6 Likely Social Security Changes

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Does the government have a magic pill they are about to give everyone to increase their quality life span? Hell I don't see no dramatic increase in longevity. I see a dramatic increase in people being kept alive by machines and living in nursing homes. Thats no retirement thats misery. I don't support increases in the retirement age. I think increasing taxes is preferrable. Give folks a few years to enjoy retirement before they die or are confined to a nursing home on some machine to make them live longer. Their is a difference between life and quality life. I'll take all the quality life I can get but just to be alive is not living. Good Day, Joe.

Joe of MT 11:34PM August 02, 2011

The president and all federal politicians should receive the same proposed pay cuts, increases in insurance costs and retirement benefits that all the rest of us common Americans do now. They would change their tune about all the proposed cuts in all of the afore mentioned. Another thing that all the politicians in Washington should do and this is way, way over due is stop ALL of the partisan politics antics. They are playing with people's lives and they seem to think it is a game of one up manship and don't really care who they hurt or cause a hardship on. The common American citizen is fed up to the top of their had and maybe even a foot above the top of their head with what I've just described and if the politicians can't get this mess straightened out then there just might be a revolt the likes of which have never been seen before in this country. People are fed up with the same old "business as usual" in Washington. It doesn't help either when one sees on TV that the same CEOs that caused this mess to happen with the economy are now in top cabinet positions in the current administration in Washington making huge salaries and most importantly "NOT having to go to jail for screwing up this nation's economy." That in itself does not sit well with me. If it had been anyone else apart from the ones in Washington who didn't have the contacts or pull as these guys did then they'd be underneath the jail right now serving time for their crimes. It seems to me that Mr. Obama is hell bent on destroying this nation in anyway he can think of and it also seems to me that he has some pretty good advisors assisting him in that endeavor. Things that he has done and said seem to indicate that he is trying his hardest to turn this nation into a socialist state and no one seems to be trying to stop that from happening. It is a sad day in America and none of the current politicians seem to give a damn about what is happening and don't care as long as they have their lively hoods. That's my take on what is happening now. Thank you for allowing me to vent.

Gary Reynolds of GA 8:50PM August 02, 2011

I think that the president should take a cut in his pay. Also, he should have to shop at the same stores like the rest of us. We have to shop at walmart for instance why not him instead of him and his family having expensive suits and dresses made. He should have to live on what a lot of the retired citizens live on and he would see how you have to break your medication in half so that you are able to eat or just not buy your medication so that you can pay the rent. He should try it sometime. He should tell his kids that hey i can't buy you that ipod, because we really can not afford it. That is how a lot of people with diability or retired people have to live.

Loretta of FL 3:16AM August 01, 2011

Congress should get the same Social Security and Medicare everyone else has. They should not have their own retirement and health care plans. They need to be in the same situation as those they govern.
Congress cost of living increases should be identical to the cost of living increase for social security. That's stating the obvious, but not the reality.

Ted of CO 8:21AM July 31, 2011

The top 400 people in this country paid an average 17% in federal taxes. We all work for them in one way or onother. They contribute with PACs to influence votes in every level of government. Other nations will soon resemble this system; a new world order as per father Bush. It is a monopoly game with lives at stake, small kingdoms with serfs, and each will outplay the other for control until we end up with one grand poobah. That is if nothing like the French or Russian revolution occurs first. These folks are your $8-$9/hr job creators who hire us to maintain, service,warehouse and transport the materials they have created with 25cent/hr overseas labor. Mr Boehner the Koch brothers and Pete Peterson are on the phone to congratulate you on the first step in killing social security and medicare. You and Grover Norquist will drown it in the bathtub.

Foxlor of CA 6:29PM July 29, 2011

We should means test federal government pensions and health benefits. They are mostly millionaires We should also have government workers work a designated amount of years before they are eligible for pensions. Or even better let them have 401K like everyone else. I hear alot of congressmen and senators talking about cutting back benefits, but I do not hear them talking about cutting back their own benefits.

barbara of NY 5:34AM July 29, 2011

I agree with Viola about the waste & failure to follow thru on the people who abuse these resources.In addition,There is so much throwing away of useable products, recycling that needs to be done...Something like "meds", sterile dressings, etc. that are simply thrown away [when they are prepackaged] by hospitals and nursing homes [when the pt. been transferred or released or has died"], the amt.of $$ spent for products that are not needed or [not even recieved in some cases] wasted and the people are still charged or medicare or medicaid is...The amt of food that "large" grocery stores and fast food, quick marts simply THROW AWAY per day, when it could help the food pantries or folks that need it.... The things we waste is one place we all can/could help, if something is still useable, donate it to the salvation army, goodwill, put a free sign on it and watch how fast it goes..We need to be helping each other out in these tough times...The goverment and politicians need to do THEIR jobs and we NEED to help each other, in these tough times, even someting small helps make life easier for someone, instead of all the inactivity and complaining--JUST MAYBE the politicians could learn something by watching the voters. WOULDN'T THAT BE AMAZING???

labsra1 of NY 4:24PM July 27, 2011

I just want them to cut ME A CHECK like they do everyone else that's a Bank, or a Corporation, or a Foreign Bank, or a Wall Street Affiliate.
Who truly DO run this Government.
They can dole out billions to foreign banks(did it) lose 700 Billlon(no clue who, or where it went, and STILL allow Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgans Execs Million dollar bonuses.(Private smaller Corp Execs, under USLegal BUNDING contracts) had theirs taken back.(i.e.) the Federal Gov't STOLE their legally earned bonus checks.
General Electric( Jeffrey Immelt) an Obama contributor, got several Billions simply for asking for it.(Did not need it).
The Clown running Fannie Mae & Freddie mac, got fired(but got to keep his 50 Million dollar severance bonus??....What?..........these Politicians are tugs, and thieves, I for one have had it.
Somehow, WE who have paid in for DECADES cannot get a pittance monthly of our OWN MONEY!!!!,this outright theft, and immoral.
This is not a GIFT,it's OUR's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Wake up, email your Senators, and Reresentatives at least once a week.
Most of us will die 10-15 yrs after retirement, and then all the money we paid in goes to the fund that's being pilfered,STILL.

Terry S of TX 10:26AM July 26, 2011

Ok seniors lets go to school for a minunte here, start with reading, read all you can read the bills, the legislation, read the proposals, get off your arm chairs and stop watching that crap on TV but if you do make sure its both sides. I cant stand Bill Marrrrr but i watch him, along with others, to get the other side of the story! Next, lets do the math just the simple math and it dont add up you cant make more out of less. The cuts are not aimed at seniors themselves but the breaucracy that has been created and the enormous fraud and waste that goes along with it. I've seen it with my own eyes, example : my brother died young, woman he dated once said the kid was his to get $1500 (aprox) a month for the next 18 yrs. Test's (before he died) showed the child was not his, S.S. dept. was made aware given the proof, they didn't care she's still getting that money and putting alot of it up her nose or smoking it. This is only one of million's of stories. THE WASTE and FRAUD is what we need to go after and this is the only way i can see of doing it, yes some are going to get dropped thru the cracks but that's just the way it is as you well know.

doo-rod of TX 7:43AM July 26, 2011

Why can't our politicians do the right thing and leave the stuff alone that we pay for our old age if we lucky to get old. Why can't they have single payer like other countries, it would solve the problem. We have spend happy politicians on both sides of the aisles, GOP and DEMS, who blame the other like children, totally incompetent, since those programs work fine with all other nations even South America being considered a 3rd world country. Too bad that Americans have been brainwashed for so long to think this is the best country to live in and people have been so aloof when voting that they created the mess in Washington. Now we are handcuffed to vote for the lesser evil instead of voting for the right person. People should have realized decades ago that no candidate ever came thru with his campaign promises, never, NADA, ZERO!

Viola Perry of TX 7:32AM July 26, 2011