New Bills Aim to Boost Social Security Checks

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They do need an increase and it can be paid for the same way the war, and the banks funding gets paid for.

SimonSez of AR 2:40PM October 01, 2009

I think that not getting a cost of living raise for those of us living on a fixed income is an injustice at it's finest. I can't work because my husband, a disabled veteran, requires 24 hour care because of his disabilities. He was serving you America when these disabilities occurred! He was protecting your freedoms. If I were to go back to work it would cost us about $15.00 per hr. for his care, and that is the cheapest I have found, plus for every $2.00 I would make over a certain limited amount we would loose $1.00 from Social Security. I have cared for my husband for the past 18 years. When I gave up working outside the home I was a Medical Assistant, making a good wage, but of course being out of the work force for so many years my skills are less than up to par with the changes that have occurred in the medical field.
As I have read the above comments about the cost of food, utilities, medical supplies, gas and everyting else increasing we are going to have more people living in poverty than ever before. Just last week I was informed our utility company would be increasing our rates by 15%. I,ve also noticed in the last 2 months our groceries are costing .05 to .10 more per item.
Our government has bailed out the banks, auto industries, airline companies, with tax dollars, who have all raised their rates and or cost of their products and the interest rates on the credit card companies are outrageous, to the point we have to opt out in order to continue to pay the bill. Alot of us need at least one maybe two credit cards for emergencies, such as tires, medicine, or just to make it to the end of the month somtimes when normal, but unexpected things happen.
I think not only should the Congress, the Senate, the President, and all other government offices not get a raise this year and next, but should take a large decrease in pay. Most of the time these people are wasting taxpayers money anyway. I watch C-span and some of the crap they discuss is a waste of time and taxpayers' hard earned money.
The Veterans and the Social Security recipients, wheater retired or disabled need their entitled cost of living raise.

Patricia Puchtel of IN 2:51PM September 29, 2009

My husband is disable, I'm also disable, he's 64, I'm 60, I never worked outside the home, so therefore, I do not receive a check, his check is our only source of income, which is a little over $1000. He worked all his life, raised 4 children, then became disable at 60. I think the politicans, have no clue, what it's like to live on a income with just enough to pay rent, Utilities, & medicine, you go in the grocery store pick up grapes, or an apple, look at the price, then decide you can't afford it, this is suppose to be the land of plenty, well this is the land, that if you become disable or old, this country consider you undesirable, or not worthy. It makes the disable and elderly, feel like what's the sense of living, there's no respect for the elderly from the young, now from the government. If 2.9% or 3% is going to bankrupt the government, why don't we hire all the politicans, & the president on a voluntarie Basics, then we can put that extra money where it is need. And on the comment, that we should have saved money in the pass to help with retirement, in the pass, there was just enough money to raise the 4 children and pay the rent. Not everyone was able to save money. PLEASE congress pass this bill, at least I'll be able to buy grapes, or an apple

Felicia of MO 6:26PM September 24, 2009

I would gladly get a part time and even a full time job and have been looking for the past 6 months, but unfortunately that is easier said than done. I have worked all my life and don't have a problem with working. As a matter of fact, I would actually enjoy having a job. If the government had been run properly for the past 8 years, we would not be in the fix we are in. Stop laying the blame on the average person and start blaming those who were too greedy and lining their own pockets and ego for the past 8 years.

M ALICE of FL 1:01PM September 24, 2009

My husband who recently passed away, was on disability several times during his life and while I worked for over 35 years, we had children to raise and bills to pay just like everyone else. I now have medicial problems and can only work part time but the gas goes up, uilities go up, I take a lot more mediciation than I did, my company who provided me insurance free now wants me to pay when I really need it. Unfortunately not all of us are able to save for the future and what we did save is mostly gone because of the stock market. Yes, it will go back up but I am not going to be around too many more years. I think it is sad that so many people begrufge the elderly their social security. I also think it is sad that we get little respect in this country. We can pay for abortions, medical for people who never paid a dime in to Social Security and was wars all over the world, bail out banks that don't give back to the people, and car dealers but my gosh don't let those senior citizens get away with anything.

Gloria of AZ 7:38PM September 21, 2009

I understand things are rough, but Social Security was never designed to provide you with 100% of your living expenses in retirement. If you did not plan and put money away for leaner times, you have nobody to blame but yourselves. Get a part-time job to help with expenses. If you are disable, use state programs that may be available to you. Stop blaming SSA for all of your woes. The trouble in this country is nobody wants to be responsible for their own mistakes. You want someone to blame, look in the mirror.

JB of WI 5:11PM September 21, 2009

SENIORS,VETERANS,AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES..THIRTY OR FORTY DOLLARS EACH MONTH WON'T HELP US PAY THOSE ADDED EXPENSES AND CURTAIL INCREASING INFLATION..WE NEED SPECIFIC TAX BREAKS FOR THOSE RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY.COLA WILL ONLY GET YOU SO FAR.ONE TIME LUMP SUM PAYMENTS ARE NICE,BUT THEY DON'T WORK.MOST SENIORS NOW BALANCE WHAT THEY GET EVERY MONTH DEPENDING ON THEIR NEEDS.UNFORTUNATELY,SOME DON'T EAT,SOME CAN'T PURCHASE THEIR DRUGS.WHAT IS NEEDED,ARE TAX BREAKS BASED ON YOUR YEARLY INCOME AND ASSETS.ANOTHER POINT TO CONSIDER,IS IF A COLA AMOUNT IS FORTHCOMING,THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT GIVE IT AS AN ADDITION TO ONE'S SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK,BUT AS A SUBTRACTION TO EVERYONES MONTHLY MEDICARE PREMIUM.IN THIS WAY, YOU WOULD COME OUT WAY AHEAD, AND SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY FROM BECOMING BANKRUPT...

D. SHANNON of WI 9:55AM September 21, 2009

Ok so there was a good raise last year, what happens to next year and the year after when the cost of living goes through the roof. The cost of living has went up for me just in the cost of paying for gasoline. I now pay $40 to fill up my car with gas and this time last year it was at $25-30. My medications now cost me $60 a month and that is with medicare D. Last year they cost me an average of $30 a month.
I say let our dear congressmen and the people running social security try to live on $1420 a month with 3 mouths to feed and see if they can do it. Just in medical bills I currently pay an average of $200 a month and that doesn't count medications. If there is no raise how am I going to feed my children. I don't qualify for food stamps because I have to much income. Go figure that one out.

Wayne Miles of VA 10:59PM September 20, 2009

There definitely should be a raise in Social Security. Living on a fixed income with no increase when the cost of living keeps rising. This includes all utilities and our health insurance.
My rent, health insurance, electric, etc. will all increase from
5 to 10 dollara monthly.

Ada Boyer of NJ 6:42PM September 19, 2009

Of course Social Security recipients should receive a cost of living increase. Inflation is alive and well. In my world, the cost of living has increased not decreased. Is President Obama and Timothy Geithner attempting to reduce the national deficit by not providing COLA raises for the next 2 years. Federal and military retirees will not receive a COLA increases as well. Most of the elderly are unable to work and depend on the yearly increase to help offset the rise in medicine, food, housing, utilities. The increase can be paid for the same way the government provided trillions of dollars to bail out banks and automobile companies.

Jo-An Brucellaria of FL 11:03AM September 19, 2009