Debt Ceiling and Budget Cuts Take Center Stage

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Why can't there be a temporary solution? For instance, I think people(those who receive any type of federal funds) would gladly take a 20% cut in pay until things get worked out better, than losing all pay in certain area's. That way basic needs can be met, the economy will not take a devastating hit that will send us back into recession or leave people homeless and hungry or even on a death bed!

Martina Chavis of GA 3:52PM July 14, 2011

I may not be political savy but I do understand that the lives of the elderly and terminally ill medicare and medicaid as well as social security recipients are in the hands of those making decisions about the budget. My father work everyday of his life just about until he found out he was in renal failure. If his medicare is cut, he will not be able to get his dialysis. He will be dead in a matter of days! His renal failure is result of kidney damage from fall from a construction sight trying to work in bad weather. He is only 58years old. I am sure that there are thousands who are just as dependent on their medicine to keep them alive. If the budget isn't worked out you might as well say we have another 9/11 on our hand because of political controversy in our own back yard. We will have just as many to bury that suffered even longer knowing they were dying. Even still what about those who have heart trouble that are keeping tabs on what is happening and incidentally end of dying of a heart attack because of worry and stress from this mess we have all made.
Work together for the good of all, not just for those who already have big pockets.

Martina Chavis of NC 3:42PM July 14, 2011

"But the numbers of older Americans is growing so rapidly that the program's overall spending burden will rise to 6.1 percent of GDP in 2035 from 4.8 percent today."
--This was a budgeted-for change in Social Security back in 1982. Does everyone have amnesia and forget that the "great" Alan Greenspan chaired the commission that not only increased the retirement age but also, increased the revenues accruing to Social Security from 1982 onward? This was an objective change to the budget to bring revenues in line with future expenditures. The reason Social Security is continuing to run long-term deficits is that no one paid for the first retiree cohort that retired between 1940 & 1960. Yet, somehow this is being characterized as a problem with the Baby Boom generation, who have already paid their fair share into the system to cover their own retirements!

KKOR of OH 12:12PM June 27, 2011