I am a senior drawing Social Security. We have been told we will not get a living adjustment in 2010, and I have no quarrel with that. Now I understand our president feels sorry for us old folks so he is going to give us $250 in lump payment to soften the blow.
A lump payment of $250 is worthless in today's economy on an individual basis. Most seniors will put it in the bank and that will be the end of it.
Consider this. There are over 35 million people in the United States receiving Social Security. At $250 per person that will amount to $8.75 billion that our tax payers are going to have to come up with. It seems to me there are much better things this money could be used for.
Comments ... 16 found!
Death to Seniors : 11/1/2009
Can't you see the plan......cut Medicare benefits...sick seniors can't get a DR......seniors die off and don't draw SSA and use Medicare ........more money for the vultures .
Amen
mis-facts - misleading : 10/29/2009
(quoting) ...Mr. Washburn, I'd love to find where you found those ridiculus numbers, and I hope you don't have a daughter who gets raped in the near future, b/c I guess she won't get to make any of the decisions. If you could get your head out of the sand for a minute and realize our country didn't just start deteriorating in January... Please, quit with the scare tactics. Thwy don't work, and the ridiculous scenarios used do nothing to advance your viewpoint. According to many sources, nationwide the figure varies but its in the range of 300 to 500 pregnancies per year are a result of rape. So, please do not hang your hat on the blatant scare tactic of this to justify revamping 'the system" for over 300 million residents. It just doesn't fly.
Do it the right way
250.00???? : 10/29/2009
you gotta be kiddin' me. 250 = 20 bucks a month. My Insurance is going up 12 bucks a month, and they're increasing my drug deductible from 0.00 to 5.00. (this may not sound like much, but I take 13 medications daily) In short, thanks for nuttin'.
No need for "help" from the gummint
$250 : 10/28/2009
Hey P's and Q's, Where were you when the Democrats "scared" seniors that the Republicans were trying to take away their SS benefits when Bush wanted to privatize SS? (BTW, a a great idea.) Talk about scare tactics. Be intellectually honest...this is what politicians do and until we voters open our eyes, forget party loyalty, get informed, get term limits and get fed up, nothing will change. As for as health care, if anyone doesn't have insurance and needs care, they get it. I want everyone to be able to "buy it" and not expect it to be paid for by other taxpayers. Right now, 50% of us are paying for the other 50% when it comes to taxes. That's a shame and Americans who didn't prepare for life should be ashamed. You know, finish high school, maybe go to college but if not, learn a trade, learn to be a manager at a WalMart or McDonald's. Don't be a drag on the taxpayers. My Democratic dad taught me to pay my own way in life.
Love America
To: Laughs : 10/28/2009
Manipulate the elderly?? What planet are you from? It is very clear that they WILL CUT medicare! They don't even deny it so don't start your liberal propganda about "manipulating" the elderly. Also, if you honestly believe that those with insurance they like can keep it, then you are indeed WAY out of touch! It's going to be kind of hard to keep when the government runs the insurance companies out of business, DUH! Then, they can run healthcare with the same efficiency that they run the post office, medicare/medicaid, social security, etc! And see how many "decisions" your daughter can make when we have this socialized medicine - NONE! the government will make her decision for her and there is NO doubt about it. Socialized medicine has not worked efficiently anywhere they have tried it....why are we any different than them? This is not about conservatism or liberalism, it is about the American people being allowed to make decisions for themselves!!
Studying the Ps and Qs
Laughs : 10/28/2009
LeRoy, since you only want a "select few" to get healthcare and since you're one of a few on here who feel we ALL don't deserve health care which we can't afford under our current system, then I'd LOVE to hear what your answer is compared to a health care system that would be affordable and allow us to choose. That's pretty selfish of all of you conservative thinkers. Mr. Washburn, I'd love to find where you found those ridiculus numbers, and I hope you don't have a daughter who gets raped in the near future, b/c I guess she won't get to make any of the decisions. If you could get your head out of the sand for a minute and realize our country didn't just start deteriorating in January. If we're going to whine about the past ,then put the blame where it is due! Business as usual, it IS a consumer option in that the rich medical companies can't take all of our money and use it for their benefit. That, and it's something we can all afford. In case you don't know what the word OPTION means, it means you can choose. If you like your insurance the way it is now, then KEEP IT! DUH! It only affects those who choose to use it! Conservative thinking - let's maniuplate the elderly and use our typical scare tactics against them! Nice job guys, hopefully they won't all fall for it! If we could only let people think for themselves, this world would be a much better place!
Mind your Ps and Qs
$250 Senior Bribe : 10/28/2009
Sorry Jim H but Soc Sec is not a welfare program and rich and poor alike receive it on the basis of what they PAID in to it. As self employed I paid 15.2% of my income into it, why shouldn't I receive the benefit I was promised?. And X9, The $250 is not MINE to give. I'm not interested in receiving a $250 gift of OTHER peoples money, maybe you are. My parents taught me NOT to accept charity, but to WORK for what I needed.
Paul D
Bob Is Right : 10/28/2009
Bob, unfortunately you are right in all of this. This is just a cheap token from Obama to try and gain a little support from a few uninformed seniors. If Obama gets his healthcare bill with the public option passed (excuse me, Mrs. Pelosi has renamed it as the "consumer option") you will definitely see a "living adjustment" but it won't be a positive one!!
Business As Usual
$250 payment : 10/27/2009
This article and several of the comments illustrates the reason social security has a problem.I noticed when John McCain's income was made public during the campain, he gets $1200 a month from social security.ABC's George Will mentioned the $250 he will be getting.Now, Bob Pugh is getting money he doesn't need.The people I know who recieve social security won't be putting any of it in the bank.The system was designed to feed those of limited means.
Jim H
Reality Check : 10/27/2009
Lets just get to the chase. I retired from a company of 35 Years. Made in the USA... Obama is trying to get companies to stay here and give the rest of the people the same chance that I was fortunate to have. Social security means nothing to me because I just happened to actually work till retirement age. If the America I new was the america all of us knew this conversation and the deficit would not even be talked about.
Jim Roberts
Pay raises : 10/27/2009
The elderly and disabled do not get a pay raise. Congress gets a pay raise, governmanet workers get a pay raise, local elecled Officials get a pay raise, GCAD gets pay raises, College Professors gets raises and I bet Obama gets a pay raise. Now see how it is, the elderly built this country and paid for their benefits. The taxers and spenders that are destroying our country are the ones benefiting from our distruction. Ultimate solution for the ones in power is get the votes of the elderly and disabled then cut their benefits, and tell them you are too expensive to be allowed to live. 50 million babies aborted, next 35 to 40 million elderly and disabled killed for society, See where the culture of death is leading us, leading us to our total destruction. AMERICA REPENT NOW! BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
MARK WASHBURN
$250 Payment : 10/26/2009
It's already been pointed out that this is a ploy for votes of Seniors....why, because seniors vote. Obama knows he has lost a lot of votes. When will America wake up and realize we are pawns in the hands of politicians. They don't care about us...just our vote. Let's send a message in 2010/2012. Vote the bums out.
Love America
OK : 10/26/2009
Please send me your $250 since you don't need it.
x9
: 10/26/2009
The reasoning is simple: The President is fast losing the support of America's senior population.. This is nothing more than an attempt to slow down the loss...
unclepudd
Payment is needed. : 10/25/2009
Due to hideous healthcare bill under debate, which includes huge cuts in benefits to current Medicare recipients, and with the dismal outlook for the dems in next years congressional elections, they need SOMETHING to point to that thay did over two years to buy the votes of seniors.
LeRoy
money : 10/25/2009
I totally agree with you, Bob. In my opinion, this is nothing more than redistribution of wealth, taking from taxpayers and giving to a select group of folks whom Obama is striving to get their vote in 2010/2012. He thought he had AARP and all seniors on board until we all read the Health Care bill and learned what he was REALLY up to! As far as Im concerned, he can forget this, I dont need someone's hard earned money to live on. Besides that, you can "bet your boots" there will be govt strings attached to that money!
concerned
LOCAL AND WIRE 
