2006-12-07 11:41:59 · 6 answers · asked by nobody 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
The phrase sacred cows comes from Hindu culture, where cows are believed to be possessed by the spirits of reincarneted ancestors and thus are not allowed to be harmed. They're sacred cows.
Well, social security is labeled a sacred cow because it's not supposed to be cut.
2006-12-07 11:44:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because it has now become another source of tax revenue that is directly supporting the Federal Government by it's cash-flow into the U.S. Treasury. The federal income tax goes, in it’s entirety, to pay the interest on the national debt. NONE of the money collected by the IRS is ever deposited to the U.S. Treasury (look at the endorsement on your cancelled IRS tax payment check). The government is now using borrowed Federal Reserve Bank funds (foreign banks) to pay the monthly SS outflow, while the SS pay deductions are actually running the government augmented by import fees, tariffs, excise taxes, and fines. The SS deductions can’t get any more sacred than that to our crooked politicians.
2006-12-07 12:45:00 · answer #2 · answered by Gunny T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I concur on the issue of why cows are sacred...."Untouchable"....
SS is untouchable because all Americans (who work) pay into the system. the idea is that we pay so that money can come back to us later. If the government touches SS, they are, in effect, stealing our money!
2006-12-07 12:28:12 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as someone mentioned, it's Hindu... they don't bother the cows at all...
and the elderly vote more than anyone, so if you mess with social security, the elderly will mess you up at the polls...
thus... "sacred cow"... if you mess with it, you die/don't get re-elected...
it's also referred to as the "third rail" I think... the rail that is in the subway that is the "live" rail that if you touch it, it will electrocute you...
2006-12-07 11:49:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it means killing it is certain political damnation. like sacred cows in hinduism. hindus don't mess with cows. in the religion of american politics, you don't mess with social security. it is taboo, forbidden by the american public.
2006-12-07 11:50:46 · answer #5 · answered by Jessica 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that it is political suicide to try to do *anything* to fix the problems with the SS program.
2006-12-07 12:00:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋