I don't believe SS checks will be withheld this Aug 2rd (2011)

To our dispair, this can only be done over a few years. They cannot all be voted out at the same time. Elections for them occur every two years and then only a portion of them are up for re-election every two years. Unfortunately though, if they're not corrupted when they go in, they will be within a few weeks after the lobbyists get ahold of them.

I am with you. Both parties have culpability and both need to straighten up and do right by the people who voted for them or they need to be kicked out and replaced.

I was on Youtube yesterday and I heard it was the banker's fault, it was Obama's fault, and I went on an article and the pastor suggested that in order to wean America off SSI there has to be great sacrifices, no buying computers, big Tvs, driving cars, having vacations out of the country, buying big houses, etc. I felt it is more about being poor is better then having wealth. Now my pastor is not like that, we believe that God gives wealth and poverty so we do not have to envy someone who is poor or just lives close to the earth as this other pastor did, but that is for another discussion. But it does make one a little guilty about getting ssi or old age security as we call it up here in Canada. WE also have an additional program called a Supplement for those who make not that much (I do qualify) but I said no because the house is paid for and I did not want to be afraid of having my income clawed back. You seem to be in a worse situation then us because everyone here gets basic health insurance (we have to buy more for the special things and for prescriptions) and here only the welfare people get everything paid for. whereas if you went off social security, you would lose your medical coverage. I do think they should have invested the money and not use it for other purposes. Then there would not be this problem.

We hear so many things sometimes it becomes very confusing and we wonder who to listen to to tell us the truth.

I hear you but still don't think Congress will allow SS checks to be denied. I think it is unfortunate and unnecessary scarying of older people who are especially vulnerable. Something does need to be done for future recipients, but those receiving SS now should not be frightened. I hope I am right.

You're right, kenzie, we HAVE been down this road before but the debt ceiling was always raised before we defaulted on our debt and effectively destroyed the economy. It was raised SEVEN times under President George W. Bush alone! The difference between those times and now is that the adults in Congress realized raising the debt ceiling so we could pay for what we already spent shouldn't be tied in with future spending cuts. Sure, members of both parties took turns and "allowed" some members to vote against it "on principle" but they always knew it would get raised. They've never "showed us" SS and the military would be paid because they've never put themselves in the position to have to show us. Annie

You are correct we have been in this position before. It's unfortunate our 'leaders' can't get their act together and stop the overspending and figure out the waste and stop that. So many different approaches to the problem and so little cooperation on both sides. It's really time we all got together.

I hope so too. There are so many who depend on the checks it is outrageous to delay them and shamefull to use the issue as a political football.

I hear different figures from different people.

My information comes from the White House, office of budget and management, Obama's own presidential budget, released February 1st of this year. This does not mean that my numbers are more accurate than anyone else's, and further I would wager they are massages to look better than they actually are, and they use many estimates that may not reflect reality. Such as: The unemployment rate was expected to drop more than it has, which would have reduced the costs of these programs. The cost of borrowing more money is expect to remain the same, which it may not. The amount of money collected by taxes was expected to increase due to higher levels of employment which hasn't happened yet. These estimations may or may not yet come to pass. If you have more up to date numbers than these, please give. I would love to see them. But from what I've seen thus far, these numbers seem to be the more optimistic of the bunch.

I hope you are correct and I too feel that way. The fear mnogering is shameful.