$5 Trillion in possible Infrastructure and nothing for Social Security?

[WarGamer]

My pet peeve and top political issue has always been the Social Security payment structure, particularly the base benefits.

If you had a limited working career, spent decades caring for family members... you might barely have enough credits for the basic Social Security benefits which amounts to around...

$628/month

President Biden proposed raising the minimum benefit to IIRC, around $1200/month during the campaign.

$628 a month is literally cat food... actually I take that back. Those little cans of cat food are $1.30 each. You can't afford cat food.

Better not have to pay rent or a mortgage payment either... or get sick.

There is LITERALLY no political backlash to taking retirees off of poverty... in fact, it might make some retirees start voting BLUE...

[XanaDUer2]

1. Social Security and Medicare

are my top concerns.

[WarGamer]

2. I've led a charmed life.

My retirement is already set. I can spend $100k a year forever...

But I'm not the one I worry about.

I Know there are MILLIONS of seniors who just can't make the math work. Not all people have family to live with or rely on. Some people are truly alone and scared.

There can NOT be Billionaires with 400' yachts while ONE Senior cuts their meds in half to save $ to buy food.

Taxation Fairness and care of Seniors... that's the issue(s) of our lifetime.

Global warming, grabby bosses, too many guns... all problems that sit behind crippling poverty for our most vulnerable population.

[XanaDUer2]

10. I'm now disabled and applied for SSDI

I made a good salary in the past, but will lose 50 percent of my salary.

I'm really worried about having health insurance.

[WarGamer]

11. I've always thought social benefits to society are "marketed" incorrectly in the USA

Go To Western Europe and even the Right Wingers love their Social Programs.

One must think of Social Programs as the dividend for the success of the nation.

If you work for a Company like Microsoft, which is vastly successful... you get coffee bars and reading rooms and nap rooms in the Corporate HQ. You have access to the fitness center and counselors.

So WE are citizens of the USA, the most wealthy country on the planet... the most powerful nation on the planet.

WHERE is OUR dividend?

I don't believe that men died at Gettysburg, Belleau Wood and Normandy just to defeat an enemy. They made a payment, an investment into the future of ALL Americans.

They paid the price for Healthcare for all, Live-able retirements and other modest Social Programs.

[XanaDUer2]

20. I agree

you're a kind heart

[PoliticAverse]

3. "limited working career, spent decades caring for family members..

you might barely have enough credits for the basic Social Security benefits ...

President Biden proposed raising the minimum benefit to IIRC, around $1200/month during the campaign."

The problem is Biden's proposed increase was only for those that had 30 years of work history...

Implement a true minimum benefit for lifelong workers. No one who has worked for decades and paid into Social Security should have to spend their retirement in poverty. The Biden Plan will revolutionize the Social Security’s minimum benefit, which has deteriorated over time to the point of being entirely ineffective. Under the Biden Plan, workers who spent 30 years working will get a benefit of at least 125% of the poverty level.

(From: https://joebiden.com/older-americans/ )

[WarGamer]

4. Looks like I was sadly mistaken...

I thought the Biden Plan would help those at the bottom...

[brush]

5. That's included in the 3.5T reconciliation bill.

[WarGamer]

6. Is it? Link? God, I hope so.

[PoliticAverse]

7. Which doesn't look like it will be passing the Senate in current form...

(it might not even pass the House if the 'gang of 9' stand firm).

[Deuxcents]

8. I rely on both, too

My savings is being eaten up quickly these days. The only promise made, that I can remember, was if you paid it forward into SS, you’d receive a helping hand. They never promoted it as a cure all. I’m thankful I get SS n Medicare even tho I put into them for almost 40 years..I used to squawk about those taxes when I saw my paycheck! I don’t see congress doing anything about SS. My concern is the employment figures and those that don’t participate in SS or Medicare for the programs to keep running.

[totodeinhere]

9. There are two infrastructure bills. The so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill is mostly for

physical infrastructure. Then there is a second infrastructure bill that the Democrats will try to pass using reconciliation which is the human infrastructure part. That bill contains increases in Social Security benefits.

[WarGamer]

12. Hopefully increases for ALL in SS.

Think about it...

Many men and women who worked from 20-25... started a family and cared for the kids for 10 years... worked 35-45 and then started caring for elderly parents... then woke up one day and were 55 years old with only 15 years of work history and difficulty to get a job in an ageist culture...

[totodeinhere]

23. Unfortunately, there will be increases but it won't be enough and it won't be as much

as progressives have called for. But it better be passed now because if the GOP takes control of Congress in 2022 then all increases will be out the window.

[Fullduplexxx]

13. 'Grandfathered' the word that saved my butt

[Fullduplexxx]

14. 'Grandfathered' the word that saved my butt

What do you think the cons would do if the dems addressed that is the inf bill?

[WarGamer]

15. the same thing they always do...

Bitch, moan and complain.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

16. Some assholes

Believe in this god ordained order as in social order. Based on wealth. The rich deserve thier wealth power and position,and the poor deserve to suffer to be homeless to be used up by the rich.

It's all bullshit but a lot of people in power believe that shit.

Maybe the conservadems believe in that shit too.

[FBaggins]

17. Very simple answer

Social Security is not eligible for reconciliation bills.

There are a few billion dollars in there for SS, but it’s for administration and improving service. Not benefits increases or shoring up the trust fund.

[Kaleva]

18. A single person probably worked and didn't spend decades caring for family members

There may be some people who cared for family members for decades and received little more then room and board or were poorly paid but my guess is that there is not that many.

[mvd]

19. K&R - great post!

Infrastructure spending is definitely needed, and I also like the expanded tax credits for children. But seniors and people on disability also need help. My mom makes $1,831 a month from Social Security and it still isn’t enough to live well. She overdrafts to the limit on her bank account, and then borrows money from a real estate agent friend who sometimes gets snippy about it. I can only imagine what $600 a month would be like.

Let’s also hope more stimulus payments also get in there.

[GoodRaisin]

21. I'm hoping Social Security legislation is addressed in 2022 while we

still have our majorities in both chambers. Election year would be a good year to shine a light on Republicans plans to let social security die.

[Hoyt]

22. I remember when Obama wanted to increase the lower levels of SS in 2010.

Everyone went nuts calling it the “Catfood Commission,” and bashed him relentlessly. Even the GOPers were behind increasing the lower end, but nope, politics got in the way and here we are.

No one read the report that would have increased the lower end. Not saying it was enough, but it was better than what we have a decade later.

While it doesn’t change your excellent OP, the lowest monthly SS benefit is $886 now for someone working 30 years. SSI for the poor who might not qualify for SS is about $100 less per month. Still not much. People might qualify for food stamps, maybe Medicaid, and a few other programs. Again not much, but a little, help.

If you look at England’s system, their lowest payment is roughly the same as ours. Would love to see a comparison of all the benefits, years of work, etc.

Hopefully, we will get some overhaul at some point.