Disabled Man to Tea Party: 'Reforming Social Security Would Cut My Lifeline'

[cal04]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/29/disabled-man-to-tea-party_n_744309.html

Michael Lion says he was watching "The Ed Show" at his parents' house on Monday, September 20, when conservative radio host Scott Hennen came on to talk about Social Security reform. Hennen announced his support for Congressman Paul Ryan's (R-WI) proposed budget plan, which includes cutting Social Security benefits for anyone under the age of 55.

"Look at the Paul Ryan plan," Hennen said on the show. "Paul Ryan says, you know what, if you are 55 and older, we're not touching your benefits. Fifty-five and younger, we are. We'll phase that in. That makes sense. Now you guys are going to call that a cut. I'd call that good fiscal common sense."

The 31-year-old Lion, who was born with cystic fibrosis and depends on his $440-a-month Social Security checks to get by, says he was outraged by Hennen's comment.

"They obviously don't go out and talk to the people who do actually need those programs," he told HuffPost. "How could anyone could look a disabled person in the face and say, 'You should be working?' I was born with this disease, I didn't ask for it. I didn't smoke for 30 years. This is a genetic condition. It just seems really out of touch with reality to say we're gonna cut these things."

[bobbolink]

1. They don't care, Mr. Lion.

But, neither do the Dems, so we are royally screwed.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Hear hear!

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Tea Party to Man: TS, we don't care,and never will. n/t

[bobbolink]

4. And neither do the Dems. A disability purge is in progress.

"How many deaths will it take til they know, that too many people have died?"

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. And that is the shame of the major party that is supposed to be the truly compassionate one.

[bobbolink]

17. Many others have said this here, and I will add to the chorus:

I'm done with the party.

I was teetering on the brink for a very long time, but that "Stop your whining" did it.

People are literally DYING, but they should bow politely and go away and die quietly.

FUCK THAT SHIT.

[timtom]

30. About a year or so ago, I changed my Facebook

party affiliation from "Democrat" to "Disgusted."

I have since permanently had my Facebook account deleted. (Following the deletion of a facebook page by someone concerning the BP oil spill.)

One thing is for certain: I can never, and I mean NEVER, vote for a Republican. Ever.

I do, indeed, feel somewhat disenfranchised.

[Iris]

5. So, Rand has a budget plan. It doesn't mean it's actually going to happen.

[mrcheerful]

6. That is your fault for being disabled now go away and die so my SS check don't get cut

replies the Tea Bag Nation.

[liberal N proud]

7. They don't give a shit about who suffers

Greed is the only thing running through their veins.

[old mark]

8. Tea Party to Disabled; " Fuck you."

My wife has been on SSDI for over 10 years, unable to work and chronically ill. She is 54.



mark

[bobbolink]

18. That's exactly what the Dems are saying now to people on SSI.

There is a purge going on, and nobody really gives a shit.

[KakistocracyHater]

9. I hope alot of people with disabilities make a helluva lot of noise & remind

the politicians that Social Security & disabilty often mix; it sounds like the anti-discrimination act for the disabled may be violated if they cut their Social Sec. Is this true?

[bobbolink]

19. Some of us ARE making noise, but here on DU, we are ignored or soundly dismissed.

[KakistocracyHater]

33. well then that has to be changed

should I go to the sectioned off disabilities forum & hit recommend, & aim for the Greatest pg? that's a start. what else can I do to help?

[dkf]

10. Are they really including disability? That doesn't sound right.

[w4rma]

11. Yes. Of course they are. "Conservatives" will cut any social program in any way that they can.

It's *all* socialism to them.

[dkf]

12. Link?

Or are we generalizing?

[w4rma]

15. Are you really that niave, dkf? They prefer no social security or medicare, *at all*. (nt)

[Ikonoklast]

22. Who's 'we'?

Do your own research, it's not that hard.

But keep trying, one day they'll give you your own bridge to live under.

[Common Sense Party]

13. Ryan's plan states that all people currently receiving benefits will keep

receiving them. I just skimmed thru the CBO analysis of Ryan's "Roadmap" and disability is intact, but benefits may be reduced when the person switches to old-age insurance at age 62. I don't know how that differs from our current system.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/108xx/doc10851/01-27-Ryan-Roadmap-Letter.pdf

[uncommon]

20. I think when they say "cut benefits for people under 55" they mean those who will

eventually be eligible for retirement benefits, no?

Meaning those of us who aren't close yet will see a cut if they get their way.

[Common Sense Party]

23. That's what I think they're talking about--just retirement benefits.

People already getting retirement benefits, people above 55, and people receiving SSDI (which my son will hopefully be, when he turns 18 next year) aren't the focus of the changes the Repubs are targeting.

Those of us for whom retirement is far off, our guaranteed benefits will be cut, and they'll want us to invest in private accounts.

[KamaAina]

31. You got it.

Traditional retirement benefits would be reduced below those scheduled under current law for many workers who are age 55 or younger in 2011. People with lower earnings would experience smaller reductions in benefits, and those with higher earnings would experience larger reductions. Current beneficiaries and workers who are age 55 or older in 2010 would experience no change in benefits.

A system of individual accounts would be established in 2012. In that year, workers who are age 55 or younger would be able to participate in voluntary individual accounts, funded with a portion of their payroll taxes. As necessary, the government would make payments to account holders during their retirement to guarantee that their contributions earned a rate of return at least equal to the rate of inflation.

This is another big reason why we can't allow a repuke Congress to happen; even if the current Dem one hasn't exactly covered itself with glory.

[Shallah Kali]

14. is this why palin trotted out the 'death panel' lie - knowing it would innoculate the RW from the tr

???

[Winterblues]

21. The Hard Right (Tea baggers/Freepers) even had a chant for a while

"We Don't Care"..."We Don't Care"..."We Don't Care"...They were so proud of themselves. The chant was about torture and war crimes.....

[COLGATE4]

24. It's God's decision that you got royally screwed. Sorry, but

we can't help you. (Your friendly Republican Party)

[Scurrilous]

25. K & R

:thumbsup:

[area51]

26. I don't call republicans nazis lightly.

This is one of the reasons I use the term. They're all about eugenics.

[defendandprotect]

27. Difference between "reform" and "deform" .... REFORM used to be a positive!!!

[nightgaunt]

28. The Christian charity of the Libertarian Republican

They like the dog-eat-dog survival of the most violent and callous of the Social Darwinist pseudo science of the elites. The psychopathic heaven of the Libertarian go for your own in a chaotic, unregulated society. Not what I want at all. But this guy doesn't care about me or if that the money is cut off or lowered any more I run the risk of dying. I qualify as disabled and without that money I'd be up shit creek.

They all think their an Ayn Rand superman (psychopath) who is clean and clear and not bothered by what ever they do will harm others. Such concepts of morality and altruism of not common civilized decency makes them laugh. To them it is a naive concept that needs to die along with those who are proponents of them.

[11 Bravo]

29. Teabaggers to Mr. Lion: Hey, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, suck it up.

(But you better hurry, you know, while your lungs are still functioning at all.)

[tblue37]

32. He obviously never saw the video of the Republican throwing a couple of dollar bills

at a disabled man and screaming at him that he would decide when he wanted to give disabled people money, not the government.

Someone should tell him that the Republicans really and truly don't care that he couldn't live without that money.

[Shallah Kali]

34. kicking

feed them as is hungry, clothe them as is naked, and speak up for them as has no voices