Bush aide talks tough on budget

[stevedeshazer]

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - President Bush, who has taken repeated licks from budget watchers, is finalizing a 2007 fiscal blueprint that will crack down on federal spending, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said on Wednesday.

Card, in a speech to Washington lobbyists, trade-association officials and others at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce luncheon, offered few details, but said the White House would seek to make further cuts in non-defense spending programs.

<snip>

Responding to a question from an audience member, Card said Bush's call to overhaul the Social Security program by allowing workers to divert a chunk of their payroll taxes into private investment accounts was unlikely to see any action in 2006, but may be revived in 2007.

"I think the reality is that ... Congress is predisposed not to do the heavy lifting that is necessary for Social Security reform in 2006, but they definitely should be prepared to start lifting in 2007," Card said.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BFC4D9E15%2D8DC9%2D4303%2D8CCC%2D4E7EFD0AA91D%7D&dist=rss&siteid=mktw
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Bush apparently hasn't given up on Social Security "reform."

[DiverDave]

1. I just received my benefit notice from th SSA

I would make a whopping 1300 a month if I don't die or retire before 70.
WOW!!, that'll get me through old age in style, huh?
But it ain't gonna be there by then (2037)
So, I've been checking out Costa Rica, cheap to live there.

On edit, link to retirement info:

http://www.costarica.com/Home/Retirement

From their site:

Monthly Family Budget

Hour Month
Three bedroom house $260.00
Maid $2.17
House Cleaning (once a week) $26.00
Food (per person) $44.00
Water $7.00
Electricity $26.00
Telephone (base rate) $13.00
Cable TV $26.00
Transportation (per person) $26.00
Insurance $26.00
Miscellaneous $26.00
Entertainment (per person) $104.00


Total $584.00

I guess thats the place, EH?

[cliss]

2. Nice. A friend of mine went down to Mazatlan

in December of last year. He said there is an "American community" of lots of expats from the U.S. They bought houses for around $10,000. A few even have housekeepers! They can live on pennies a day.

Also, one of his friends had to go to the emergency room. It sounded like he broke his arm. His family was upset, because he doesn't have health insurance. They were on pins and needles......they got the bill.....it was $30.00.

Unbelievable, eh?

[FredUptoHere]

3. one possible problem-

total collapse of the dollar might hurt...and if/when the revolution(s) come- i wouldn't want to be a 'rich' gringo a LONG way from home and surrounded by pissed off latino peasants.

[DiverDave]

4. Costa ricans are good folks

they LIKE americans, if you dont act like the "ugly american".
I think that would be better then living here, I cant see living at the level here that I could do there.

[FredUptoHere]

6. things change, people change...

if america continues on it's fast track to world pariah, and global-warming gets more and more obvious- more and more fingers are going to be pointed our way...and at times like that, it's generally best to be safe at home, country-wise.

[pinerow]

5. I've been trying to convince my kids to point thier professions

toward Costa Rica...One son software developer, the other an attorney...

[HuffleClaw]

7. "crack down on federal spending"

which, of course, means education, social programs, parks, pollution control etc...