I'm 53, disabled and dependent on Social Security-Disability and

[tibbir]

Medicare. So what do I have to look forward to financially during the next term of the Great Asshole?
1. More tax decreases on the top 1% income bracket. I don't benefit from income tax decreases: my income is so low I don't pay any federal income taxes to begin with so no effect one way or another here.
2. Tax 'simplification,' likely to be in some sort of national sales tax. Now, that would affect my situation. Since I spend almost all of my income on consumables it stands to reason that I may be looking a new tax covering up to 100% of all of my resources.
3. Social security reform. I can't even bear to think about this. In *'s previous comments concerning privatization, he's always pointed out that anyone already on social security would not receive a benefit reduction. Those of us on disability, however, have noted that he's very carefully not added the same guarantee for SS-D benefits, so I think I'm screwed here.
4. Medicare. Heaven only knows what'll happen to this. I can see him sponsoring a measure to 'fix' Medicare by putting everything into the hands of his golf buddies who own the HMO's. Medicare is a very efficiently run system as it stands now. It won't take long for it to be run into the ground.

Just from my personal financial situation I don't see how I'll be able to survive 4 (or however many it ends up being) more years of this.

BTW, did I mention that my son turns 20 this month? I'm guessing the upcoming draft should be in effect before the end of 2005.

I'm feeling a little down and out of sorts about things today.

[LiberalAndProud]

1. The national sales tax is a scary item on the agenda.

How do we stop it? My congressman-elect supports it.

[tibbir]

4. I live in Texas with 2 - count'em 2 - repuke senators

and an equally pukian congressman. I'm fucked I think as far as having an effect on anything my legislators do for me. Maybe I can help out the efforts of a legislator in another district who would work against it.

[meow2u3]

8. It would take a constitutional amendment

to impose a national sales tax. The income tax is mandatory under the 16th Amendment, but nowhere in the Constitution does it state that Congress can impose consumption taxes.

[Egalitariat]

13. I don't think that's right

Sixteenth Amendment reads:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. "

That doesn't sound mandatory to me.

And with their Supreme Court, they could easily define "incomes, from whatever source derived" as the retail sales of a storeowner. They'd make it look like they were taxing the store owner instead of the consumer.

[LiberalAndProud]

17. Code for "tax simplification" = National Sales Tax

Congressman-elect Fortenberry has endorsed a 23% national sales tax. On his website, he does not say that. He talks about "simplification of the tax code".

[IronLionZion]

10. I'm suspicious of anything Delay and Keyes have endorsed

I was looking into the so called "fair tax" and found it interesting until I found what kind of shitstains have endorsed it.

[liberal N proud]

2. With bush's agenda, you will have to beg from a neo-con chruch

who will get the money from the government and if they see fit they will proved for those who pray enough for it.
Faith Based bullshit.

[demnan]

3. God! Yes, I have relatives in the same boat

:hug: I can only say I tried, I worked, I volunteered for our cause. It sounds hollow, I know. I will have to pick up the slack for my family in this upcoming disaster. God damn those who are screwing "the least of these" as Jesus would be pissed!

[tibbir]

5. What slays me is that my 83 year-old mother

lives on Social Security as her almost exclusive income source and owns less than $150,000 in assets and she proudly went down to cast her vote for all of the repukes. I tried to reason with her but she wants to be identified with the party of the elephants.

[camero]

6. I feel for you

I myself am dead I know that much. SS and medicare will be gone before long. I got denied disability not too long ago.

[tibbir]

11. Whatever you do, don't give up on your disability claim.

I don't know of anyone who's on it that didn't have to keep taking the process up the appeals process. If you keep your orriginal claim open they have to make a settlement back to the original date when they finally approve. If you give up you have to start over when you apply again.

Also, it seems like the only way they'll 'play ball' with you is if you hire an attorney. The attorney will normally take on your case and take their fee out of your back pay check.

Good luck.

[walldude]

12. Tibbir is exactly right

My wife is 50 and has Muscular Distrophy. She is in the process of appeals now trying to get her disability. She found a lawyer easily and he will take 25% of the back payout. If you can believe it they turned her down because they say she is being treated. Yeah, nothing like being treated for an incurable disease to get you back to work. Maybe if the fuckers would allow stem cell research they might cure some of these incurable diseases and get people off disability. But that would make sense and we can't have that.

[ezee]

7. I share your concerns

I am your age, have emphysema, haven't been able to work since '99. Have been on disability since 2000. I too am quite worried about <*> "improvements". My entire income goes to meds that Medicare doesn't pay for and my living expense's. what to do?

[onecitizen]

9. tibber........

I'm in the same boat. I had insurance thru my work but I got a letter telling me "sorry" as of Jan 2005. One of my meds costs $990/mo. The medicine is working for me. When it stops, so do I.

I get so scared sometimes I tremble. I can't sleep at night. I see my whole life down the tubes because of this Texas twit. The stress alone is killing me.

tibber, know you are not alone. There are a lot of us out here. Together, maybe we can survive somehow.

Best of everything to you. Keep us posted please.

[FlaGranny]

14. I understand completely.

I'm partially disabled myself. I have multiple sclerosis (mild) and also arthritis. I can barely walk. I started collecting social security early. I thought about disability, but it takes such a long time to get it. You have to be not working to apply, you have to wait two years for Medicare. So I just took the social security and retired from my work. I'm taking a chance that I won't get sick or need medical care until I'm eligible for Medicare. I have seven months to go before Medicare. I'm doing the best I can with home remedies until I can afford to go to a doctor, although I will probably go get an injection in my knee if it does not get better soon.

[tibbir]

15. I'll have my fingers crossed for you while you wait for Medicare.

When I had to go through the 2 year waiting period on Medicare I had to go to the hospital 3 times and ended up going into the county's facility. It wasn't free but was very discounted based upon my income. I won't say I didn't get adequate care but compared to the county's facilities, private hospitals offer country club type atmospheres.

I recently found out more than I ever wanted to know about MS while they ran tests on me to rule it out. I feel fortunate that I don't seem to have it. But I did find out in my research that it can stay in a mild form for many, many years. I'm hoping that this will be the case for you.

[FlaGranny]

16. Thanks, yes, my MS is not expected

to get any worse. I have had the symptoms since I was a teen. It has gotten a little worse over the years but the neurologist said that since I've had it so long, I should not expect it to worsen much at all from now on at my age. I'm in the midst of a flare right now. A flare usually lasts about six weeks for me. All it does is make my muscles very stiff and painful and causes me to be wobbly on my feet and dizzy and lots of other insignificant weird things.

The main thing I worry about is getting sick or injured and losing our home. We've been here almost two years now and we own it free and clear. It's only a mobile home but we own it and the lot it is on. I'll shake in my boots for the next 6 months and 3 weeks, which probably will not help the blood pressure. :-)

My nephew struggled to get disability for years until he finally got a lawyer. He finally did get his disability about a year ago. Until then, it was extremely difficult for him. Luckily he had his parents to take care of him.