Starve the poor and feed the rich?

[EveD123]

How can our country refuse to raise the cost of living for the elderly, those on SSI, and justify this? What happened to give us your poor? Feed the poor?

I am not trying to make those on SSI "poor", but honestly, how can they sit on capitol hill and vote themselves raise after raise, send checks to prisoners, spend zillions on war and starve the poor?


I am not able to monitor this discussion regularly, but welcome your insights and comments.

Please, no vulgar or spiteful comments. Just share and with integrity.

peace and blessings,
EveD

[EveD123]

If you feel strongly, I suggest you write and tell someone other than just here on tbd. Our government needs to know that the people are not without a voice, or heart. We have minds too. What is going to happen when you need help? When if you are on SSI, they tell you you don't deserve an increase, you are not worthy of the same treatment as all who receive this cost of living benefit. Isn't this discrimination?

Just my thoughts.
peace all,
EveD

[EveD123]

Thank you for your comments. I had hoped there might be more than just yours. Still very glad you shared.
:)

[larry kremis]

Social Security administrators claim that the cost of living is the same as it was a year ago. So, they don't need to adjust COLA this coming year. I'm just the messenger.

[EveD123]

Yet I bet they will be getting a raise, for sure...How could this be true? I am paying more for all the things I need and wonder how others are doing who must survive on SSI? My mom is one who will bear the burden, and I wonder how others who are in less good condition will do. My heart breaks...how can we treat others this way? And yet why should I be surprized when the people running the country care more about keeping their 2nd, 3rd and 4th homes and most in our country are in forclosure...what is happening to this America the Beautiful? I mean really?

[Nick Danger]

How can our country refuse to raise the cost of living for the elderly, those on SSI, and justify this?

This reminds me of the joke about the guy who gets a bigger paycheck one week. The next week, the accounting department discovers the error and takes out the overage in his next check. Naturally, the guy goes to see the accounting department to complain.

How comes you didn't say anything when we gave to you too much?" they ask him

His replay was, "I figured that anybody can make a mistake once but when it happens again, it's time to say something."

There was no increase because the formula the government uses calculated out this way. For example,..." both the food at home index declined as the indexes for fruits and vegetables and for meats, poultry, fish and eggs fell m sharply. Both the food and energy indexes have declined over the past 12 months. The decline in the food index is the first 12-month decrease in that index in over 40 years."

You can get the official numbers here.

For whatever it is worth, both the gas and electric utilities have announced that the rates for electricity and natural gas are expected to decrease this winter (by as much as 20% over last winter).

Nobody bitched about the formular when it provided over a 5% increase last year.

For whatever it's worth, our national debt increased over one trillion dollars in the past year, mostly (allegedly) to stimulate the economy. How'd that work out for you? Whether you realize it or not, we all pay interest on the national debt. The administration, despite this, has decided to provide seniors (of whom I am one) with $250, to "compensate" for the lack of COLA increases, this year, even though there wasn't any! (I realize that, for many, assertions trump actual facts) If you were deeply in debt, what would you do? the government has decided that instead og cutting down on spending, hell, it'll just spend some more

Regardless of whether or folks are "deserving," the fact is, in effect, the COLA did go up by over $250 , even though there was no increase. (Again, I realize that mere assertion trumps actual facts for many fo you but tjhis simply cannot be argued away) So we all go an additional hal;f a billion dollars in debt for what?

[Red One]

Social Security is nothing but a Ponzi Scheme. And you know what happens in a Ponzi Scheme, just ask the investor of Bernie Madoff.

[EveD123]

Wow, what great input! Thanks for adding your thoughts every one. I realize that there is a debt and agree to not spend more makes sense, but when they say it is ok for a raise in pay for a few, send checks to prisoners and refuse to help our seniors, I am just wondering what is in store for the rest of us. Where does this stop and where do we have a voice to make clear what we think on the matter? Who is listening? I don't mind the formula, I mind that the money is not being use where it is needed...this just got me, because I see my mom who has to spend on meds and cannot enjoy the senior years without constant fear of having to sell her home due to taxes, be forced into a senior tenament, gov/t owned and regulated, unable to have and be where she wants to live out her life, and with prices raising(though some studies may show different) on necessitie unable to buy even the tasteful delights most enjoy...sheesh..just don't understand this. We should have respect for those who lived before. NOt treat them as if they have outlived their usefulness.

God Help us...is there any wonder why our children have more focus on material things than the values of love and family? I like the way the Native Americans think, that the elders don't retire, they become the teachers of the tribe children. Wouldn't it be nice if it really could be that way...

[Nick Danger]

When they make the announcement, it is the rate for a twelve-month period; in this case 2010. there's always a 12-month lag (because they can't, nor should't base payments on what they think will happen)

[Nick Danger]

So why did they add in 2011???

They didn't, apparently. According to THIS ARTICLE

"However, both the Obama administration and the Congressional Budget Office (pdf) are forecasting that Social Security beneficiaries will not receive any cost of living adjustments in fiscal 2010 or 2011. The reason? The pronounced recession in the United States, which has created pricing pressure -- not pricing power -- for businesses. Pricing power is so weak for firms that the Federal Reserve believes the nation is more likely to experience a bout of deflation -- not inflation -- at least through mid-2010, and perhaps for a longer period."

So what you are getting is a forecast. However, based on the administrations forecasting ability to date , I wouldn't put too much faith in that.

[darroll]

The politicians simply don’t care.
We vote them back in year after year.
We just vote a known name.
dumb

[Red One]

Vote every incumbent out of office the next election. Lets get some of the common people elected instead of the special interest career politicians. You are right darroll, we the people are so DUMB to keep electing these people.

[blondie 11]

there is an election coming up--vote them ALL out!!!!!!