Love Your Grandma and Let's VOW to allow Social Security and Medicare to CARE for our Senior Citizens!!

As a consultant, I speak to American Seniors every day.
We talk about their current status. We talk about Social Security. Have they gone to SSA.gov to obtain their estimated view of their Social Security payments at 62, 66 and 70? Have they started tracking their budget – their expenses vs. their income? Do they have any retirement savings? Do they have ANY PLANS if Social Security should go away tomorrow?

It is always interesting to have this discussion. Most Americans DO NOT have a plan if Social Security should go away. In fact, over 50% of Americans do NOT have a retirement plan nor retirement savings and RELY completely on Social Security AND Medicare for their retirement needs.

Today, most people on Social Security are paid between $1000 - $2000 a month. Most have paid into Social Security ALL of their lives. MOST view Social Security as their Retirement Plan, since they have paid into it through their payroll ALL of their working lives. I don’t know of ANY Americans (who have paid into Social Security via their payroll for more than 10 years) who view Social Security as an “Entitlement.”
Over the next 20 years, as the Baby Boomers achieve retirement age, we will have the Highest Rate of American Seniors relying on Social Security as their primary source of income.

What is going to happen if a Republican is elected into office and successfully ENDS Social Security and Medicare? What will happen to the 50% of American Seniors that RELY on Social Security and Medicare as their Sole Source of Sustenance?

The ONLY PEOPLE that want to END Social Security are Republicans who CARE NOTHING about our Seniors!
I ask ALL Caring Americans to be ever vigilante and VOW to allow Social Security and Medicare to CARE for our Senior Citizens!!  Please Care for your Grandparents through Social Security AND Medicare! They have Paid Into this program ALL of Their Lives!

Republicans are Sneaky & Nasty! Propose Keeping Tax Cuts for Rich while Insisting Upon Massive Cuts to Social Security & Medicare!

Today, the Republicans in Congress, led by John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have just outed themselves! Horrible! John Boehner made an AWFUL counter proposal to our President today regarding the Fiscal Cliff.

Here is what Republicans are proposing:
1. NOT ENDING TAX CUTS for Rich: Boehner said NO to the President's proposal to end Tax Cuts for the Rich 2%! Instead, he proposed....

2. CUTTING Social Security: SS is SOLVENT until 2033. Yet Boehner and the Republicans are asking for $200 billion through revising the Cost of Living "CPI". This means that those on SS will see IMMEDIATE CUTS in their Social Security benefits. No more cost of living increases...instead, if approved, each retiree will see a CUT of up to $1000 each month by the time they reach 75.

3. RAISE MEDICARE ELIGIBILTY AGE TO 66 - 70: $600 billion in Medicare savings that would include raising the eligibility age and "structural Medicare reform." That's what they euphemistically call Ryan's voucher system, but it's not clear from the information available if that's what they're talking about now.


4. $800 billion in unspecified "pro-growth tax reform that closes special-interest loopholes and deductions while lowering rates."


5. $300 billion in other "mandatory" savings, including farm subsidies. No further details there.

6. $300 billion in further unspecified discretionary cuts.

VP Debate Update: Ryan ADMITS his Plan to Change Medicare, Social Security and MEDICAID! Plans to THROW GRANNY FROM A CLIFF!

During last Thursday night's VP Debate, Paul Ryan finally admitted two things (which Romney has been avoiding):
1. The Romney/Ryan plan will change Medicare to a Voucher Program -- to occur in 2016.
2. The Romney/Ryan plan will significantly REDUCE Medicaid and leave it to the States to provide the significantly Reduced Coverage -- to occur IMMEDIATELY.
It is critical for the American Public to understand what this means. Romney has refused to state these positions publicly. Now, Ryan has OUTED their Agenda.

Most Americans DO NOT want to think about what will happen when they become Senior Citizens. I spoke to two young Romney voters this week. My (barbie type niece) said she was voting for Romney because he was "cuter" than Obama. My 30ish Yuppie friend said he was voting for Romney because he said he believes the country should take a new direction and he believes in the "tax cuts for the rich - trickle down" theory (Fox News watcher) -- as if that has ever worked. Of course he cited Reagan, but I had to remind him that Romney RAISED TAXES 4 Times! Barbie said, "I'm glad that Romney's discontinuing Medicare and SS cause I'm tired of paying my money for lazy people." 

Social Security: Ryan's Plan calls for privatizing Social Security. I will blog about this in a future post.
Medicare: Voucher Program. I will blog about this in a future post.

Medicaid: Ryan said Romney's plan is to CUT MEDICAID ON DAY ONE! On today's post, I'm going to talk about Medicaid.

As many of my long time readers know, after I retired from my Process Engineering job at a large Communications company in 2009, I became a Consultant working for Medicare Enrollment and Retiree Investment Corporations. As a consultant, I have learned so much about the retiree experience. I purposely sought out these jobs because, now that I am in my 60's, I wanted to learn more about the Senior Citizen experience before I enter into it.
As a Medicare Consultant, I learned that over 50% of our Seniors rely solely on Social Security and Medicare for their existence. They have no other source of income. I learned that a large number of Medicare recipients are Dual Eligible - meaning they recieve both Medicare and Medicaid. Many of them are in Nursing Homes.
Not long ago, I spoke with a woman whose Aunt was in a Nursing Home. Her aunt had been a teacher her entire life and enjoyed being self reliant. Throughout her career, her aunt was healthy, independent and saved much of her income, planning for retirement. She had a considerable nest egg when she retired at 65. She had accumulated over $750,000. In her early retirement she traveled around the country and across the world. However in her late sixties, she became ill. At first she was ok. She had medicare to take care of most of her medical expenses. However, in her seventies, her health took a turn for the worse. She needed daily care. At first, a nurse came to her home a few days a week. Then she needed daily help. Then finally, she was unable to take care of herself at all and it was necessary for her to be placed in a care facility -- a Nursing Home.
Her niece helped her find a nicer facility but it was very expensive. Soon, her aunt depleted her entire retirement savings and the monies from the sale of her home. Her niece said to me, "It only took a little over a year. You would be surprised at how quickly the money runs out.  The nursing home cost was $10,000 a month. This did not include the Medical or Prescription Drug costs, this was only the Nursing Home costs."
Statistics tell us the average daily cost of a private room in a nursing home in the United States is $120,000 a year.
Once her aunt's savings were depleted, her niece helped her apply for Medicaid to help pay for her Nursing home costs. Her Aunt would not have been happy with the turn of events. She spent her life being so proud of her ability to save and being independent. This was only SEVEN YEARS since she had retired thinking she had plenty of savings to take care of herself until she died.
Her niece told me it was difficult applying for aid from the government. She had to prove that her Aunt had depleted her savings, lost her home and had no other sources of income. Her aunt would have been humiliated by the extent of what her niece had to do -- providing so much documentation, filling out so many forms, make call after call, making sure all requirements were met, all so her aunt could receive Medicaid. "I had to jump through hoops for her just so she could receive the aid she so direly needs. She would have hated it. Like so many others, she thought Medicaid was a handout. But she paid her taxes and worked all of her life. If anyone deserves this, my Aunt certainly did. She was such a good person. She helped me, her students and so many other people all of her life."
Her niece told me one other thing. "I know that I did all that I could to find a nice place for my aunt, but it is really like so many others. My aunt needs the daily care, but what is so mind boggling to me is how much the Nursing Home costs. It costs $10,000 a month and the place has only One Nurse. It's really the minimum wage Care Workers that are providing my aunt all the support she needs."

The bottom line is: Ryan ADMITTED on the stage on Thursday that a Romney/Ryan ticket will CHANGE Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as we know them -- and Medicaid ON DAY ONE! Most Americans DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS!!! Ryan Romney PLAN TO THROW GRANNY OFF A CLIFF!

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN 2: Extremist Paul Ryan Agrees with Rick Perry about Social Security being a Ponzi Scheme! Should we be Surprised?

WASHINGTON -- Speaking on (extreme right wing) conservative radio on Tuesday, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) agreed with Texas Gov. Rick Perry's (R) claim that Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme." When asked by host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday whether the country's social insurance program is a Ponzi scheme, Ryan replied, "That is how those schemes work." "So if you take a look at the technicality of Ponzi -- I would -- it's not a criminal enterprise," he said, according to a transcript. "But it is a pay-as-you-go system where ... earlier investors or, say, taxpayers, get a positive rate of return and the most recent investors -- or taxpayers -- get a negative rate of return."

Democrats immediately criticized Ryan's comments.

"Republican Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's belief that Social Security works like a Ponzi scheme proves -- once and for all -- that House Republicans have really declared war on seniors," said Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a press release. "A Ponzi scheme is Bernie Madoff ripping off Americans -- not Social Security benefits that seniors earned and depend on during retirement."

Ponzi schemes, made famous in 1920 by Charles Ponzi, are predicated on delivering large returns to investors with money received from new investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission definition of a Ponzi scheme is, "an investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors."

Perry called Social Security a Ponzi scheme in his 2010 book Fed Up!, and he defended the characterization in a Sept. 7 GOP presidential debate. Since then, some Republicans have come out in support of the governor, including Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) who said, "As far as it [Social Security] goes, absolutely it is a Ponzi scheme."

Additionally, this past June, Reps. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) introduced legislation that would allow workers to partially opt out of Social Security immediately and fully opt out after 15 years.

Wake Up TeaPartiers! Wake Up Republicans! Give America a Chance!

Republicans and Tea Partiers are an enigma. They have so many supporters that DO NOT HAVE A CLUE regarding their Leaders' true agenda. When you think about the Tea Party members, most of them are over 50. Many/most are receiving or are approaching receiving Social Security and Medicare. There are many on medicaid or on some type of support, particularly those in the South. They ARE the Working Poor, for Heaven's Sake! Most TeaParty Members have children or grandchildren in school. Most are currently or soon will be receiving the type of aid they are advocating against. Don't they know this? Don't they realize this? Are they that blind, deaf and dumb? Are they so brain-washed that they don't get it?

From my perspective, I have worked and paid taxes for over 40 years. I love our country. I believe in our country. I have paid my taxes and social security taxes all of my life. I've never asked a dime from anyone. I view social security as a paid benefit. I've paid into social security all of my life. If I live another 30 years, I may get paid back for all I've contributed. Maybe not. But I knew going in, that it was a benefit based on my contributions. I think most people, if they stop and think about it, think like I do. WE'VE PAID INTO SOCIAL SECURITY and MEDICARE ALL OF OUR LIVES!!! THIS IS A BENEFIT WHICH WE SHOULD RECEIVE BASED UPON OUR CONTRIBUTIONS!

The Republican/Tea Party Agenda DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS! They want to Eliminate Social Security and Medicare AS WE KNOW IT and change it to some type of Privatized program RUN BY BIG BUSINESS where recipients start over and contribute into some Private Program THEY develop!

So I ask you, WHY are Tea Partiers fighting AGAINST THIS? I don't get it! Social Security is PAID FOR! There is NO SHORTAGE on Social Security at this time (It is PAID for -- for 20 years). WHY STOP IT? Yet Republicans and TeaPartiers are advocating changing it to some type of Private Contribution program. In other words, allow some Big Business group to manage the program and then we ALL start Over and pay into some type of 401K program. Anyone who has ever had a 401K program knows how that goes. Give anyone access to their money (as a 401K does) and upon their 1st Emergency, withdraw funds. This is a joke! WE NEED GUARANTEED CARE FOR OUR OLD FOLKS! AND, those of us who have PAID INTO the program for 40 years, we NEED to be Paid Back!

Medicare is Another whole story. The government has allowed Healthcare providers to manage Medicare programs since its inception and even more so since the Prescription Drug Programs came into effect in 2006. The reason for the shortages in Medicare today is due to Private Healthcare Company abuses. Ask anyone who is familiar with Medicare Programs. They will tell you the same.

My wish and hope is for the Tea Party members to WAKE UP! Study! Learn the Facts! Stop living in this delusion! Give America a Chance!

Republican "Ole Boy" Alan Simpson in Hot Water Over Misogynist Remarks About Social Security "Milk Cow with 310 million tits!"

Reference: The Atlantic
Social Security advocates have taken offense at misogynistic and "agist" remarks made by Republican Alan Simpson this week, and one group is calling for his resignation. Social Security Works is calling on Simpson to resign after he penned this email to a critic. Remarks in question are bolded at the end:

From: Alan K. Simpson
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 6:52 PM

Ashley B. Carson
Executive Director, OWL
Dear Ms. Carson,

Someone was good enough to forward me your column of "Enough with the Pink Panthers Bit" of April 27, 2010. Some of what you say is true. Much is not - but that's nothing new about public life for me! I have news for you too, my friend. There may be no group called the Pink Panthers working to protect Social Security but I sure as hell am! I've spent many years in public life trying to stabilize that system while people like you babble into the vapors about "disgusting attempts at ageism and sexism" and all the rest of that crap.

Now hold on tight, because you won't like what I'm sending you. You may obviously be aware that the Social Security system is "in trouble." If you don't agree with that, then there is no need to read any further. But I wish to share with you the presentation by Stephen C. Goss, Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration on May 12, 2010 to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform...

Anyway, have a look at it and if you should choose, you might communicate with me. If you have some better suggestions about how to stabilize Social Security instead of just babbling into the vapors, let me know. And yes, I've made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know 'em too. It's the same with any system in America. We've reached a point now where it's like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!

Al

Here's the resignation call from Eric Kingston, co-director of Social Security Works:
"Alan Simpson's comments are offensive and sexist and clearly demonstrate that he is unfit to continue to lead the President's Fiscal Commission. His comments not only show his true view of women and older Americans but also his disdain for the very program he claims he is trying to protect - Social Security. Social Security Works is demanding that he resign immediately. If he will not, the President must fire him. Alan Simpson has no business deciding the fate of hundreds of millions of Americans' retirement future. He should have no power over Social Security, which provides vital economic support to millions of children and people with disabilities, as well as seniors and their families."