Seniors 'Near Poverty' at Risk in Deficit Cuts

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Since I didn't go to college it is a shame I didn't have a relative or somebody with some influence who could have given me a union job in the state or city so I could be get a big fat pension. Insted I am $730.00 over the poverty level and I worked like a dog to get that much and I speak english. I also got my job honestly and I loved it. I am almost 70 and on disability. The government should go after the crooked unions not us old people.

Joyce Storm of RI 1:45PM October 26, 2011

Banks ,auto Ind., ALL who rec. the millions of dollars, should be paying it back, Plus interest.
If they had a FLAT rate income tax, for everyone, there would be more than enough to go around.Instead they make loopholes like tunnels for all the big RICHIES to avoid paying anything. the middle man, and the ones who barely make enough to live on are carrying the load for the whole country.
And now they are raising ALL the prices on Senior Health care.while the Insurance Companies are making interest, because the Govt. pays them the 1st of each month, they don't pay till abt 20th. lots of interest for them, on LOTS of dollars.
I don't know abt you , but I need 3 MRI's, thats $125.00 per, IH fee raised from $300.00 to$476.00 , I can not afford it. Disability has not had a raise in 3 years, But the Good Ole People in Washington, still vote theirselves a raise
(Thousands) every year.
We are not far from becoming a third world country. RICH get RICHER, POOR get POORER.

mary hayes of TX 11:17PM June 04, 2011

An article appeared on CNN, local news, whatever quoting 555 persons were responsible for our
horrible situation - senators, representatives AND THE NINE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME! I got a case there, pro se, they wouldn't even rehear it on repetition for rehearing. Part of the case was that one company - SAIC, who has defrauded the U.S. for over 3 billion but is still getting more Contracts, the same goes for FEMA, they have carte blanche, they are just handed "x" of dollars as requested with no purchase orders and no follow up (from what I could tell) as to how it is spent sorta like the maybe ($100.00) toilet that wound up costing $5,000.00 or whatever), the disparity in the treatment of EmployEES v EmployERS (I presented the evidence given to me by the State of Texas because I had it on time). I did not receive the EEOC information from the United States in time mainly because I submitted this request when Ms. Aletha Brown was still in office in 2009, however, I cannot say enough about the new personnel and with the speed they got out the information even in the face of the severe weather that occurred in Washington, D.C. - Thank all of you! You would be amazed at the personnel that were involved or should have been, in between and except for maybe at the least a handful that were helpful. Most of the personnel did absolutely nothing except shift the work from one location/person to another for whatever reasons, including one from a Mr. P. David Lopez, General Counsel, from U.S. EEOC who commented there was nothing he could do - I don't think he even knew what I was talking about, (I requested FOIA information) yet it was his personnel, (I call them his since I felt they were under his command) furnished me with that information so quickly and efficiently, again showing the disparity but on the EEOC Washington level. The whole point of this being that the companies with mega bucks run this country and the rest of us are just out of luck, either because we can't afford high priced attorneys, don't have the knowledge to do it and keep after it, and/or or because of the amount we might get if and when it goes to medication - which is the biggest joke there is.
There was one person that I do want to point out that helped, from the beginning, Mr. Jeb Hensarling, Republican and even though at one point said that he had probably done as much as he could, then followed up again, stating it might be a good idea for me to follow up with Ms. Brown (which, of course at the time this happened) he didn't know what was going to happen to her. There are a several people I'd like to thank individually, the Washington EEOC peronnel plus, ( very few from Texas,) who helped,, including the Texas Attorney General's Office. Also check out the Judges of the 5th U. S. Supreme Court and their status after hurricane Katrina, amazing but they're all still on the BENCH. I will continue to work this case somehow to help others.!

Ruth Stoever of TX 11:40AM April 18, 2011

Shame on the democrats and the GOP. All of them are bought and paid for by the corporations, health care companies, big oil, you name it. None of them pay taxes. No rich American pays taxes. Stop the subsidies to big oiul and to the farms, increase taxes for the rich and make all the corporations pay taxes. Leave the seniors and the poor alone. Obama went back ob his word. Change alright...change for the worse. Eliminate the middle class, take away medicare and medicaid, give them vouchers that won't even pay premiums for health care. This country is in the verge of another Revolution. What a sad state of affairs this country has become.

Jean-Paul Auger of CA 4:50PM April 11, 2011

The GOP are thinking only of themselves, corporations, insurance companies.
To HELL with middle America, low income seniors, Health and Human services.
They could care less if they ship jobs overseas, people losing their homes, jobs, health care, security for their children...FOOD for their children. It's time to make a change...get rid of career politians..term limits. Have the voters vote raises for Congress and Senate. Have The Hill give up their perks.
Have the politians make public the lobbies they support and how much money and perks they get from these corporations.
I'm sick of all the backstabbing to the American people....we need to have another REVOLUTION is this country. We aren't being represented in Washington anymore...insurance companies, corporations, banks...they are the ones being represented. We had one tea party...lets have another (and I don't mean tea-bagger nuts) Americans have become complacent we need to get mad...really angry to make change. There are much more of us than the crooks in Washington....WE NEED TO MAKE THE CHANGES AND QUICKLY or we will be a 3rd world country or even worse...end up like the Roman Empire...gone!!

nita hopkins of NH 10:56AM April 10, 2011

For 72 years I have been frugal every day and now it is paying off. I buy on sale,coupons,mfg coupons,rebates,BOGOF,register rewards from CVS,Walgreen,Rite Aid,grocery stores, freebies on the pc,buy groceries from a warehouse, going out of business sales, I tithe at church,donate to garage sales at church,donate to the food bank at church. I just started keeping my heat at 65 degrees and putting on more clothes and bed covers. I am lucky enough to be able to pay cash for everything. I buy Christmas presents all year long at discounts and rebates. I cook enough at one meal to serve 2 meals or more-saving on electricity,time, money. This week I am cashing in my IRAs and bought 2 homes already rented for $600/mo each. I am afraid to leave the money,afraid it will disappear. Don't give up. Be a friend or neighbor -take a covered dish to them and then the favor will be returned.

mildred lane of KS 5:36PM March 31, 2011

Your suppose to be able to look forward to retirement! Well try becoming disabled at 42!?! (in 2003) Keep in mind that it took 2 1/2 years more for me to get my Social Security Disability! (This was the 1st job I ever had that didn't come with or didn't offer Disability Insurance and things like AFLAC were just coming out. I didn't know you could buy DI outside of your job.) In the mean time I still had to find a way to live until my Social Security Disability came through. What do you do when your doctor says you can't work!?! Not only because of your disability, but because of the medicine your on for the disability. You can't have a job while your on the medicine but you can't physically do the job without the medicine, what do you do? Well, I can only tell you what happened to me. I applied for assistance for rent, utilities and food. Because I had some savings ($756.00) I didn't qualify. Keep in mind I filled out all 20 pages of information showing what my expenses were per month, this did not include any debt that I had. After paying everything for that month I had less than $20 left. But because I had money left that disqualified me. That of course put me in the position of possible eviction. But that didn't matter.
We are NO LONGER HUMAN BEINGS we are PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION. I worked 2 jobs MOST of the time and 3 jobs during Christmas time prior to my fall down cement steps. You lose ALL your dignity when you become disabled (especially in my case, where you can't physically see my disability). I thought that was bad enough, but it got worse trying to deal with the SYSTEM. I spent the next 6 months SO DEPRESSED that I could ONLY get out of bed to deal with the system and go to the doctors to get pain medicine and anti-depressants!!!!!!
There has to be a better way! When you work and pay Social Security and you need it you should get it. Change the system if it needs to be changed. But for the people who are just entering the work force not the ones who have been in the midst of it for so long and are expecting it to be there!

Kim of FL 10:59PM March 28, 2011

I am well aware of the all the financial turmoil that is spreading out across our vast nation. And especially for fellow Americans that are experiencing there "Golden Years", I do have empathy along with sympathy. What the hell has beened to our country over the last three or four decades? No one really has "The" answer the question.
Let us for a moment start to look for our own ANSWERS. Stop the mind tapes from going back and asking yourself if you have done this instead of that ... let type of thinking go away and direct your energy to the future.
We have to stop assigning the blame here and there. Let us offer this up and get on with our beautiful process of living.
And please let us not forget the residents of Japan that were afflicted very recent events. Why are we crying in our beer? Put the two sceniaro's on the same scale and just compare... what are the hard cruel facts. Let us as FELLOW AMERICANS be THANKFUL for this moment. Let us stay the course as civil, kind, trustorthy and caring individuals of this beautiful Earth of ours, we are all on the same ride through our lives.

Joseph of MI 3:05PM March 27, 2011

NOW SOMEONE, PLEASE FIGURE THIS ONE OUT FOR ME...
I am single, 64, divorced 6 years, no investments, money,OR house) just the paychecks at $10 a hr.., I can make now and then, plus $740 a month from Social Security. ( I had been an at- home mother for over 20 years)
I had to draw my benefits early after New Century Mortgage disappeared, all of us lost our jobs.
I am only allowed to make $14,160 GROSS before some of my benefits would be TAKEN AWAY FROM ME THE FOLLOWING YEAR...but I am paying taxes...I stand on my feet for long periods of time,all night, doing security work in places, most people wouldn't put a dead dog..so to make money to pay the rent, food, car insurance (used car) NO HEALTH INSURANCE (DENTAL OR OTHERWISE) pay for dental work..missing 4 molders on the bottom. Glasses when needed, shots, sore throats, etc.
I was told after I'm 66, I can make as much as I want...the truth...IF I GO OVER $25,000 GROSS... THE SOCIAL SECURITY BECOMES TAXABLE...AFTER THE AGE OF 66...what the heck is this? I live to work everyday, when possible. I am not lazy...DO NOT SMOKE OR DRINK..shop at $.99 cent stores, even for food...
I am trying to survive on my own, without asking for low income housing, food stamps or anything else. AS LONG AS I HAVE JOB..(regardless of the work) I HAVE MY DIGNITY..
WOMEN MY AGE, HOOK UP WITH MEN IN SCOTTSDALE, CLEAN THEIR HOUSES, GET FOOD STAMPS, FREE MEDICAL AT SCOTTSDALE'S FINEST HOSPITALS, AND NEVER WORK...PAY TAXES OR ANYTHING ELSE...IS THIS FAIR?...THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK...THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO...BECAUSE THEY GET MORE FREE STUFF ...NOT WORKING.... WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THIS? I EVEN TOLD THEM WHERE TO FIND WORK...BUT THEY SAID "NO" The men are usually 70 or older, so they are ONLY COMPANIONS...
IS THAT WHAT ALL SENIOR WOMEN SHOULD BE DOING...MOVE TO SCOTTSDALE, LIVE WITH AN OLD MAN, CLEAN, COOK FOR HIM, SELL YOUR FOOD STAMPS,THEN MOOCH OFF OF HIM..AND MAKE SURE HE PAYS YOU CASH FOR EXTRAS LIKE YOUR HAIR CUTS, NAILS, CAR WASH ETC...(so you end up with a big fat savings account hidden away with one of your kids) then move on to the next husband or live in man...married 3 or 4 times...what the heck is this type of society...especially in Scottsdale or Chandler...huh?
I LIKE MY INDEPENDENCE.....JUST WANT TO FIND A ROOMMATE WHO DOESN'T DRINK OR SMOKE AND IS WILLING TO WORK...EVEN PART TIME..
IF YOU ARE THAT RICH...DO VOLUNTEER WORK...HELP OTHERS...

Lynn of AZ 11:23AM March 16, 2011

If the government thinks of Social Security as an entitlement program then might they one day also think of out 401K and IRA's as entitlements too? Afterall, they too are paid for and set aside for our so-called 'golden years'. I am seriously considering withdrawing my 401K money at some point and putting it in an account outside the US where the long arms of Uncle Sam can not extend his greedy little palms.

Mike of MI 11:35AM March 15, 2011