House to vote on bonus payment for Social Security

[cal04]

Source: Huffington Post

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will vote in November to provide $250 payments to Social Security recipients to make up for the lack of a cost-of-living increase for next year.

The Social Security Administration is expected to announce Friday that more than 58 million retirees and disabled Americans will go a second straight year without an increase in benefits.

Pelosi said Thursday the House will vote on a bill to provide the $250 payments when Congress returns after the November congressional elections. The payments would be similar to those provided by the government's massive economic recovery package in 2009.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20101014/us-social-security-no-cola/

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Good.

Now if they would only end these stupid wars they could afford 10 times that amount.

[Bitwit1234]

2. The House voted to give it to the seniors last year to make up for

the fact they didn't get a raise. But when it went to the Senate 12 Democrats voted AGAINST giving it to them. So it failed. I wonder if they will do it again this year. BUT they took the 3500 raise for them selves.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. That is the most maddening of all of this.

Yes, we need to shut down the wars, but this is simply self-serving to the core.

[wordpix]

11. hey, our senators need a raise a lot more than the sick & elderly who can't work

:sarcasm: get your priorities straight, Bitwit :sarcasm:

[madrchsod]

3. that would be nice...

i could look forward to paying my electric or gas bill on time!

[No Elephants]

22. One time, anyway.

[stray cat]

5. It also goes to those making more than 250000 per year who collect SS

[dkf]

6. Gee they will be the only people besides federal employees to get a raise.

My retired public employee father will make even more than me now!

Sorry not make more...take home more.

[No Elephants]

23. ? Please see Reply #2

[hollowdweller]

7. I understand the need to pander to get the senior vote

But if inflation has not gone up and we have people collecting SS railing about the Democrats and government and the deficit, I'm not sure this is a good idea.

What about giving them a little taste of what they might get from the GOP and don't give them a bonus??

[bemildred]

8. Well yeah. I'd rather they just stopped lying about the economy. nt

[No Elephants]

24. Not to worry. Pls see Reply #2.

[Demeter]

9. 60 cents a day!

One stamp for a letter to Congressman, and change left over!

[4lbs]

13. A COLA increase at 1.25% would be the same amount.

Let's consider a person getting $20,000 annually in Social Security, or $1,650 monthly.

COLA increase of 1.25% (reflecting the low to almost zero inflation we currently have) would be $250.

That matches the $250 payment they are considering.

So, instead of it being spread out over the year, they get the $250 all at once.

[snooper2]

14. stop using math and stuff

people want to complain god damn it!!!

[CountAllVotes]

17. the average Social Security check is >$1,000.00/mo.

So $250.00 is better than nothing; few get $20,000.00 a year and that is a fact.

Ever tried to live on >$1,000.00 a month recently and oh yeah, take out 10% of that for basic Medicare (no frills attached)?

It sucks and sucks badly for many that are trying to exist on a pittance. This is especially a horrid situation for those that collect a small amount (like >$500.00 a month).

<snip>
$955 a month, and every penny counts
The average monthly check actually sent out to Social Security retirees, though, is just $1,007, or $12,084 a year.

Karen Raymond, 66, receives even less: $955 a month. But that check is an improvement from last year, when his check was being garnished for an old child support obligation and he was getting just $529 a month.<snip>

More here: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlayingCatchUp/CouldYouSurviveOnSocialSecurity.aspx

[dixiegrrrrl]

20. Let's consider a person getting the average Soc. Sec. payment of 800.00

a month, hmmmmm?

The difference between 250 a year one time payment
versus an annual COLA is that in year 2, the annual is based on the new COLA amount,
so the monthly check increased 2-3% a year.

As far as I can remember reading, the Soc. Sec. COLA was pretty much a normal event until last year.

But, I guess we all have to make sacrifices to pay for those expensive wars of occupation and bankster bonuses.

[No Elephants]

26. Problem is, there are many cost of living indices.

The only prices that are life and death to someone REALLY trying to live on $600 to $1200 a month are modest rent or real estate taxes and repairs on a modest home (as opposed to buying a foreclosed on home), health care/meds. home heating fuel, utilities, supermarket food (as opposed to restaurant meals) and other very necessary supermarket items like toilet tissue. Many of those prices have indeed gone up in the last three years--and by more than 1%. Yet seniors probably will not even get either the $250 (see Reply #2) or the 1%.

I see seniors wearing stuff from the 80's, which may have been the last they worked, or maybe what the Goodwill shop had on hand when they last time they shopped. They sure ain't buying airline tickets or cars or gas for cars unless they have other income.

Yet, the particular cost of living index used for OASDI is based on amounts wage earners pay for housing, food, gas, cars, airline tickets, wardrobe, and so on. It's nuts or callous or both.

[No Elephants]

25. Much more likely: zero cents a day. See Reply #2.

Besides, we're at war against obesity. Many seniors and the disabled tend not to work out and cat food is low in carbs and fat. So, it's all good.

[wordpix]

10. wow, that adds up to a whopping $20/mo or so

:sarcasm: my elderly mom with Alzheimer's will go through that in a few minutes buying groceries.

[4lbs]

12. You do realize that it's the equivalent of what they'd get with an actual COLA don't you?

Let's consider a person getting $20,000 annually in Social Security, or $1,650 monthly.

COLA increase of 1.25% (reflecting the low to almost zero inflation we currently have) would be $250 for the year.

That matches the $250 payment they are considering.

So, instead of it being spread out over the year, SS recipients get that all at once, at the beginning of the year.

[JDPriestly]

15. The average Social Security payment is less than $1,200 per month.

Someone getting $1,650 is way ahead of the pack.

[4lbs]

16. In that case, a COLA increase would actually be less than the $250 payment that Congress wants to

give SS recipients.

$1200 monthly at a COLA of 1.25% is about $15 a month, or $180 annually.

SS recipients should then actually want the $250 payment and forego the COLA increase.

[CountAllVotes]

18. the COLA is better

because it follows the person and doesn't go away like the $250.00 will do quickly. :think:

[No Elephants]

32. See Reply 20. Same reason my firm preferred giving a bonus to giving a salary increase.

A bonus is a one time thing. A salary increase becomes part of your base pay until you leave the firm. Or in this case, the planet.

[JDPriestly]

29. Social Security recipients have no say.

I believe the COLAs are calculated based on the rise in wages. I'm not sure. I have the impression that COLAs are not a percentage set by statute.

[No Elephants]

34. How do you know what "Congress wants?" No one's voted yet--and it failed last year.

[704wipes]

36. Hell, GOP might make 'em go back to work until they are 70

And I say why not? Maybe the Dems should go ahead and propose it so we can look all bipartisan. And, actually it would save a whole hell of a lot of money if all those over 70 got back to work to work for the number of years they retired early. I don't understand why they feel so entitled to a life of leisure and $1200 bucks a month. Hell my mom retired at 64 and she's 82 now with 2 broken hips behind her, but I really think the old broad is sandbaggin' us and could probably get back in the lab and grind out another 6 years.<sarcasm>

But you know teabaggers would have no problem voting this up in a poll.

[No Elephants]

28. With apologies to Bill Clinton, depends on what your definition of "actual" is & see Reply # 20.

[No Elephants]

27. Please see Reply #25.

[unkachuck]

19. atta girl, Nancy....

....force us geezers out to vote November 2nd....the Dems have my vote....as a matter of fact, I think I might go out tomorrow morning, weather permitting, and Early Vote!

....love those states with Early Voting....

[No Elephants]

31. It failed last year. Anything change since last year, beside election of the Brown turd?

[melm00se]

21. wait a minute

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will vote in November to provide $250 payments to Social Security recipients to make up for the lack of a cost-of-living increase for next year.

"a payment to make up for the lack of a cost-of-living increase". isn't that a (smaller) COLA?

I heard one of the talking radio heads say that the feds should suspend COLAs for 1 - 2 years for most folks and 2 - 4 years for folks with retirement income of more than $100K as part of an overarching austerity move until the budgets come back into line.

[No Elephants]

33. My suggestion: Stop listening to lying and/or out of touch RW "talking radio heads."

"I heard one of the talking radio heads say that the feds should suspend COLAs for 1 - 2 years for most folks and 2 - 4 years for folks with retirement income of more than $100K as part of an overarching austerity move until the budgets come back into line."


COLA was suspended last year for EVERYBODY and the same will happen this year. That's already 2 years for EVERYONE.


"until the budgets come back into line"

What does that mean, specifically? Whose budgets? In line with what? And what if that never happens, 'cause this (or something like this) is "the new normal" everyone's been talking about?

Do you or your "talking radio head" want to face an 86 year old or someone in a wheelchair trying to live on $600 a month, look him or her right in the eye, and make that same suggestion?

Meanwhile, the same kind of right winger who would propose that wants to add $700 billion to the national debt, rather than allow tax cuts for the rich expire.

Austerity move, my ass.

[madville]

30. So they just have almost 15 Billion laying around under a rock or something

After the election and the dust settles it will be interesting to see what they try to push through before the majority declines or disappears.

[No Elephants]

35. Nance announced they'll vote AFTER mid-terms on something that failed before Mr. Brown went to D.C.?