I was wrong.

[madamesilverspurs]

When news came that those of us who rely on Social Security would be getting an increase, I grabbed my calculator and pushed a few buttons, using the percentage quoted in those reports. Running the numbers twice, my monthly check would increase by a spectacular $2.18, which I rounded down to $2. Today I learned that I was wrong. Not in my calculation, but in my rounding. My monthly check will increase by $3. Yippeekiyay.

To be sure, any inclination to celebrate this breezefall is tempered by the understanding that, come January, Paul Ryan will insist that this new level of luxury is unwarranted. He's already decided that old ladies like me are a threat to his way of life, and he will apply his considerable energy toward removing us from this lap of luxury. He's already determined that we have too much to eat. At the moment I'm trying to figure out where to hide my walker; he might just decide that it doesn't need all four wheels, that I can make do with three.

Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh toward Ryan. After all, he did take an oath to defend the Constitution, and we do comprise a considerable threat, doncha know, seeing as how there are millions of us. But I can't help wishing that, instead of keeping America safe from old people, he could see the very real threat that's about to seat itself in the Oval Office. If he'd do that, I'd gladly give that $3 back.


.

[Buns_of_Fire]

1. But if you also have Medicare Part B, good news!

Due to the "hold harmless" clause, your premiums probably won't increase more than that $3!

Personally, this means that I won't have to adjust my budgeting spreadsheets to allow for an increase in income! Are we living in the Best of all Possible (Republican) Worlds, or what? (Apologies to Dr. Pangloss, who I can't afford to see anymore, anyway.)

[napi21]

2. OLD PEOPLE!!! Join me in becoming a real THREAT to Ryan! If he feels we're a

problem, I say, lets make it true! I doubt the huge increase of $3 will go away because that's a "prior year's expense" as far a budgetary things go. I think we should organize and go after not only Ryan, but EVERY Congressional Jackass who wants to privatize SS, block grant Medicare.

[2naSalit]

3. breezefall

[lillypaddle]

4. Have I said lately

how much I hate these assholes?

[gademocrat7]

5. Greedy evil bastard.

[Hortensis]

6. Most old people ARE an offense to Ryan, evidence of a sick society.

"Most" because, instead of being able to take care of themselves after they are no longer productive economically, most rely on large government programs which others are taxed to support. That they paid in themselves for 40+ years makes no difference. They cannot survive now without support from others, making them a burden on society that destroys the personal freedom of others. The Ryans value personal freedom above all else.

A healthy society doesn't have many millions of economically worthless dependents, much less dozens of dialysis centers in every city. People of a healthy society produce and take care of themselves until they can't. The bottom line and the end--for members of a healthy, vigorous society as envisioned by the Ryans of the world.

MadameSilverSpurs, it sounds like you're one of the few who realize that true libertarians (not the silly label-grabbers) if they could would cancel all programs and let people who didn't have sufficient means to support themselves (society's parasites) die. All for the highest purpose, of course.

[barbtries]

7. he's decided to approach that threat

as a useful idiot. i expect that ryan will inflict the maximum amount of damage he can get away with during trump's presidency.

point is he sees the threat that is trump. he just doesn't care.