Social Security COLA: Congress Gets Pay Raise, Seniors & Others Did Not

by Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director

 

I'm sure many senior citizens, handicapped and those who are temporarily disabled noticed their Social Security check did not include a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2010.  In fact, it is possible Social Security recipients will not receive a COLA for up to three years, according to reports out of Washington, D.C.

 

This is the first year a COLA increase has not been afforded to Social Security recipients for over 30 years.

 

For those of you who have parents or grandparents who were surprised to learn they will have to live on the same amount of money per month in 2010 that they did in 2009, they shouldn't have been.  The Social Security Administration announced last year there would be no cost of living adjustment in 2010.

 

All Social Security recipients receive a statement of benefits in late December every year.  This is the information regarding this year's benefits which was sent to all recipients.

 

"By law, Social Security benefits increase automatically to keep pace with inflation.  when there is no period of inflation, the law does not permit an increase in benefits.  Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Department of Labor, there was no rise in the cost of living during the past year, so your benefit will remain the same in 2010.  The CPI is the federal government's official measure to calculate cost-of-living increases."

 

The first thing that comes to my mind is:  How can the Dept. of Labor predict whether inflation will impact our economy three years into the future?  It is a ridiculous premise.  But there will be those who will defend the Consumer Price Index as factual.  The truth of the matter is, President Barack Obama, to offset his historical spending of tax dollars, has decided to take it out on the middle-class and poor.

 

There has been inflation during the last year.  Everyone is experiencing this at the gas pump, many seniors who live in assisted living facilities have their rent go up every year, many other seniors live in manufactured homes where lot rentals go up every year, property taxes frequently go up, home heating costs are rising, grocery prices have gone threw the roof, etc., etc.

 

The formula the Dept. of Labor uses must be a type of new math.  It's absurd.  Indeed, if Obama's political agenda--which includes the passage of Cap and Trade, comprehensive immigration reform and card check--would be passed by Congress and signed into law, many economists believe America will spiral into hyperinflation.

 

From the beginning of his administration, it is clear Obama has targeted senior citizens.  The recent health care reform bill--which was an eyelash away from being passed into law--included a $500 billion hit on Social Security.  Yes, Mr. Obama promised seniors and others who have put money into the Social Security system for many years a paltry, one-time only $250 payment.  But even this pledge seems to have been forgotten.  Yet hundreds of millions of dollars in stimulus money has gone to museums and other pork projects, mostly targeted for districts that voted Democratic in the 2008 election.  This is a tragic farce.

 

However, members of Congress did receive a pay increase in 2009 and they will again in 2010.  How come Congress received a pay raise?  They voted themselves one.

 

You see, it appears Obama and many members of Congress have adopted Margaret Sanger's philosophy which states "more from the fit and less from the unfit".  For those of you who are not familiar with Sanger, in the early 20th century, she founded Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.  Sanger also liked the idea of eugenics which was twisted into what became Hitler's Final solution.  Senior citizens, the mentally and physically handicapped and those who are temporarily disabled would certainly fit into this category, wouldn't they?

 

So, it appears those who receive Social Security don't count in Obama's political playbook, but they should.  Seniors make up a huge voting bloc.  They have mostly voted Democratic in recent years.  However, as in current trends, this, too, will change.

 

What I find interesting is the Democratic Party seems hell bent on committing political suicide.  And that's just fine with me.

 

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Comments

[Charlie]

Nicely said. Of course, Congress gets a raise, and seniors do not. The seniors and other special interest groups have put themselves into the position of being a "too dependable group of voters" for the party of ending Constitutional Rights. If their vote is dependable, you do not have to do very much for them, and can do much to them. Seniors, minorities, and often veterans have allowed themselves to be bought cheaply. The Congress Critters have given them a little of others money, and bought their votes. Now, they are trying to buy others.

[R. Jean Cohoon]

Another "stimulus plan"...just eliminate the very old, handicapped and babies. OBAMA should really look at the history of Planned Parenthood and why it really began in the first place. I don't think he would be so supportive if he knew the truth.

[RICHARD BRADY]

Where do the Consumer Price Index people live? In a cave with no utilities or cars or whatever? How can they say the Cost Of Living did not increase? Gas prices have gone up and the cost to live in assisted living or any homes has gone up. Do they check all areas in the United States or just Washington. Also it must be nice that
Congress can give themselves a raise anytime they want and can retire with the same amount of money they get paid now and don't have to rely on Medicare and Social Security to live on. If they had to live on Social Security, then the SS system would be taken care of really well and we would not have to worry of it running out of money.In other words, make Congress and Senators retire on Social Security and not what they get paid while and active Congressman or Senator.

[Terry Chambers]

There will be some big changes in Congress in 2010 -- Just another nail in their coffin

[G. Day]

I have always voted for Dem. because I thought they were for the people (little guys like myself). Its ok to bail out the banks, its ok to give themselves a nice raise, its ok to do a lot of things except give me my ss cost of living. I am afraid you greedy self serving @#$%&$#@ have lost my vote for a long time or maybe forever since you decided that seniors no longer matter. Its seems its ok to give our tax dollars to everybody in the world except us seniors. I have no way to earn more money....does anyone blame me for feeling so darn mad? Yes there will be big changes in 2010.

[ROBERT J OBST]

NOW IS THE TIME TO CHANGE HOW THE COST OF LIVING IS DETERMINED. WE HAVE TO INCLUDE FOOD, FUEL, BOTH HEATING AND GASOLINE, MEDICAL EXPENSES AMD TAXES. GASOLINE IS UP 60 CENTS A GALLON. WHY ARE FORIGNERS CONTROLLING SOCIAL SECURITY, DISABLED AND DISABLED VETERANS COLA? WHO NEEDS TO FIGHT TERRIORISTS WHEN THEY ARE DESTROYING US FINANCIALLY? OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE DESTROYING THE ELDERLY, SS DISABLED AND DISABLED VETERANS WITHOUT A LIFE ENDING CONFRENCE. NOW IS THE TIME TO SUPPORT "NO COLA NO VOTE". WE HALF TO FIRE OBAMA, THE DEMOCRATS AND WASHINGTON BEAURACRATS WHO ARE STARVING OUT 57 MILLION ELDERLY, DISABELD AND DISABLED VETERANS.
THE WAY WE FIGURE THE COST OF LIVING IS WRONG AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IT NOW! 57 MILLION VOTES AGAINST THE CULPRITS WILL GET THE JOB DONE! THANK YOU BOB OBST