 12.4%. That one strategy would allow Captain Kirk and the entire crew of the USS Enterprise to enjoy full Social Security benefits when they return from their five-year mission. Nuff said.
The second idea: Remove the maximum salary cap of $176,100 and make it half a million. Or better yet—and I hear the screaming now—have no cap at all. You make $40 million? You pay Social Security tax on the whole enchilada. Scream at your Congressperson. Serves you right for making $40 million in the first place.
Okay, I’ve solved the Social Security crisis and put the security back in Social Security. What’s next?
Odds ’n’ Ends
An odd Newsmax headline caught my eye in January. It seems that forty-three escaped lab monkeys were captured in December following a spectacular breakout caused by a clumsy lab worker who failed to check that the cage locks were secured. The lab, located in South Carolina, reported the breakout in November, so apparently the monkeys took leisurely strolls through nearby forests, pranked local farmers, and made a general nuisance of themselves before being transported back to the lab. It’s reported that one of the monkeys raised its fist in an act of defiance, kind of like President Trump did when he was shot in Pennsylvania.
A Fox News article written by Jackson Thompson and published January 4, 2025, tells the story of trans varsity runners who have more rights than “regular girls.” While I am not willing to wade waist deep into this mess, I don’t see how one individual is entitled to more rights than another. If you feel like having your stomach turned, take a look at the article online and see this mess for yourself.
FLASH! New York Post ─ A December 31, 2024, article written by Steve Janoski stated the following:
- There was a body of a woman
- Said body had tattoos
- The body was found in New Jersey
- Said corpse was found in a refrigerator in a forest in New Jersey
Folks, you just can’t make this shit up.
Media reports that Joe Biden still regrets dropping out of the presidential race and believes he could have beat Donald Trump. I had planned on writing at least one long paragraph about this delusion, but I am at a loss for words.
A Waste of a Perfectly Good $250 Million
I don’t care who you are or how much money you’ve got in the bank, $250 million is a very large number. It’s so large, in fact, that the University of Michigan has reportedly spent nearly that amount on DEI efforts since 2016 with little if nothing to show for it. As reported in a scathing Newsmax article in the January 2025 print edition, interviews with students and faculty found no discernable benefits from the extraordinary investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Makes me wonder what the $28,600 tuition for the 2024─2025 fall semester actually pays for. Perhaps it’s $25,0000 for DEI and a grand each for professors, heating, and grounds maintenance. Is the whopping $600 left over for administrative salaries?
For What It’s Worth
I tend to ignore articles that begin with the words convicted mommy blogger.
The Belgian Food Safety Authority has issued a warning not to eat Christmas trees. I don’t know, maybe the Belgians are idiots and must be told that.
If there is any justice in the universe, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries’ next job will be scrubbing pigeon shit off signs above the Lincoln Tunnel. A more deranged politician is hard to find.
We are finally done with Biden’s reign as Criticizer-in-Chief. Like an infection, nasty ol’ politicians take a long time to go away.
The media report that the Biden Administration pressured—“yelled and screamed”—at Meta/Facebook execs during the Covid pandemic to take down posts questioning the vaccine. It seems that Biden and Co. were hell bent on suppressing any free speech that did not support their narrative. This recent revelation came from none other than Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s Chair and Chief Executive.
And no, I’m not done with Meta yet. Evidently this monstrosity of a tech giant recently announced the removal of tampons from men’s rooms at their facilities. Even stranger, this announcement was made by Mark Zuckerberg. One thought—I guess all the men employed by
Meta must be soccer players, football players, or boxers. After all, they are the guys who end up with bloody noses more than the general population and hang out at Starbucks, patiently waiting for their mocha grande, extra whip, extra hot, two pumps of vanilla. We all know that men stick tampons up their noses to stop the blood flow after being hit in the face repeatedly. Okay, enough of Zuckerstein and his merry band of gender-neutral tech heads.
I for one am looking forward to reading Congressman James Comer’s new book, All the President’s Money. It details and highlights the years-long congressional investigation into how the Biden family amassed a fortune of over $30 million by peddling “the Biden Brand.” The Congressman details the 170 suspicious activity reports (SARs) filed with the U.S. Treasury detailing the money trails and over 20 shell companies that facilitated the Biden family’s illicit fortune. Particularly interesting is that the Biden family did not own or operate any legitimate businesses while they siphoned off millions from enemies of the United States. And to top it off, recent photos released by the National Archives show Joe Biden with his son’s business associates—the people President Biden insisted he never met.
No, It’s Not Madness ─ It’s Just New York City
The media reports that due to the new vehicle congestion fee of $9 for traveling by car or truck in parts of Manhattan, funeral parlors are considering adding a surcharge to funerals since hearses are not exempt from the congestion fee. When asked about how the extra cost would appear on the dearly departed’s bill, a funeral director was quoted as saying, “We will just add it to the cost of the funeral. A separate line item would appear insensitive.”
Apparently, placing the cadaver on mass transit in New York City is a no-no. Buses and subways explicitly prohibit the transport of the unliving. So for now, busy funeral homes will have to suck up the expense or add it to the funeral services bill under “miscellaneous expenses.”
The Promise of America
Remember back when you were in grade school and learned of American exceptionalism? We were told that our country was unique, not like the monarchies of old Europe, and with no royalty or thousand-year-old traditions. We were an upstart nation, born in 1776, young by global standards, yet extraordinary and different from all other nations. From George Washington to John F. Kennedy to today, we became a global superpower unlike anything the world has ever seen. Yet we lost our way and let many of our wonders slip away, instead embracing globalism, socialism, Marxism, and sameness. YES, there are extraordinary Americans such as Elon Musk, Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, and others. These individuals tower over the average American like a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier towers over an eleven-foot sailboat. America has lost much of its exceptionalism as universities and teachers have beat equality of everything into the heads of our young. You can be smarter than the average of all your classmates, but it is considered unfair if you have strengths that others do not possess.
BULLSHIT! Americans are capable of extraordinary feats of accomplishments, and they must be free to excel to the limits of their gifts and beyond. We have become a nation of sheep with our heads down, grazing (and smoking) grass. My hope is that it is about to change.
Banish Idiots from the Senate . . . Please!
Readers of The Equal Opportunity Times are aware that I have previously opined on progressive politicians’ love affairs and fascination with the 32-hour workweek with no reduction in pay.
Nutcase Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation in the last Congress, proposing a nationwide 32-hour workweek. His arguments mimic the idiotic, how massive wealth inequality cries out for a shorter workweek in order to enjoy more of what life has to offer without the high stress many career-minded folks deal with. And with the advent of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, we will no longer need to work as hard because robots will repair farm fences, paint bridges, and remove pigeon shit from municipal buildings. All this, the Senator says, will lead to massive increases in productivity. He pounds the table—veins popping out of his forehead—and proclaims that productivity gains are not just for billionaires. It’s sad to think that Bernie could not pass an intro to accounting course at a community college. Although I generally hate to repeat myself, Senator Sanders presents an airtight case for term and age limits in Congress.
Oh the Pain!
On January 19, 2025, TikTok went dark in the United States. China pulled the plug hours before the American ban was to begin. The chorus of screams from Millennials, Gen-X, and mostly all other gens was deafening. How can this be? How can governments steal our income, our pastime, our porn shorts? Will influencers march on Washington, DC, and burn down the FCC, the Supreme Court, and any other buildings they view as fair game?
TikTokers, as they are known, are spectacularly ignorant of geopolitics, national security, and, well, most other important things. They refuse to recognize that China is our adversary in most everything and will stop at nothing to steal everything in America that is not nailed down.
Some TikTokers are more affected by this than others. Many just enjoy water-skiing cats, monkeys, and tigers. Others earn money with beauty secrets, dating strategies, and more. And those screaming at the top of their lungs—the ones who have figured out how to monetize their time spent on TikTok—are sobbing uncontrollably, not understanding how evil governments have stolen their sole source of income. While I try not to laugh at their stupidity, I am reminded of one of the most important lessons that Dan Kennedy taught me. Here is the lesson: The most dangerous number of all is one. Yes, the number sandwiched between zero and two. So why is the number one so dangerous? Well, if you have one employee you rely on and they leave, you’re screwed. If you have one vendor who supplies everything you need to run your business and they close, you’re screwed. If you have one source of income and that app, platform, or market goes away, you guessed it, you’re screwed. Oh the pain of it all!
So all these influencers, TikTokers and malcontents screaming that governments (China, the United States) have put them out of business have no one but themselves to blame. They never learned that one app, one platform, one of anything places them in a dangerous and fragile financial position. My recommendation: Start reading some of Dan Kennedy’s dozens of books and gain an education so you don’t repeat their stupid mistakes.
P.S. President Trump has evidently placed TikTok on a respirator until further arrangements can be made. Don’t bet that all those affected will have learned a lesson.
A Bang and a Whimper Recorded on the Same Day
Donald Trump’s triumphant return to the White House began with a very loud BANG as opposed to the soundless whimper of departing President Biden. In a flurry of activity that will be written about for months if not years, the executive orders signed into law on day one of the Trump Presidency are staggering:
- The official policy of the federal government pertaining to gender ideology guidance is that there are only two genders—male and female.
- A national border emergency was declared, reversing years of the Biden Administration’s failed policies, including catch and release, the CBP-1 App.
- The Remain in Mexico policy was
- The Southern border wall will be
- Cartels are designated as foreign terrorist
- The United States is withdrawing from the Paris Climate
Revenge of the Childish Federal Idiots
By now it’s common knowledge that President Trump has ordered federal workers back to their offices. After all, why have 10 million square feet of federal office space for the 267 workers who actually show up at the office? What you may not know is that there is a cadre of Washington, DC, feds who are actively promoting the boycott of local businesses such as eateries, drugstores, gas stations, and the like in order to not improve the city’s economy.
According to the leftist MSN media website, “Spiteful government workers have vowed to boycott struggling mom and pop businesses near their offices.”
Another idiot was quoted as saying, “On principle, I will bring my lunch (or starve) every day rather than give a dime to DC businesses if this is part of the justification. Boycott DC needs to become a thing for all feds ASAP.”
I have several observations to make about these asshats who are employed by our government:
- The fact that the federal government actually employs people with a spiteful attitude is repulsive and sickening.
- It’s obvious that these deranged individuals don’t understand or care that they are hurting local entrepreneurial businesses and families.
- It is my fervent hope that OMB tracks down these idiots and fires them because I do not want them working for my government.
- How these government malcontents got it in their heads that they have a right to work from home is beyond me.I welcome the voluntary wave of resignations from protesting, indignant federal
As I reviewed this prior to publication, I recalled my old friend and publisher Adam Witty of Advantage Publishing. He shared with me that he was always on guard for any employees who exhibited anti-work-ethic behavior. When I asked him to explain, he told me that outward signs of this are overhearing employees talking about TGIF and hump day—two sure-fire signs that these folks are not really interested in furthering corporate goals. This placed them on the short list for potential termination.
Yes, That’s What the Article Said ─ “Stunned into a Stupor”
If you know me at all, you would think that “stunned into a stupor” means I’m talking about some ill-informed progressive liberal. Ordinarily, you would be right, but today you’re barking up the wrong tree. It seems the Arctic cold spell has had a profound effect on some Florida wildlife, namely the iguana. There is the potential for falling iguanas who lose their grip on palm trees and fall to the ground in a spectacular example of gravity. Isaac Newton would be proud! It seems these cold-blooded green iguanas came from Central and South America years back and made a cozy home in the warm, breezy environment of South Florida. So I wouldn’t walk too close to trees for now or you may be at risk of a comatose iguana landing on your head. Should you run across one seemingly dead iguana that is still on the ground, give them a wide berth rather than startling them and causing them to lunge and bite you. You will thank me for all the pain, discomfort, and money not spent at the local hospital.
And just so this story is not lost merely on animals, stunned into a stupor pretty well describes the blank looks on many hardcore Democrats’ faces as they realized during the first week of Trump 2.0 that there is a new sheriff in town and life as they know it has ended.
Famous Last Words Uttered by the Failed Vice Presidential Candidate
During the presidential campaign fundraiser at California Governor Gavin Newsom’s home, liberal pinhead Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said, “All of us know the Electoral College needs to go.”
Later, a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz team backtracked the Governor’s comment with this: “Walz believes that every vote matters in the Electoral College, and he is honored to be traveling the country and battleground states working to earn support for the Harris-Walz ticket. He was commenting to a crowd of strong supporters about how the campaign is built to win 270 electoral votes. And he was thanking them for their support that is helping fund those efforts.”
Well, Governor, here are a couple of inconvenient points that may have slipped your mind. First, the Electoral College was established by the U.S. Constitution. Gee, why is that important? I’ll tell you. We would need a Constitutional amendment to do away with the Electoral College.
Second, I am in awe at how Governor Walz, the Vice Presidential wanna-be, thinks he is smarter than the appointed committee of the Founding Fathers who wrestled for months to come up with a grand compromise—the Electoral College. After all, Walz attended Minnesota State University, so he must be an intellectual giant on par with Hamilton, Madison, Adams, Sherman, and all the other Founding Fathers who, in the Governor’s mind, are not as smart as he is.
See ya soon…
You will find many of my interviews on my website at https://eocritic.com./
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