Just where do these people think the money is going to come from?

[Raven]

My energy bills are up, my oil bill is up, gas is more expensive, food is more expensive, prescription drugs are outrageous. I'm a little over a year away from Medicare and that coverage will be way more expensive that the coverage I'm getting now from my employer. I've lost a huge amount of my retirement savings in the economic meltdown.

If I continue to work, I'm going to be competing with people half my age who are trying to raise kids and educate them.

So just how do my senators and representatives think I'm going to be able to pay for all of this? Sell pencils on a streetcorner, I guess.

This is a perfect storm that will hit at about the time I thought, after all my years of hard work, I'd have some security. I have been a strong Obmam supporter but I may vote with my feet next time around and I think I may have a lot of company.

[Jamastiene]

1. I do hope they realize that they cannot get blood from a turnip.

Those of us below the poverty line are having enough trouble as it is now. Take away almost 10% of our income to prop up CEOs of health insurance companies and we will end up either homeless, starving, freezing, or all of the above...or in prison, where they will have to cover us.

I see a civil disobedience campaign coming up over this. I'm not sure if I want to starve, freeze, or go to prison. None of those options will be easy to choose. I know I don't want to be homeless, if at all possible. Been there, done that. May end up there again anyhow if this thing sinks me...and it looks like it will.

[dhpgetsit]

2. Perhaps our only hope is to allow our country to be divided between Mexico and Canada.

[eridani]

3. You need to get a form letter going for donations requests at least

This is a general note for all organizations and legislators who have supported making me a second class citizen with age discrimination written into health care "reform" legislation, which will mandate the purchase of private insurance for which 1 will have to pay twice as much because of my age, or more if the Senate gets its way.

First we got a watered down "public option" which was neither public nor an option, since it was redesigned so that it was expected to be more expensive than private insurance. Then we got Medicare buy-in for those over 55, but only for people whose employers did not provide insurance for employees and retirees. Great—my former employer cancelled the plan I was on and my doctor is not on the new preferred provider list, and I can’t even buy into Medicare. Then that smarmy jackass Liebermann says that even the buy-in is unacceptable.

That leaves just mandatory (and outrageously expensive) insurance in current proposals amounts to legislatively enacting a permanent jobless recession/recovery. That is because huge amounts of everyone's otherwise discretionary income will be diverted from buying real products to subsidize the totally unproductive part of the economy that is the private insurance industry. Just in case you hadn’t noticed, the Basic Plan (the only one eligible for subsidy) is really shitty underinsurance which will not pay a dime for my ongoing medical expenses.

Congress, the president and many political and issue organizations seem almost to be from another planet when they talk about "affordable choices." To them it seems to mean that if income minus food minus rent/mortgage/utilities minus transportation minus health insurance costs equals a number slightly greater than zero-VOILA! Affordability! I've used the online calculator to figure out what 1 will have to pay under the House bill which includes both the subsidies and the age penalty. I'm not going to be homeless or starve, and may even be able to pay medical bills. 1 just won't be able to buy much else. And the Senate bill is likely to be far worse.

1 will no longer be able to support most of my usual causes financially, not because of disagreement about this one issue, but simply because the money will no longer be there. I'm still available for volunteering, though. Unless 1 wind up having to come out of retirement and start competing with families in their child-raising years in the job market just to pay my medical bills.

[AndyA]

4. I keep wondering the same thing.

Where will people find ANYTHING EXTRA to pay for mandatory health care? Everything has gone up except salaries, and there's just NOTHING LEFT OVER!

Anyone who passes such a bill will lose big time in the next few elections.

It's the best gift any Democrat could give to the Republicans. And the Republicans caused this mess in the first place. Another example of being rewarded for doing bad things.

[Kansas Wyatt]

5. They don't fucking care, they are millionaires.

And they got their lot in life.

[Jim__]

6. An awful lot of people are working past retirement age.

And, also, coming back into the workforce after retirement. Things are not looking good.

[safeinOhio]

8. Been retired for 8 years

Bored shitless and not broke yet. So, I signed up for a course to start a green business from my home. If it works, i'll be investing 10 grand and hope to make 30 or 40/year part time. I'm am so pumped up about it. I put in a thousand apps with no luck for a part time job.

[HillbillyBob]

11. What line of business and what kind of course

I am interested in doing a consulting business on how you can make your home more efficient energy wise. Would that course lead to some kind of degree or accreditation?

I eventually would like to start a solar store with consulting, sales and installing, likely find the actual installers since I am partly disabled.
I live in an area where lots of folks could use some kind of break.
The most of the jobs around here are gone, Levis and Wrangler jeans, Danville Mills, and Tobacco were the jobs and money around here a while back, but there is not much around here now.

I say Solar Store, but actually mean a more complete green products line eventually.

[safeinOhio]

13. Local JCC is offering several 40 hr

courses
Solar Thermal Installer and Maintenance
Weatherization and Home/Business Energy Audit
Geothermal Installation and Service Technician
Wind Installation Training
Photovoltaic Training

Check all the JCCs in your state for like programs. My class cost is $495. for twice a week, 4hrs for 5 weeks. There are online classes provided by Pro Train also.
Great time to get into it with the $12,000 tax rebate proposed.

[rurallib]

12. I am curious also.

[loudsue]

7. Raven, there are millions of us "boomers" who are wondering the very same thing.

:shrug: It's damned unsettling, isn't it?

[Tailormyst]

9. It's all been incredibly disappointing

I know I personally feel like I've been punked. I dared to hope and now I feel like a fool.

[Common Sense Party]

10. Just borrow from the Chinese.

It's been working well for the country for years.