No Social Security COLA Expected for 2011

I'm not exactly hostile, but the cost of food and just about everything else hasn't stopped going up, so I'm going to have a lot less spending leeway next year. I didn't really feel it this year because the last increase was high enough to equal two regular years. My SS payments are high enough that I'm not going to suffer, but I know that's not true for a lot of people. I don't pay much attention to politics any more because it's mostly the same old same old, but it will be interesting to see if this affects the next election.

I'm not happy about this by any stretch of the imagination but why are you blaming Obama spending, when the article you quoted says the COLA is automatically set by an inflation measure adopted by Congress back in the 70's?

Isn't this what Republicans want? If the COLA doesn't go up, then why should we increase their income? Doing so would probably violate the mandate that was given to Social Security. I don't know why you are so upset with Obama, it was Bush who stole the Social Security surplus to give it to billionaires. It was also Bush that created the economy that we are in today. The other thing that you failed to say is that 56,000 of those job loses were government jobs, which is exactly what Republicans want. So do Republicans want smaller government, or not? But, I guess it makes logical sense to blame the paramedic, for the car crash.

I don't know - is it a "coincidence" that the first and only two years of no COLA coincide directly with the ascendency of the usurper to the WH and the grave misdeeds he continues to perform? I will be one of the ones directly affected by this and. as you say, it IS quite difficult. I am outraged at the total picture, not just the part I play. Who are the "trustees" who oversee Social Security and can we "trust" them with the money we have paid in, given the government's continual raiding and misappropriation of SS funds? We know we cannot trust the current totally corrupt and illegal regime to do anything right by this country.

If you mean, do I feel hostile toward the federal government, you bet I do! I have felt that way for some time now and not just since Obama took office. While I vehemently disagree with his policies and the Democrats policies in general, I started becoming disillusioned with our government during the Bush administration. The Republicans were supposed to stand for smaller government and less government spending but they seemed to abandon those ideals lately. Their recklessness is what prompted the public to vote for "change", not knowing that the "change" the Democrats had in mind was the very same reckless government fiscal policy, only about 10 times worse. THAT'S why the economy has not improved and won't improve until they change their ways. It's also why the tea party has found so much success. The PEOPLE have realized that the government needs to STOP SPENDING. PERIOD. They realize that our country cannot keep mortgaging it's future and jeopardizing our economic stability by continually spending more than it makes year after year. Anyone that lives within their household budget knows this. Obama got into office because the Republicans let us down and people forgot that the Democrats have always been the tax and spend experts, so they bounced from one irresponsible party to the other. People want the economy to improve. I am still working and I haven't had a COLA increase for 3 years. I'm still making the same amount that I was making 3 years ago and my cost of living continues to rise. The only way things will get better is if we get people into office that will actually change things. We need to cut useless government programs, stop wasteful spending, eliminate pork barrel projects. A big majority of the public are forced to cut their spending to live within their means and it's high time our government starts doing the same. If they cut out all the crap, they would have enough money to fund Social Security like it should be. You know why the tea party keeps gaining popularity? It's because it's made up of regular, everyday people who GET IT. People who want to put people into office that will do what is right for the country and not for their own interests. Career politicians look out for themselves, not us. We need non-politicians in office. We need term limits for congress. We need to eliminate the retirement benefit for congressmen and senators. They don't need to retire from government. It was never intended to be a lifetime job. It was intended to be a government by the people, regular people, who serve a term or two and then go back to their regular lives. Sort of like serving a stint in the military. Neither the republicans nor the democrats are willing to make these changes. They are not willing to give up their perks and preferential treatment. They continue to think they are somehow special because they have a title of senator or congressman and they act as if they are lords. To me, they are nothing. All they did was get elected to office. That in itself does not automatically make them anything special at all, except maybe a better than average liar. It's time that we the people start DEMANDING that our elected officials do what's right. We have to start holding them accountable for what they do in office. People need to be informed and involved and that's what you are seeing with the tea party. People are starting to stand up and be heard. Most of the people of this country are independents and they are tired of bouncing back and forth between two political parties when neither one of them can get it right. It's time to get the career politicians OUT. We need to elect more independents or Libertarians and put our country back on track. We'll see if it really is a government by the people and for the people very soon.

The truth about Social Security is that most recipients have drawn out more than their "payments" within the first five years of benefits starting. Any increases in benefits then come from younger workers paying into the system. We should simply cut off Social Security for all those 50 and younger and pay off all those above that age who have paid into the system.

No, I do not feel hostile, yet. It is not easy when there is no increase in income since the cost of living continues to rise. Generally it is those in office at the time something becomes known that are expected to take the heat. obama thus far is the most obvious exception to the rule. Let me throw out a balancing thought. This is just a thought, so please do not throw anything if this comment annoys you. You have an expectation that there will be a COLA for social security every year. Do you feel that has been promised? Is there a basis to expect that increse? I work for a manufacturing company and have a salary position. For a number of years my annual merit increase has been 2%, which I consider way too small. Maybe Social security should be increased by the same 2%. Would that not be fair?

I do feel hostile for the fact that I am positive all of them have gotten a cost of living raise. Take away from the poor, that cannot take care of themselves.

you bet I do. Every thing is going up and job losses so bad I do beleive we need a raise too. LIke I said in a post they need to give SS a bailout! put our money where it needs to be!

this was shocking to me too...i think it stinks,it's bad enough that ppl who depend on SSDI have to make it on such a small amount but then no raise again!!!

It wouldn't matter if this was the second year of Mickey Mouse's Presidency! I don't like it anymore than you do but you shouldn't be surprised, it was reported last year at the same time it was announced there would be no increase for 2010 that there wouldn't be any again in 2011. It has nothing - zip, zero, nada - to do with President Obama, President Bush, the Republicans or the Democrats in Congress, it's because they screwed up and gave too high of an increase in 2009. Actually, I think the way they explained it was that once gas prices stabilized, which was after the COLA had already been calculated, it turned out the increase had been considerably higher than it "should have been". Annie

It really doesn't matter if it's Obummer's fault or not, the people are going to be angry and he's gonna get the blame. Well, he and the Dems and it's not a good thing for it to be happening so close to an election.

Yes, I saw this in the news earlier today as well. While I completely agree with you on governmental spending (they're out of control), it's not Obama's decision to raise the cost-of-living or leave it be. It is entirely based on weather inflation rose or fell during the previous year. While we are all feeling a pinch, according to the numbers inflation did not rise enough to raise it. Also, last year Congress did pass a stimulus to compensate those who were effected. That helped out okay, with the exception of it coming out of any income tax refund that those people received at the end of the year. So, it wasn't really the same as getting a raise because they had to pay it back (if they worked). They will undoubtedly try to at least pass a similar bill again this year to make up for COLA. So with that said, the real question is why are they saying that inflation has not gone up? Clearly, it has. Food prices are up about 5% as compared to last year. Then there is the every-climbing costs of fuel, medical care and utilities. When the prices for everyday essential items keeps going up, that is what inflation is! On a counter note, deflation and inflation actually go hand-in-hand. While everyday items go up, other things such as houses and big item purchases actually go down. The trouble with that is you still can't afford those things because the essentials take up any savings or extra cash you would have otherwise. Hope we don't end up like in the Great Depression with the wheel barrows full of useless money.