Don't know about the rest of you Seniors but I feel like am in deep

[Paper Roses]

trouble. If the government cuts SS and Medicare, I wonder where I will be? There is NO market for my house in this area, I have no job, and no insurance except Medicare-I don't even have the drug coverage. I feel like these last few years I have will be nothing but worry.

My bones are too old and my skills are too few to even try anymore for a job. There is no option for me.
If you told me this would happen 20 or so years ago. I would have told you that you were way off base.
How stupid am I?

[JDPriestly]

1. You are not alone.

Many people, the people that members of Congress never hear from, never see, most without internet access, will virtually be out on the streets if this happens.

And "owning" your home won't help because you still have to pay the property taxes even if you can't sell it.

Obama has no idea of the misery he is going to cause with his "compromise."

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Some states you do not have property taxes!

Some states ( Fla, Ala, for sure) have what is called a "homestead exemption" which allows for NO property taxes for people who are over 65 or disabled, at least for homes under a certain very high value.
The purpose of the law was to keep people from losing their homes.

Anyone planning to move to a retirement state might want to check out the homestead exemption laws.

[spartan61]

14. What???? No property taxes in FL???

Since when??? I live in Fl and yes, I have Homestead, but I still have property taxes to pay. You better recheck your information.

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. Mea culpa....let me clarify.

In Fla. there is an exemption for the first 50 K of the home's value.
and apparently y'all there do NOT get the total exemption that we get here in Ala. for elderly or disabled.

My sympathies.

[roguevalley]

21. he doesn't. if they do away with the mortgage deduction then

it is only a matter of time before I lose my house. I loathe this country anymore. You work your whole life away and you do everything right and some fat prick and his fourth wife is taking everything away for us and our kids. Fuck them all.

[RKP5637]

37. I know exactly what you mean. When I was young this country offered

many opportunities, true, it was not fair for all, but it sure was a more optimistic place. Now, each day brings more misery to many of the citizens. I am getting to loathe it too, because it's been hijacked by a bunch of asses. Never, ever, would I have imagined the US would be turning into what it is today.

[Enrique]

2. nothing will affect you

that's the one thing I believe coming from all sides in this nonsense: whatever they do, it won't affect current recipients.

[DURHAM D]

6. Not true re: cost of living increases

[mzmolly]

10. When will that go into effect?

I wasn't aware of any specifics.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Right now I am hearing 2015 is the discussed CPI start date.

[mzmolly]

13. Interesting. Do you have a link?

:hi:

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. Sorry, I was reading a whole bunch of news stories this early afternoon.

I have a photographic memory, sentences tend to imprint, but cannot recall which news link I was on.

Not saying that the CPI IS going to happen on that date, I am saying that the news story mentioned that was the plan being discussed.
Nothing is real until it happens tho.

[mzmolly]

19. "Nothing is real until it happens tho." True.

Thanks for the info. :hi:

[pscot]

35. The last COLA adjustment was in 2008

There's been no inflation, as measured by the CPI-W, since 2008, so that's working out very well for us.

[newthinking]

22. That gives folks over 50 LOTS of time to prepare doesn't it. Shit!

[dgibby]

7. Chained SS will affect everyone. n/t

[Big Blue Marble]

34. If the chained CPI kicks in,

you can bet your booties it will affect us. And that is the trajectory that is
gaining momentum as we speak. It will cost us on average about 500.00
year in 10 years and 1000 per year in 20. The younger we are the more
it will bite over time.

The cuts to Medicare will at the very least reduce services available,
reducing our ability to get health care at the time of life we most need it.

Obama was negotiating for higher co-pays and deductibles so don't count
that out either. Be prepared for a simmer-the-frog approach to destroying
these programs, and not just for our kids either.

This is the time to stand up and let Washington know we want these programs
to remain intact for us and future generations.

PS It is strange that you seem to only care about protecting yours. Understand
if they divide us, if the cut the benefits for the younger people, they will start
asking why they should keep paying for our benefits when they have been
left out in the cold. What an effective way to destroy one the best people programs
in history.

[RKP5637]

38. Your last paragraph sums up exactly what their agenda is. I wish the MSM would

give that more press. " ... if they cut the benefits for the younger people, they will start asking why they should keep paying for our benefits when they have been left out in the cold. What an effective way to destroy one the best people programs in history."

[demosincebirth]

41. True

[liberal N proud]

3. Think about us who are over 50 but not inside the protected window

They talk about cuts not effecting people over 55, but those of us under 55 but over 50 who already have had our pensions frozen and 401K's in shreds, now they are going to move the cheese again with Social Security.

There is no way I can catch up for the last 5 years of what has happened to my retirement funds.

[LiberalLoner]

4. I'm in the same boat. We are so royally screwed.

[Coyote_Bandit]

15. I'm in this group

After my parents are gone I'm considering taking every penny left and buying my way out of this fucked up country.

[newthinking]

24. Me too.

[CountAllVotes]

28. but where will you go?

I've got passports, etc. but where the hell are you going to go? :shrug:

[newthinking]

23. Been that way most of my life. Living in the shadow of the Boomer Generation

[midnight]

5. You could never of guessed that our representatives would have

another agenda... Try to take one day at a time Paper Roses...

[kickysnana]

8. I started planning for this in 2000, really.

But I put in a call the local Sr society for a free hour with an estate planner to update me on my options if the govt defaults or defunds me.

Can you take in roomers, other seniors in similar positions? I keep seeing young people working from home by computer and buying homes so there must be some available but you have to figure it out. Sometimes from foreign vacation properties.

There are legitimate Senior organizations online usually by state or region (not insurance companies like AARP) you can get information for help on your situation.

I remember when the USSR economy collapsed and the criminals took over victimizing the seniors, the teens and almost everyone. Silly me. I thought we had enough moral gumption we would not let it happen here but stolen elections, corporate news media, political parties only looking at Wall Street and corrupt churches have turned us into the same amoral society that was there. I hope we can still come out of this but it sure looks bleak.

But we need each other to get through this so hang in there and remember to stop and smell the flowers and smile at the children.

[newthinking]

25. Me too. But I did not predict that there would be few jobs after 50.

The situation is really fucked. I am fine to work until I drop. But the job market works entirely against those over 50 like *never* before. And if this trend continues even if I can continue to stay employed all of my extra money will go to healthcare costs and not into a retirement account.

[newfie11]

9. count me in.

To much crime to move to Mexico and can't afford a euro country. So here we are at the mercy of two political parties. Our SS and husbands VA may or may not be here next month. Then if the chained CPI becomes law....

[RKP5637]

39. Actually IMO there is only one political party anymore, The Capitalist Party of

Rs + many Ds. The Democratic party I knew seems to have evaporated. The democratic party I knew and grew up with never would not have put up with one iota of this BS today.

[jwirr]

16. I am more afraid of not raising the debt ceiling than I am about the

cuts AT THIS MOMENT. I do not want the cuts either but if they do not raise the debt limit we lose everything imediately: Social Security, SSI, foodstamps, Medicare, Medicaid, and a whole raft of other government programs that we all take for granted.

I am poor enough that if they do raise the debt ceiling I will probably be okay. My social security and SSI will stay the same (no cola)but they will not decrease either. If there is any change I would get more food stamps. I am not sure about the medical programs - there I may get hurt. I do not own anything so selling things is not a problem. Rising prices are the biggest problem with what I get monthly. It is taking a lot more to live on lately.

[madrchsod]

20. i`m fucked if they do....

if my wife loses her job we are out on the street. i guess one of our kids could buy our house but we still would`t enough money to live on. my social security check is 580 something which pays our house payment. right now we make 600-700 to much to qualify for any government loans for energy efficiency upgrade assistance. a couple dollars over on food stamps. if she stopped working overtime we could get all that stuff but nothing else.

when i started working in in 69 i was making 3.25 a hour and 74 i was making 10-11 at a union job. my last job in my trade lasted untill 02 at 14 an hour. my last job 5 yrs ago was 8.75. i would go back into business but no one can afford even to have things rebuilt.

[reggie the dog]

26. start growing marijuana in your garden and sell it to your grandkids??

[kickysnana]

29. Good one.

:fistbump:

[CountAllVotes]

27. don't know what we'll do

Not many options here.

The first thing to go will be the cable TV. After that, it will be food. No more shopping at the store for bread -- back to the old bread machine which might still cough out a loaf; not sure.

Other expenses/spending will STOP and stop fast!

This will happen throughout the economy as we are spenders and the powers that be seem to have forgotten about that!

The economy will come to a grinding halt quickly if they figure we are no longer important to it.

Stupid fools they are -- all of them IMO.

They shall reap what they sow very quickly.

It will scare the living shit out of the entire country, the rich being the first to crap their pants without us.

In the meantime, all money will go to medical needs.

Where does one move to?

The EU is about shot to hell.

Mexico -- no thanks.

**************

Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible 'cause you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now.
I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame
They're throwin' me in a class with a bad name
I can't believe this is the land from which I came
You know I really do hate to say it
The government don't wanna see
But if Roosevelt was livin'
He wouldn't let this be, no no

All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us

-- MJJ

[RKP5637]

40. The numbers are growing and growing of those not part of the country

anymore. As you say, this economy is going to fall so fast the needle will bounce off the scale. When the gov. starts cutting off the arms and legs of the society, the rest isn't going to last long.

I'm soooo disgusted with the whole place, about everything. Young, middle-age and seniors are getting really screwed in this country, and I have a hard time even calling it a country anymore.

[grasswire]

30. If I had a big house I would take in roomers.

Plenty of people can't afford their own place now. And you are in a very desireable area, PR. Personally, I would do room and board but I know that many would not want to do the cooking involved in that.

PR, watch the Waltons for a couple of months on the Hallmark channel or on the Internet, and you'll remember the stories of how people survived in the Great Depression.

If all else fails, could you rent out your home and live with family to free up some money?

[elocs]

31. I am going to prepare to become homeless, a nomad with just me, my car, & a teardrop trailer

that will be my sleeping and just lounging pod. I will go where the wind blows me and stay for as long as I want to stay in any one place. The living will be cheap and it's beginning to look like I will have to live cheap.

[newfie11]

32. but you have to afford gas n/t

[whathehell]

33. Paper Roses, I see you live in New England...Isn't Vermont going for Single Payer health insurance?

Maybe I don't know exactly "what's what", but if I felt Medicare

to be threatened, I'd move to Vermont or some other state which,

in the future, hopefully, will go to Single Payer...It's what

my spouse and I intend to do if things get bad and we live in Chicago!

[demguy72340]

36. self-delete