Helping Out, Bailing Out or Buying Off the Seniors?

Cloudy

Since the cost of living hasn’t gone up, there will be no increase in Social Security amounts for the nation’s senior citizens and disabled. The Obama administration is considering sending each of them a “stimulus” check for $250, at a cost to the nation of $13 billion.

I’m wondering if that $13 billion price tag to the nation is worth the benefits that $250 will glean. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not objecting to helping out people who have seen the benefits of a long life of work and contribution to the Social Security system disappear to past thieves in Congress. I’m just wondering if that little bit of money will really make a difference in the quality of their lives!

A quick search for goods and services showed me that $250 will buy or do ONE of the following:

2 suits at JC Penney

1 skirt, 1 pants, 1 shirt, and a boss belt at JCrew

1 month of groceries, IF you live alone without pets and don’t need laundry supplies

1 swivel bar stool

1 pound puppy and crate, but no vet care or Puppy Chow

1 well check up at the doctor. (Get this while we still have a good supply of them!)

1 one-way drive from Atlanta to Salt Lake City (w/o food or hotel)

50 trips across town if you live in Birmingham or a city of that size

Dinner for two at Per Se in NYC (cab fare and tip not included)

½ of a mortgage or rent payment

2 cartons of cigarettes

5 weeks of nightly toddies at home for 2

4 trips to the hairdresser

2 new tires for the car

1 airline ticket across country IF you don’t bring luggage or a coat

5 decent Christmas/birthday gifts (2 if you are buying for a teenager)

$13 interest if you put the money in a savings account

Clear

What it REALLY buys, or at least what the Democrats are hoping for, is votes in the upcoming election. They are hoping our seniors will remember the check and not be aware, yet, of the drastic cuts that will be coming in their Medicare.

Attention, Congress - Health Care Proposal

Cloudy

I am not sure what kind of reform is being proposed, as I've not read the 1000+ page document for health care. I'm not sure that there is a single version yet, or even a close runner! I'm not sure that the 500+ "pork pages" aren't going to be added just before the final vote, pork that could "persuade" some members to vote a certain way as the Democrats did in the House for Cap and Trade. I'm not sure how many times Pelosi will postpone a vote before she gets the results she wants.

Clear

However, I am clear on a few things.

1. SLOW DOWN! Every member of Congress, the Vice-President and the President should be required to read the entire bill. If the final bill is extremely long, the vote should be postponed until all have done so. Perhaps a signature on each page should be required. Perhaps 1 day of reading per every 5 pages of text should be required before any vote could be called. America should vote out of office all elected officials that do not do their job, which includes being better informed than news reporters and talk show hosts!

2. FIX WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE! The President said...and I quote..."the BIGGEST driving force behind our federal deficit is the SKYROCKETING cost of Medicare and Medicaid." If that is true, then the government has mismanaged its part of the health care system, and has no basis for asking us to trust them with more! So, after Medicare and Medicaid are running in the black, providing good services and requiring fewer mandates that shackle the health care providers and require untold numbers of employees just to handle the paper work, then move on to proposals for new policies.

3. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE! The 'graying of America' is upon you! The largest portion of your constituency is the baby boomer generation, and we are all about ready to take from the system that we have been paying into. We're about ready for you to keep the promises made to us. And, we were the ones leading the massive protests of the 70s! We still believe in the 'power of the people!' Respect your audience. Be our servants instead of our masters.