Democrats call for stimulus to boost Social Security benefits by $200 a month

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

Senate Democrats on Saturday unveiled a plan to increase monthly Social Security benefits, veterans assistance and supplemental security income benefits by $200 a month, which could further add to a stimulus bill that is now estimated to cost between $1.3 trillion and $1.4 trillion.

The additional benefits, which would last through the end of 2021, would provide seniors, veterans and people with disabilities an extra $4,000 over the next two years.

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee chairman, pitched his bill, The Emergency Social Security Benefits Improvement Act, on the call. It would provide for a 2 percent across-the-board increase in Social Security benefits for 64 million people, increase the threshold for the special minimum benefit to 125 percent the federal poverty level, and reduce taxes on benefits for low- and middle-income individuals and families.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), one of the Democratic negotiators, on Friday faulted the GOP plan for proposing $1,200 rebate checks for adults earning up to $75,000 per year but much less for people who earn little to no federally taxable income. “I couldn’t believe that they were talking about lowest income people getting $600 and somebody making $75,000 getting twice as much as that, $1,200,” she said.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/488803-democrats-call-for-stimulus-to-boost-social-security-benefits-by-200-a-month

[Guilded Lilly]

1. Kick this all over the place!

[watrwefitinfor]

46. I'm kicking! But something seems not quite right.

The headline and first paragraph state the plan is to "increase monthly Social Security benefits, veterans assistance and supplemental security income benefits by $200 a month".

The next paragraph says benefits are to increase by 2%.

But no matter how many times I multiply my $1070 monthly SS payment by 2%, I come up with $21.40, not $200!

A little further down it says it will "increase the threshold for the special minimum benefit to 125 percent the federal poverty level". What does this sentence mean? Does this bring the 2% up to $200?

Or have I completely lost all memory of math? What am I not seeing? Help.

Wat

[blm]

2. Many seniors were doing part time work in stores

to add a few bucks to their social security checks. Now it has become too dangerous for them, so that extra 200 a month will be an enormous help to get them through the next year or so.

And THANK YOU to Elizabeth for putting this out there early and selling it to your colleagues.

[iluvtennis]

18. + 1 nt.

[grantcart]

35. +1

[riversedge]

39. my aunt was cleaning tables etc -just 3-4 hours day but no more. They only do drive thru now.

[walkingman]

3. Good idea - taxpayer debt should go to people not big business - they have already received billions

from the Trump tax cut.

[Traildogbob]

8. Tax relief

For those that PAY taxes. Not those that loophole into no taxes and actually get tax payer subsidies already. Like that commercial for JG Whitman, it's my cash and I want it noooow! 877. CashNow!

[Traildogbob]

11. And

Thanks to Raygun, we pay federal taxes on our Social Security.

[stopwastingmymoney]

23. We do too

My husband is blind and on SSI, we do alright but I resent that tax bill on what are benefits he paid plenty for back when he could work. We’ve both been mostly self employed so we pay both halves of FICA too, 15.3% off the top every year

[llmart]

26. +1

Let us seniors not forget this fact.

[Bengus81]

32. Yep..and keep telling peeps that Medicare is NOT free.......

Gawd,can't believe how many think if you can make it to 65 all your health care costs become nothing.

[Traildogbob]

36. Preach!!!

And Medicare ($145.00 per month) only pays major hospital. You still need supplant ins with copays and deductibles. Enough of the insurers will be left broke if you have Medicare for all. There is home insurance, car insurance, motorcycle insurance, camper insurance life insurance, and even freakin pet insurance. Besides, how many families have been left broke when the "insurance" you had, refuses to pay?

[Doreen]

4. Damn, I will take that!

$200 added to my SSDI would be very helpful. But it would end up at least keep us where we are at. With prices going up and there are those who's rent will go up due to increase. It will keep us from falling as far back if we did not get it.

[AllaN01Bear]

13. im on ssi, theyd have to re adjust the earned income ceiling for me .

[Doreen]

15. That sucks.. SSDI seems to have a little more leeway.

I am not sure why.

[AllaN01Bear]

21. hihowdi

at edit , a friend of mine said that because of the emergency this would be raised . also forgot to tell i am now also on regular ss.

[bluedigger]

5. I'm a live-in home care worker and pay no state or federal income tax.

But I still pay FICA, and all those other things. They'll probably just skip me.

[PatSeg]

6. Sounds like something that would

be hard to get passed in a republican controlled senate though. It certainly would help the economy and when everyone does well, everyone does well, even corporations.

[moonscape]

9. Yeah, I don't see the R's agreeing to this n/t

[jalan48]

7. Thanks Dems!

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee chairman, pitched his bill, The Emergency Social Security Benefits Improvement Act, on the call.


Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in calling for the expanded benefits to be added to the phase three stimulus bill.

[liberalla]

10. This would be a BIG help for me!

[I_UndergroundPanther]

12. It would so help.

I hope electric,rent and costs don't go up,or my foodstamps go down to make the extra $200 become meaningless. The way things are adjusted make sure cola raises are not really a raise . It's a shell game.
Haven't seen any $ leftover for years. I'm just cynical because republicans have to approve of it,and they'll rig it.

[cstanleytech]

17. More like they will shove a knife in the backs of those on Social Security with a smile

on their lips and probably quoting something religious from Jesus while they are doing it.

[Cetacea]

19. Fingers crossed

Last edited Sat Mar 21, 2020, 02:51 PM - Edit history (1)

I think this might actually happen. On the other hand it could be a sign that republicans were planning on doing nothing for this group.

[AllaN01Bear]

14. im on ssi, theyd have to re adjust the earned income ceiling for me .

aslo id like to see everything restored that the rs have cut in the last 30 years .

[cstanleytech]

16. Everyone on Social Security should be getting 1200 a month at a minimum.

That includes those receiving disability as for some people I heard its somewhere around 800 or so a month and that's poverty level area.

[Mr.Bill]

41. $800 a month where I live is homeless. n/t

[Rebl2]

42. I'm on

social security disability and get around $746 a month. I’ve been on it since 1980 and in the beginning I received $188 a month. I think back then it was dependent on how many quarters you had worked. I was 20 at the time and had just barely worked enough quarters. Have no idea how it is figured today.

[cstanleytech]

43. Well when my mother was alive about 8 years ago she was only getting something like 777.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

45. What you get back is based on what you paid in over the years.

I believe there is no actual minimum that a person can receive.

There are also a number of people who have taken great pride over the years in not paying taxes, being paid under the table, and then are astonished to learn they will get little or no Social Security.

[McKim]

20. Great Move!

Great move!!!! I will use some of it to tip Amazon and other delivery people and donate to those helping in our homeless camps.

[warmfeet]

22. An excellent idea.

[pbmus]

24. Not holding my breath

[roamer65]

25. No. The money should be channeled into larger unemployment benefits.

Most of the unemployed have families to feed.

[Cetacea]

29. I recall something said about the elderly and disabled

by a republican senator a few years ago."Let them eat cat food..."

[roamer65]

47. What about the millions of newly unemployed with children?

Seniors and SSDI are already getting assistance. We need to prioritize and get assistance to these unemployed folks fast just like the U.K. announced.

[Cetacea]

48. Why should we even have to make a choice between the two??

[roamer65]

49. We will need to increase the taxes on the wealthy significantly.

Can we get that through Congress?

[Cetacea]

50. Just give everyone the same amount, as Trump proposed.

Apparently there is enough money for that, but the GOP wants to send a message. No tax increase needed.

[hangaleft]

51. Just repeal the Bush and Trump tax cuts

Return to the status quo ante.

Mitch will be chomping at the bit to push that legislation through the Senate!

And while we’re at it, eliminate... not raise... eliminate the cap. And make passive income subject to FICA, too.

Easy peasy. Those simple steps would give the Treasury more than enough to give a much needed helping hand to those who need it without increasing the national debt.

[Politicub]

27. Yes! This is a good idea!

It's such a benevolent act, though, that I can't see the GOP voting in favor of it.

[Mersky]

28. Good. This is needed ASAP.

And Stabenow’s criticisms match my own. People need money for consumables now. Don’t give more money to the folks who were already financially capable of preparing (and hoarding).

[Bengus81]

30. THANK YOU DEMS,lets see how fast Pukes say NOT ENOUGH MONEY....

To pay for that socialism. Meanwhile get that golden check to Boeing for BILLIONS run though the printing machine.

[The Figment]

31. Please!

Rent...$400
Electric...$65
Car insurance...$42
Phone...$105
Gas...$40
Total...$652

SSI...$781
I'm broke by the 15th of the month, the last week the the dog eats while I watch,lol

[left-of-center2012]

33. Phone...$105

Check Consumer Cellular.

I pay $35 each month for unlimited calling, texting, and data.

[Bengus81]

38. Phone $105??

Man...I have a phone with Verizon that is $30 per month. Don't need to pay for a "data" plan to surf the web when I pay for it AGAIN through my HSI with COX.

[The Figment]

44. Phone bill

Verizon Unlimited, with hot spot 75
Phone payment 35,I brought a Galaxy Note 8 for 35 a month for 24 months.
I don't mind the phone bill as I don't have a computer or internet service and I use it for everything,phone, internet, tv,radio, ect

[Karma13612]

57. You should check out Tracfone

I have an apple iphone (couple versions old).
I use tracfone which can be as cheap as $20 for three months of service. You need to check out their website for details. They have many plans which are still very competitive, and no contract.

You can buy strictly data if you want as well. That would help with your use of the Internet.
And you can keep your phone number when you switch to them.

Just take a look, you might be able to save some money!

[Wounded Bear]

34. K & R...for visibility...

And a hearty Hell yes! This senior thinks it's a great idea.

[dchill]

37. Thank you, Elizabeth Warren!

[hangaleft]

52. I haven't really looked up to too many politicians in my life

In fact, the only other politician I did truly look up to was Barbara Jordan.

Add Elizabeth Warren to that very short list. I’v supported her candidacy for president since before she announced her candidacy for the Senate.

[usaf-vet]

40. Trump and the republicans aren't going to let go of THEIR treasury money to help those in need!

The greedy bast**ds! Really see it that way.

They will give it to the people who know their part in this vicious cycle.

Their part is to give back part of what they are given from our treasury to Trump and his grifters.

So the grifters stay in power to reinitialize the cycle all over again.

[Baclava]

53. Excellent move - any attempt to block it will raise hell with SS benefits and military retired

They would look real bad it they tried to mess with those, doomed if they try it, ram it home

[MissMillie]

54. I wonder what happens to

the people who live in states and retired from state jobs, and because of the law they don't get SSI benefits.

My mom, my sis and my guy all get State pension instead of SS. There's some weird law that keeps them from collecting their SS, despite having worked in the private sector for YEARS before being employed by the State of Massachusetts.

[Bengus81]

55. You'd should see all the MAGOTS on the Hill board claiming......

they want NO part of any Guberment give away--at least to the poor and SS people. If Trump wants to bail out Boeing,Oil companies and Cruise lines their 100% on board.

They want to know if they can opt out.

[BlueIdaho]

56. Well, it's easier to inject money there than anywhere else.

How do we make sure we get money to the working poor? What mechanism can be used?

[reggaehead]

58. permanently

and eliminate the cap