49% of Seniors “living on a food budget of about $5 a day"
The wealthiest nation in the world has half of its seniors living on $5 a day for food; that’s an out and out scandal. That’s completely unacceptable but more than that – it’s the result of an economic system that doesn’t allow people to save for decades. You have people who lost a fortune by reckless banks investing in risky credit derivatives and financial schemes … and in a blink – people lost their life savings. It is untenable.
We’re not talking about some minority of people who were simply irresponsible … we’re talking about HALF of America’s seniors. And the ONLY reason that number isn’t higher is because of Social Security; without Social Security … more families would become caretakers of their parents and for those without families … they would end up dying in some homeless shelter somewhere. And – no … that’s not hyperbolic; that’s reality.
The NY Times writes HERE:
Seventy-five percent of Americans nearing retirement age in 2010 had less than $30,000 in their retirement accounts. The specter of downward mobility in retirement is a looming reality for both middle- and higher-income workers. Almost half of middle-class workers, 49 percent, will be poor or near poor in retirement, living on a food budget of about $5 a day.
Read more: http://www.classwarfareexists.com/49-of-seniors-living-on-a-food-budget-of-about-5-a-day/#ixzz23WY1j2tm
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Thank you, and welcome to DU! 
(I don't know how he got on the mailing list, by the way, nor on such an exclusive one.)
The letter says, "The maximum personal contribution is $75,800, which I know is a significant request." DO YOU THINK SO, MITT? I guess this isn't the letter that the 0.01% get, since to them $75K wouldn't be a "significant request," but still, 
Mitt does say a little further down in the letter that "Your contribution of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $25,000 or even $50,000 will help our entire Republican ticket this fall." So even spare change is welcome, I guess.
A request for $3 vs. a request for $1,000 to $75,800... kind of points out the differences between the parties, doesn't it?
Welcome to DU!
Many of these seniors had a rough life. Many did not reap a huge inheritance. They may have had jobs that did not pay well, did not have benefits like pensions. Many may have had parents to care for ,as well, at a time when their parents had no income at all. There may have been layoffs,caring for family members with health problems when no one had disability coverage. As with many families some may have had offspring who ended up in trouble,taking advantage of their parents or constantly bailing them out of jail. Adults of that generation are exceptionally proud and do not always complain to others. Another obvious issue is the fact that many of these women never worked. WOmen stayed home and raised their kids. They did not learn skills outside of child rearing. Many became sitters but often did not even get paid for that. By the time they became widowed or having to deal with a sick spouse it was too late for them to try and get a skill that is IF they had the health,themselves to go fight in a workforce they never had to when they were young.
Many of these seniors did not have the luxury of having a huge savings. I never met any who spent money like it was water. They came from the generation of the Great Depression. They started with little. If they were kids at the time they grew up without many toys or trips to the movies. Thrift was in their spirit. I visited many of that generation when I was a kid. They were relatives,they were neighbors. Their homes(sometimes little more then an attic flat or basement ) was sparse. They got by with little and if they had it to save they would have. When I hear from the 1% about "them" not saving, all the while the $$$ group wear their fancy designer clothes,have several homes,multiple vehicles at each resident etc I wonder how long they would be willing to live in an attic flat in a Chicago summer without even a fan to cool them off?
It is beyond a disgrace to have such a population being cast off like they are taking away money and space from the 1%. This was(and still is) the generation that teaches their hard earned lessons to younger generations. They have love,compassion and they also have feelings. They must wonder what they have done wrong. They raised their families.Tended their gardens. Worked at the church bazaars. Helped out at the PTA. Now society has turned on them. They have blamed them for taking up space and money that could be used for "others". They can't walk fast enough. Can't think clearly enough(all the time). For this they should be punished/ignored. How awful that some of our younger generation feel this way and some of the not so young generation. Many of our politicians are not that young. They just have enough money,pension,real estate to be smug and secure knowing no one will be able to evict them nor can insurance reject their care because they have the best without ever worrying about pre existing conditions or doughnuts holes. 
Growing old was a poor lifestyle choice that they should take responsibility for, don't you think?
for the irony challenged. I expect to be that woman in the wheelchair in a few more years.
This is shameful! For those on this thread that think someone might take her in, a relative or something like that, well maybe she has no one!
& recommend!!
