What happened?

[KPM]

As far as Medicare for retirees (not Medicaid-which is for the poor) yes in the overall health care plan $716 billion was cut-by reducing payments to hospitals (to be negotiated with hospitals as insurance companies do today for private insurance) and by reducing waste and fraud (which is in the news every single day)
Now by comparison The Tea Party budget plan-that VP candidate Paul Ryan authored-actually dissects Medicare permanently-it only allows people currently using the plan and those within 10 years of retirement to keep the plan as it is today
"As promised for the last nearly 50 years to people who have already paid payroll taxes into the plan"
Everyone else would be put into some insurance pools-given choices and they would be given a voucher for a certain amount to find their policy. The idea of pools being discussed by Ryan is almost funny-since Obama's plan (and Romneys state plan Obama used as a model) calls for reduced costs because everyone is contributing into some pool in one way or another and more people rowing reduces cost) Ryan does not like pools for Universal health care-but its okay for his budget plan???
Out of pocket expenses for the future elderly would end up going way up according to many including the non partisan Congressional Budget Offic.
Also the benefits and premiums would be determined by private insurance companies-and seniors would be at the mercy of as you pointed out CEOs who must protect their profits at all costs with no concern for how it affects their employees or customers.
A fine reward to anyone who has worked their whole life and played by the rules.
Republicans have for years tried to figure out a way to destroy SS and Medicare-as I mentioned before Newt Gingrich in the Clinton years told a Republican audience that the best way to solve the problem of SS and Medicare was (paraphrased)to snip the vine and watch it die.
Exit polls for the election asked retirees and near retirees how much did they or would they depend on SS and Medicare-78% said they would very much depend upon those in retirement.
Neither are an entitlement- they were both funded by CITIZENS thru payroll taxes that have been mandated to be collected for decades by Republican and Democratic Congress's and Presidents alike.
Reagan said SS and Medicare give dignity and security to Americans when they reach their golden years.
I an unsure how Republicans can always speak of Reagan with such "reverance" when it appears that in 2012 he would probably not be able to get elected by people such as the Tea Party far right.
Yes SS and Medicare need to be reformed-but its been done before President Reagan and Dem Speaker O'Neal worked out a compromise in the mid 80s that kept both solvent to this point in time well over 20 years time.
Just increasing the payroll rate by a quarter point on both adds years, means testing to determine payment add even more, increasing the age slowly over time could increase it even further, changing the method for raising the yearly increases, or COLA, is long over due also.
The Republican/Democratic commitee I mentioned Simpson/Bowles had many recommendations to keep SS and Medicare solvent for decades-but neither the Republicans nor Democrats in the Congress nor the President really warmed to it.....well the time now has come to give it a second look IMO.

[KPM]

Yes Martin Luther King Jr-was a Republican because from the time Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclaimation most African Americans were..... until the late 60s.
But as you point out-both parties have changed-neither is today what it was in the past.
I want to add when I was speaking of what Republicans are suppose to be, and what Democrats are suppose to be-my point was how STEREOTYPES have been used to "DEFINE" members of both parties....that are not necessarily true for all members.
IT is the fringe on both sides that, IMO, keep progress from being made on most fronts-and those people may be very close in spirit to the sterotypes for all.

[KPM]

Yes Small Business should be given every right as any business-and most small business employ less than a 100 people and there are tax credits and deductions in the Obama health coverage law to help those small business men and woman when the law is fully implemented.
I actually do not see how anyone in the near future should be cutting employees since the new law takes several years to fully take affect.
Laying off people a few days after the election seems a little bit of "overkill" or "gunjumping"
That brings up another point that does bother me-which was people like the billionaire Koch Brothers sending out memos to its employees telling them if they vote for Obama they may be layed off??? That smacks of blackmail and extortion-it certainly is never been done ever in the past-it puts a black mark on our democracy.
Blackmail is threatening someone with some type of harm, to produce an outcome that you desire but the blackmailed individual does not IE
give me 50 grand or we kill your child, mom, wife etc.........give us your vote or we take your job.
Give us your vote or we destroy your livelihood.???
Is that what America is about?

[KPM]

As far as Christianity and its being somehow attacked.
I am a General Baptist-born again....I do not feel that way as some seem to.
I literally think the US Constitution gives everyone equal right to worship whomever they want.....I do not want a Muslim Symbol in any government office or school, nor Hindu, nor anyother religious symbol....including the religion I am which says Christ is my savior. That is fair to all. IMO
Its funny I prayed in school even when they took prayer out of school-and anyone of any religion can also-it does not have to be outloud for God to hear it.
We can amend the Constitution and say Christianity is the religion that the US follows-and it is allowed in government offices, schools, colleges etc...but I'm not sure that would be what the founding fathers had in mind.
Taxation without representation and religious freedom for all..... were 2 of the big reasons people came to the New World.

[KPM]

I do not know if you listened to the President when he spoke about the Fiscal Cliff...I watched Speaker Boehners remarks and the Presidents and in relation to the Small Business people I found a very interesting fact in his speech that has not been challenged by any Republican:
President Obama-...... While there may be disagreement in Congress over whether or not to raise taxes on folks making over $250,000 a year, nobody—not Republicans, not Democrats—want taxes to go up for folks making under $250,000 a year. So let’s not wait. Even as we’re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let’s extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. Let’s do that right now.

That one step—that one step—would give millions of families—98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses—the certainty that they need going into the new year. It would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table, and that will lead to new jobs and faster growth. Business will know that consumers, they’re not going to see a big tax increase. They’ll know that most small businesses won’t see a tax increase. And so a lot of the uncertainty that you’re reading about, that will be removed. In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill doing exactly this, so all we need is action from the House. .......

97% of all small business's would not see an increase in taxes IF the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire (as was suppose to happen all the way to back to Bush's presidency but they kept getting extended)

[King Of The Whole World]

I do not know if you listened to the President when he spoke about the Fiscal Cliff...I watched Speaker Boehners remarks and the Presidents and in relation to the Small Business people I found a very interesting fact in his speech that has not been challenged by any Republican:
President Obama-...... While there may be disagreement in Congress over whether or not to raise taxes on folks making over $250,000 a year, nobody—not Republicans, not Democrats—want taxes to go up for folks making under $250,000 a year. So let’s not wait. Even as we’re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let’s extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. Let’s do that right now.

That one step—that one step—would give millions of families—98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses—the certainty that they need going into the new year. It would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table, and that will lead to new jobs and faster growth. Business will know that consumers, they’re not going to see a big tax increase. They’ll know that most small businesses won’t see a tax increase. And so a lot of the uncertainty that you’re reading about, that will be removed. In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill doing exactly this, so all we need is action from the House. .......

97% of all small business's would not see an increase in taxes IF the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire (as was suppose to happen all the way to back to Bush's presidency but they kept getting extended)

First thing the reason why the Bush tax cuts will probably be extended again is because they work and they will not reach some sort of agreement by January 1st. So they need to extend to keep the economy from taking a huge plunge. This thing about it will not affect a small business is total malarkey. A decent amount of business owners make more than or just over $250,000. Also I’m sorry to say but I do not trust Obama one bit, he use to say nobody would see a tax increase over $200,000 now in the past year he went to the current 250,000 mark. After he knew this would not be popular to be re-elected he changed to 250,000, what is to say it wont go back down.

I say again that Bush set the all time record for revenue income for the government from 2004-2006. By doing what, lower taxes and cut spending.

I know that is what they are saying right now to not go off this “fiscal cliff” we are hanging over. But I have heard that most families right now pay around $2,500 in taxes per family. It will probably go up to around $3,700 per family in the next year. This is what the middle of the road income does pay and will pay.

[King Of The Whole World]

Yes Small Business should be given every right as any business-and most small business employ less than a 100 people and there are tax credits and deductions in the Obama health coverage law to help those small business men and woman when the law is fully implemented.
I actually do not see how anyone in the near future should be cutting employees since the new law takes several years to fully take affect.
Laying off people a few days after the election seems a little bit of "overkill" or "gunjumping"
That brings up another point that does bother me-which was people like the billionaire Koch Brothers sending out memos to its employees telling them if they vote for Obama they may be layed off??? That smacks of blackmail and extortion-it certainly is never been done ever in the past-it puts a black mark on our democracy.
Blackmail is threatening someone with some type of harm, to produce an outcome that you desire but the blackmailed individual does not IE
give me 50 grand or we kill your child, mom, wife etc.........give us your vote or we take your job.
Give us your vote or we destroy your livelihood.???
Is that what America is about?

Well, you know you say that but the unions have been threatening or intimidating for years.

I would have to go back and read the letters again but I don't think they said you will lose your job if you vote for Obama. They said if Obama does win re-election there will be drastic cuts. I think I'm right that they said if he wins, not who they shouldn’t vote for.

I will tell you that you may think these companies have jumped the gun on firing people but they know what is coming. So they are trying to get ahead of the game. They know that Obamacare will go into affect even though there was not one single vote from a republican, I remind you. Side note…They said we have to pass Obamacare without reading what is inside the policy until after it passes, BS, take a month and read it line by line. I will tell you that is what concerns people like me and one of the reasons not one republican voted on it…..Sorry I’m ranting….The business owners know we will see taxes on the rise for small businesses, so they have to prepare. When you run a business you have to think or be ahead on the future a year in advance. You can't wait until the last minute to make your moves or you will be broke and living in the street. If things don't go the way I and every other small business owners believes then we can hire people back.

[King Of The Whole World]

Yes Martin Luther King Jr-was a Republican because from the time Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclaimation most African Americans were..... until the late 60s.
But as you point out-both parties have changed-neither is today what it was in the past.
I want to add when I was speaking of what Republicans are suppose to be, and what Democrats are suppose to be-my point was how STEREOTYPES have been used to "DEFINE" members of both parties....that are not necessarily true for all members.
IT is the fringe on both sides that, IMO, keep progress from being made on most fronts-and those people may be very close in spirit to the sterotypes for all.

Yes I know you were talking about stereotypes. It was funny when you were giving the examples because I think of those things about liberals and I'm sure you think that way about conservatives. I do know too that you have to meet somewhere in the middle, there are very few times when it is a unanimous decision. I know there are extremes on both sides.

I was bringing up the part about MLK and republicans in general to say that, republicans get painted today as villains by the liberal media. When in fact the republicans over the years have been the ones who support social issues more than the democrats. But we get painted as the ones that hate everyone and we want everyone to suffer and die.

[King Of The Whole World]

As far as Medicare for retirees (not Medicaid-which is for the poor) yes in the overall health care plan $716 billion was cut-by reducing payments to hospitals (to be negotiated with hospitals as insurance companies do today for private insurance) and by reducing waste and fraud (which is in the news every single day)
Now by comparison The Tea Party budget plan-that VP candidate Paul Ryan authored-actually dissects Medicare permanently-it only allows people currently using the plan and those within 10 years of retirement to keep the plan as it is today
"As promised for the last nearly 50 years to people who have already paid payroll taxes into the plan"
Everyone else would be put into some insurance pools-given choices and they would be given a voucher for a certain amount to find their policy. The idea of pools being discussed by Ryan is almost funny-since Obama's plan (and Romneys state plan Obama used as a model) calls for reduced costs because everyone is contributing into some pool in one way or another and more people rowing reduces cost) Ryan does not like pools for Universal health care-but its okay for his budget plan???
Out of pocket expenses for the future elderly would end up going way up according to many including the non partisan Congressional Budget Offic.
Also the benefits and premiums would be determined by private insurance companies-and seniors would be at the mercy of as you pointed out CEOs who must protect their profits at all costs with no concern for how it affects their employees or customers.
A fine reward to anyone who has worked their whole life and played by the rules.
Republicans have for years tried to figure out a way to destroy SS and Medicare-as I mentioned before Newt Gingrich in the Clinton years told a Republican audience that the best way to solve the problem of SS and Medicare was (paraphrased)to snip the vine and watch it die.
Exit polls for the election asked retirees and near retirees how much did they or would they depend on SS and Medicare-78% said they would very much depend upon those in retirement.
Neither are an entitlement- they were both funded by CITIZENS thru payroll taxes that have been mandated to be collected for decades by Republican and Democratic Congress's and Presidents alike.
Reagan said SS and Medicare give dignity and security to Americans when they reach their golden years.
I an unsure how Republicans can always speak of Reagan with such "reverance" when it appears that in 2012 he would probably not be able to get elected by people such as the Tea Party far right.
Yes SS and Medicare need to be reformed-but its been done before President Reagan and Dem Speaker O'Neal worked out a compromise in the mid 80s that kept both solvent to this point in time well over 20 years time.
Just increasing the payroll rate by a quarter point on both adds years, means testing to determine payment add even more, increasing the age slowly over time could increase it even further, changing the method for raising the yearly increases, or COLA, is long over due also.
The Republican/Democratic commitee I mentioned Simpson/Bowles had many recommendations to keep SS and Medicare solvent for decades-but neither the Republicans nor Democrats in the Congress nor the President really warmed to it.....well the time now has come to give it a second look IMO.

This is why for myself I am doing everything in my power so when the time comes for me to retire I will not be dependent on these things to be here. Because I know that I will pay into this all my life just like you and everyone else have and it will not be there for me. So I would recommend anyone my age or any age really be prepared for yourself, don't rely on the government. (Yes and I know Medicaid is for the poor.) I will also be prepared to move my money from the IRA account (which is not enough to retire on right now) into something Obama can’t touch. He has been talking about raping all the money market accounts. I WILL NOT allow MY hard work to be taken from me and giving to someone who has decided they do not need to work and save.

SS was created back when people didn’t really live much past 70, now people live into their 80's and beyond. This is why I believe it is time to push the re-boot button on all of these government funds.

[asian1]

Hello:

I live in New Jersey and the toll the storm took on the area as well as in NYC was substantial. I did not have light and heat for an entire week. There are people still without power and who lost their homes.

This part of the US does not normally experience devastating storms of this magnitude. We are in the 21st century bit this past week felt like living in the 1800's. I was forturnate to have taken the advice of someone who recommended foodinsurance .com they have a variety of freeze dried foods as well as other items needed durinfg a natural disaster, that are of great help when food and electric power are out. Always good to be propared.

Buttonhead: Many people are sad over Romney not being our next president. He appeared as a man of good character. I pray that we don't enter into the Weimar Republic (massive printing of money in Germany which resulted in hyperinflation and hyperdeflation) Translation:paper money will become useless.

I was elated however to see many of my co workers tell me how wel thier small town communities pulled together to asist one another during the devasting storm.

God Bless

[KPM]

This is why for myself I am doing everything in my power so when the time comes for me to retire I will not be dependent on these things to be here. Because I know that I will pay into this all my life just like you and everyone else have and it will not be there for me. So I would recommend anyone my age or any age really be prepared for yourself, don't rely on the government. (Yes and I know Medicaid is for the poor.) I will also be prepared to move my money from the IRA account (which is not enough to retire on right now) into something Obama can’t touch. He has been talking about raping all the money market accounts. I WILL NOT allow MY hard work to be taken from me and giving to someone who has decided they do not need to work and save.

SS was created back when people didn’t really live much past 70, now people live into their 80's and beyond. This is why I believe it is time to push the re-boot button on all of these government funds.

My friend I pay very very close attention to what Speaker Boehner has said and Repubicans and I pay attention to what the Dems and O'bama have said-thats a new one to me-"raping Money Marker Accounts"
The problem with just pushing the "reboot button" is that sometimes you have a total crash of your computer-same with programs that have been essential to everyone who nears retirement age for the last 75 years.
As I have pointed out-SS and Medicare have been revisited a couple of times "successfully" by Republicans and Dems and the programs are not going away-its obvious.
The last time someone talked about "privatizing" was Bush in 2003 and 04 and quickly, very quickly it was dropped.
Let me point out that 401Ks are something that "regular joes" did not have until the last few decades.
Most pensions in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s were through your employer....for theregular working stiffs who built this country from the 30s into the 80s.....NEGOTIATED by all parties-not forced on anyone.
Companies and employees worked out the pension plans thru mutual agreement.
Companies (and countries) are now saying-wait, TIME OUT, we now must-renegotiate-50 years of back agreements.....fine.....but how do you turn back the clock on everything else that has inflated in that 50 years?
Not possible-so some "COMPROMISE" is going to need to be worked out that is mutually agreeable to all.
Thats not unfair.....thats not impossible-unless people keep taking the hard line over every point.
Either the word of this country means something-beyond our own individual bottom lines-or it means nothing.
We are suppose to be the country that does not "go back on its word" and SS and Medicare are programs that have worked well and given dignity to our elderly in their retirement years-ON PAPER their are TRILLIONS in SS......that have been raided by Dems and Repubs alike. IF those programs are allowed to fail-or are hardlined by the right-then our country will no longer be the country that does whats right, just and fair.....I do not want this great country to become a travesty or mockery of itself.
You see I feel strongly about this country also-we are either better than the hypocritical countries that say one thing then later do another or we are a sham. I am betting we are better.
I am betting these things can be addressed and solved-IF-IF people will not automatically reject ideas that do not totally agree with theirs.

[KPM]

My brother is 52-and he has worked his whole life-since 15. He is a professional musician and for the last 25 years a union carpet layer.....he has not worked steady since mid 2007.
He has a son in college, he has normal bills like everyone and his wife has worked full time for 20 years...."he has done everything in his power" to stay above bankruptcy for the last 5 years
The last 2 years work has been non-existent for him-he got unemployment (and in the past he would not take unemployment because he is a little futher to the right in his thinking and he felt it was like "welfare" which I tried time and time again to tell him it was not-but if you are out of steady work for a prolonged time you see it differently) In 2004 he had knee surgery... 2009 back surgery.....thru his union jobs he has contributed to a pension for his retirement-(like you in your planning for your retirement) He has made some money as a musician but like the carpet work clubs are not having as much live music on a regular basis-DJS and jukebox are the norms now.
He has seen a major set back in his life-through no fault of his own-like untold tens of millions in this nation and he is unsure of his future (like I said earlier Regular Joes who built this country over the last 70 years) and he thought he had PREPARED.....based upon the information he had at hand.
He did not go to college-I have spoke many times of my fathers suicide which set in motion my mothers haphazard life of many husbands and constant flux that did not include making sure we went to college. He finished HS and went staight to work....as did I (I took some college after I went to work but never got a degree.)
Everything any of my family have accomplished has been on individual effort ....no rich family, no father looking to help, no secure home life...that is not to mention the mental number that suicide can inflict upon your thought process (and believe me some will say "it should have no affect" suck it up and forget it".....as Elvis said "they know not what they speak...they have not walked in that mans shoes nor seen thru his eyes")
So to recap-my bro went straight to work out of high school, saved, had a pension through his employment, planned for his future based upon the facts he had at hand and now all that is MUTE. SS and Medicare were a big part of his plan-as 78% of all people polled said it was for them.

He played by the rules, he paid his taxes, he contributed to our society as a good citizen and did not ever in nearly 35 years of occasional layoffs or slowdowns even collect unemployment insurance when he could have.......until now.
You have to see that the majority of people who are not working or are under employed....are not deadbeats.
Yes there are some people who do not want to work, who have not planned properly or at all-but with all due respect good people from all parties, religions and colors are in huge financial crisis that did exactly what you say you are doing today.
There are good people of all parties, religions and colors who are disabled-they are not deadbeats.
Not everyone is out to take what they can-there are true legitimate people of all parties, religions and colors who get some govenment help...not as a choice but thru true need, true conditions that are out of their control.
My son was brain damaged at birth thru a botched delivery we could not sue because we were told until the age of 8 he was just slow and the doctor died who delivered him.........my son was screened by SS doctors and they said he would never progress past 8-10 mentally, he would always be dependent on the government. He got SSI at 8 and we worked hard to understand how to help him go beyond 8-10, about brain trauma, auditory processing disfunction, short and long term memory problems etc.....those extra funds gave us money to help him "progress" that we would not have had at the time.
Long story short today he works for a hospital is a floor tech specialist-and has been off of SSI since 2005 he got a drivers license in 2007.. Not everyone who gets help just takes forever.
We wanted him self sufficient, he got help and that help let him go beyond the predictions of the doctors who tested him.
He will never be a high wage earner, he can not take advantage of free schooling to become a nurse, or lab tech thru the hospitals program he is still limited severly-but he is contributing to this country.
Not everyone who gets help-is a deadbeat who intends on living forever off the government.

[buttonhead]

WOW.... Good Lord people... I dont mean to stirred any political dramas thats been going on in the U.S

And Ken..KPM.. reading your postings.. i learn so much , and the story of your son is kind of sad for me personally, but its good to know even with his own obstacle ...he try to make it on his own..God Bless you and your family by helping him and make it a bit easier for him to go through all that,.. i think this is what make America great nation to begin with, You can do any thing if you have the will to do so,.. If things happened in my native country, the parents or family usually would 'baby' him until he died , its not the life any one deserve , you know.. we live to learn and grow... not 'entombed' by fear..


I am indonesian, and as i said many times would love to be American citizen in the near future, i studied the citizenship test and ready to go with my paperworks... but seeing what had happened to America makes me have second thoughts.. the fact is i know so many friends of mine ...earned a Master Degree and has not yet holding steady career this pst 4 years, and I am worry with the future of this nation.. I believe that what this nation needs is JOBS.. a Paycheck.. and every one deserve to receive a decent healthcare, how about beyond decent ?? this is just how and what will make this nations going... plus the Pride.. I think that when people lost a great job/career and all sudden had to wait for unemployment check every month,..i am sure it is their pride their swallow.. I heard the news today it is 20 % of unemployment .. I am sure every one of you in the U.S know someone , a friend, a neighbor who right now has lost their jobs.

My bf and I happened to have the same view about politics, with him working for a Fortune 500 Company, what i heard from him was so many things went wrong because of politics this past several years .. I dont need to explain it here.. but we all facing the same struggle.

Ok Y'all .. we may not have same views about some thing. but it doesnt mean we can't get along.... Lets agree to disagree.

[buttonhead]

hi buttonhead

Familiar Name... is this Mette from Denmark Hola back at you too...

[buttonhead]

Hello:

I live in New Jersey and the toll the storm took on the area as well as in NYC was substantial. I did not have light and heat for an entire week. There are people still without power and who lost their homes.

This part of the US does not normally experience devastating storms of this magnitude. We are in the 21st century bit this past week felt like living in the 1800's. I was forturnate to have taken the advice of someone who recommended foodinsurance .com they have a variety of freeze dried foods as well as other items needed durinfg a natural disaster, that are of great help when food and electric power are out. Always good to be propared.

Buttonhead: Many people are sad over Romney not being our next president. He appeared as a man of good character. I pray that we don't enter into the Weimar Republic (massive printing of money in Germany which resulted in hyperinflation and hyperdeflation) Translation:paper money will become useless.

I was elated however to see many of my co workers tell me how wel thier small town communities pulled together to asist one another during the devasting storm.

God Bless

Good to hear you all alright up there, at least you made it safe and sound and could report this up here,... Yes I was hoping Romney would win, but as Mitt have said to us to pray for this great nation, so i pray and hope for the better , y'know nothing impossible for the Lord ... I actually cried the morning after and tears went into my cereal bowl, needless to say I was heartbroken .. But now I am ok, although i am still unsure with the future.

[asian1]

Buttonhead: I believe that through our faith in God and our prayes we will survive. Our country has had hardships before and our faith as enabled us to persevere. To believe as George Washington believed, that we accept this country was chosen for Divine protection, will lead to prosperity.
Not everything in life is pleasant and you wil shed many tears but remember to always fight the good fight. Never give up. Sometime ago I heard a Cathoilic priest recount what his mother once told him when he was discouraged. She said that although the present may be difficult and the future look bleak, turn to the last page of the Bible. In the end, we win!

Do take care.

[buttonhead]

Buttonhead: I believe that through our faith in God and our prayes we will survive. Our country has had hardships before and our faith as enabled us to persevere. To believe as George Washington believed, that we accept this country was chosen for Divine protection, will lead to prosperity.
Not everything in life is pleasant and you wil shed many tears but remember to always fight the good fight. Never give up. Sometime ago I heard a Cathoilic priest recount what his mother once told him when he was discouraged. She said that although the present may be difficult and the future look bleak, turn to the last page of the Bible. In the end, we win!

Do take care.

I couldn't agree more, Many close friends of mine told me that I am that what they call living the American Dream. I am the 1st generation of Indonesian living in the USA this past 8 years, without family living here with me, I am pretty much depending on myself,..and I ve been there through some tough times and i am thankful to still hold a job , with a great benefits , roof on top of my head and food on my table. I may never understand some of the political terms or American history, but i know that this country was built from perseverance and hardwork,.. and even harder work to turn this ship around.

[King Of The Whole World]

My friend I pay very very close attention to what Speaker Boehner has said and Repubicans and I pay attention to what the Dems and O'bama have said-thats a new one to me-"raping Money Marker Accounts"
The problem with just pushing the "reboot button" is that sometimes you have a total crash of your computer-same with programs that have been essential to everyone who nears retirement age for the last 75 years.
As I have pointed out-SS and Medicare have been revisited a couple of times "successfully" by Republicans and Dems and the programs are not going away-its obvious.
The last time someone talked about "privatizing" was Bush in 2003 and 04 and quickly, very quickly it was dropped.
Let me point out that 401Ks are something that "regular joes" did not have until the last few decades.
Most pensions in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s were through your employer....for theregular working stiffs who built this country from the 30s into the 80s.....NEGOTIATED by all parties-not forced on anyone.
Companies and employees worked out the pension plans thru mutual agreement.
Companies (and countries) are now saying-wait, TIME OUT, we now must-renegotiate-50 years of back agreements.....fine.....but how do you turn back the clock on everything else that has inflated in that 50 years?
Not possible-so some "COMPROMISE" is going to need to be worked out that is mutually agreeable to all.
Thats not unfair.....thats not impossible-unless people keep taking the hard line over every point.
Either the word of this country means something-beyond our own individual bottom lines-or it means nothing.
We are suppose to be the country that does not "go back on its word" and SS and Medicare are programs that have worked well and given dignity to our elderly in their retirement years-ON PAPER their are TRILLIONS in SS......that have been raided by Dems and Repubs alike. IF those programs are allowed to fail-or are hardlined by the right-then our country will no longer be the country that does whats right, just and fair.....I do not want this great country to become a travesty or mockery of itself.
You see I feel strongly about this country also-we are either better than the hypocritical countries that say one thing then later do another or we are a sham. I am betting we are better.
I am betting these things can be addressed and solved-IF-IF people will not automatically reject ideas that do not totally agree with theirs.

Yes Obama has mentioned that he will tackle IRA's and 401K's. I have heard this several times being mentioned not only from Obama himself but news channels. So get ready.

[King Of The Whole World]

My brother is 52-and he has worked his whole life-since 15. He is a professional musician and for the last 25 years a union carpet layer.....he has not worked steady since mid 2007.
He has a son in college, he has normal bills like everyone and his wife has worked full time for 20 years...."he has done everything in his power" to stay above bankruptcy for the last 5 years
The last 2 years work has been non-existent for him-he got unemployment (and in the past he would not take unemployment because he is a little futher to the right in his thinking and he felt it was like "welfare" which I tried time and time again to tell him it was not-but if you are out of steady work for a prolonged time you see it differently) In 2004 he had knee surgery... 2009 back surgery.....thru his union jobs he has contributed to a pension for his retirement-(like you in your planning for your retirement) He has made some money as a musician but like the carpet work clubs are not having as much live music on a regular basis-DJS and jukebox are the norms now.
He has seen a major set back in his life-through no fault of his own-like untold tens of millions in this nation and he is unsure of his future (like I said earlier Regular Joes who built this country over the last 70 years) and he thought he had PREPARED.....based upon the information he had at hand.
He did not go to college-I have spoke many times of my fathers suicide which set in motion my mothers haphazard life of many husbands and constant flux that did not include making sure we went to college. He finished HS and went staight to work....as did I (I took some college after I went to work but never got a degree.)
Everything any of my family have accomplished has been on individual effort ....no rich family, no father looking to help, no secure home life...that is not to mention the mental number that suicide can inflict upon your thought process (and believe me some will say "it should have no affect" suck it up and forget it".....as Elvis said "they know not what they speak...they have not walked in that mans shoes nor seen thru his eyes")
So to recap-my bro went straight to work out of high school, saved, had a pension through his employment, planned for his future based upon the facts he had at hand and now all that is MUTE. SS and Medicare were a big part of his plan-as 78% of all people polled said it was for them.

He played by the rules, he paid his taxes, he contributed to our society as a good citizen and did not ever in nearly 35 years of occasional layoffs or slowdowns even collect unemployment insurance when he could have.......until now.
You have to see that the majority of people who are not working or are under employed....are not deadbeats.
Yes there are some people who do not want to work, who have not planned properly or at all-but with all due respect good people from all parties, religions and colors are in huge financial crisis that did exactly what you say you are doing today.
There are good people of all parties, religions and colors who are disabled-they are not deadbeats.
Not everyone is out to take what they can-there are true legitimate people of all parties, religions and colors who get some govenment help...not as a choice but thru true need, true conditions that are out of their control.
My son was brain damaged at birth thru a botched delivery we could not sue because we were told until the age of 8 he was just slow and the doctor died who delivered him.........my son was screened by SS doctors and they said he would never progress past 8-10 mentally, he would always be dependent on the government. He got SSI at 8 and we worked hard to understand how to help him go beyond 8-10, about brain trauma, auditory processing disfunction, short and long term memory problems etc.....those extra funds gave us money to help him "progress" that we would not have had at the time.
Long story short today he works for a hospital is a floor tech specialist-and has been off of SSI since 2005 he got a drivers license in 2007.. Not everyone who gets help just takes forever.
We wanted him self sufficient, he got help and that help let him go beyond the predictions of the doctors who tested him.
He will never be a high wage earner, he can not take advantage of free schooling to become a nurse, or lab tech thru the hospitals program he is still limited severly-but he is contributing to this country.
Not everyone who gets help-is a deadbeat who intends on living forever off the government.

Ken, first I would like to say I hate to hear that your brother has gone thru bad times and about your son.

I have never said that someone who has used government assistance is a "deadbeat". That is what things like unemployment is for, just like your brother who is a working man that fell on bad times. I can understand he might feel embarrassed to collect unemployment, I think I would too but that is exactly what is for to help people who need a little cushion until something works out. I just don't like it when the system gets abused by people. I want assistance for people just like your brother, who needs a little help, has paid into the system and have worked all their lives to support themselves and their families.

I hope something turns around for him soon. This is why I have been so passionate about jobs in this country. I have heard a ton of people who have lost their jobs or have been cut back on hours.

[King Of The Whole World]

I received this as an email today. This is what I have been talking about all the cut backs and layoffs because Obama scares small businesses. I know this is only a portion of what is happening, not including even smaller companies. The email is called.....

Do elections have consequences? Our road to Greece.

Do elections have consequences? If you have been paying attention
to the financial markets, you might think so. Wall Street has had
two horrible days since President Obama won a second term.

However, stock prices are not the only thing taking a hit. It
appears that the job market is also suffering. In the last 48
hours, the following major corporations have announced layoffs in
America.

• Energizer -

The St. Louis-based company said Thursday that it expects to shed
about 1,500 employees. When finished, the restructuring should lead
to $200 million in pretax yearly savings, Energizer said. It aims
to have most of its restructuring steps finished by the end of
September 2014.

• Westinghouse -

Westinghouse Anniston, the contractor responsible for shutting down
Anniston’s chemical weapons incinerator, has reduced its workforce
by another 50 employees.

• Research in Motion Limited -

Research in Motion Ltd., the maker of BlackBerry smartphones, laid
off about 200 people at its U.S. headquarters in Irving on
Wednesday, according to a source close to the company who did not
want to be named.

> • Lightyear Network Solutions -
>
> More than one dozen employees at a Pikeville company lost their
> jobs this week. Officials with Lightyear Network Solutions said
> they are consolidating offices in Louisville and Pikeville to save
> money.
>
> • Providence Journal -
>
> The Providence Journal Co. laid off 23 full-time workers Wednesday
> as part of a cost-cutting effort, including 16 members of the
> Providence Newspaper Guild and 7 non-union employees.
>
> • Hawker Beechcraft -
>
> The company says 240 employees will lose their jobs with the
> closing of Hawker Beechcraft Services facilities in Little Rock,
> Ark.; Mesa, Ariz.; and San Antonio, Texas.
>
> • Boeing (30% of their management staff) -
>
> Boeing Co. said Wednesday it plans to employ 30% fewer executives
> at its Boeing Defense, Space & Security unit by the end of 2012
> compared to 2010 levels.
>
> • CVPH Medical Center -
>
> CVPH Medical Center has handed pink slips to 17 employees. The
> layoffs — nine in management and eight hourly staffers — are
> part of an effort to “help bolster the hospital’s financial
> position in 2013 and beyond,” a press release said.
>
> • US Cellular -
>
> The move will result in 980 job cuts at U.S. Cellular, with 640 in
> the Chicago area, according to a spokeswoman. The cuts are slightly
> under 12 percent of the approximately 8,400 total employees U.S.
> Cellular had at the end of the third quarter.
>
> • Momentive Performance Materials -
>
> About 150 workers at Sistersville’s Momentive Performance
> Materials plant will be temporarily laid off later this month,
> officials said this week.
>
> • Rocketdyne -
>
> About 100 employees at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, most of whom
> work in the San Fernando Valley, were laid off Wednesday in
> response to dwindling government spending on space exploration, the
> company said. The layoffs were effective immediately, and 75
> percent of them came at the facilities on Canoga and De Soto
> avenues, which employ about 1,100 people. The company has six sites
> across the Valley.
>
> • Brake Parts -
>
> The leader of an automotive parts plant in Lincoln County has told
> state officials that there are plans to lay off 75 workers starting
> in late December…The layoffs are expected to start Dec. 28 and
> continue in the first quarter of 2013
>
> • Vestas Wind Systems -
>
> Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) is seeking to sell a stake of as much
> as 20 percent and said it’s reducing headcount by 3,000 to raise
> the staff cuts by the biggest wind turbine maker to almost a third
> over two years.
>
> • Husqvarna -
>
> Husqvarna AB (HUSQB), the world’s biggest maker of powered garden
> tools, plans to cut about 600 jobs in a move that will save 220
> million kronor ($33 million) a year by 2014.
>
> • Center for Hospice New York -
>
> The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care plans to temporarily lay
> off as many as 40 employees next year as it embarks on a major
> renovation of the inpatient unit at its Cheektowaga campus.
>
> • Bristol-Meyers -
>
> Bristol-Myers Squibb is following up its lackluster third-quarter
> results with almost 480 layoffs. As Pharmalot reports, the company
> notified the New Jersey government that it would scale back in
> Plainsboro, which means the cuts will hit its sales operations.
>
> • OCE North America -
>
> Trumbull printer- and scanning-equipment provider Oce North
> America, Inc. will lay off 135 workers in three Connecticut
> communities, including East Hartford, according to its notice with
> the state Labor Department.
>
> • Darden Restaurants -
>
> The company, which was among those who had received an Obamacare
> waiver in the past, is looking to limit workers to 28 hours per
> week. A full time employee that is required to have health
> insurance (lest the employer pay a fine) works 30 hours per week,
> as defined by the Obamacare law.
>
> • West Ridge Mine -
>
> In its statement, UtahAmerican Energy blames the Obama
> administration for instituting policies that will close down “204
> American coal-fired power plants by 2014″ and for drastically
> reducing the market for coal.
>
> • United Blood Services Gulf -
>
> United Blood Services Gulf South region, the non-profit blood
> service provider for much of south Louisiana and Mississippi, will
> lay off approximately 10 percent of its workforce. It was a hard
> decision to make according to Susan Begnaud, Regional Center
> Director for the Gulf South region.
>
> A layoff is tough enough for employees to deal with, imagine
> hearing the crushing news that your office is shutting down just
> before Thanksgiving and Christmas… Here are some of the business
> closings that were announced in just the past two days:
>
> •Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn.
> •Mount Pleasant’s Albrecht Sentry Foods
> •The Target store at Manassas Mall Va.
> •Millennium Academy in Wake Forest NC
> •Target Closing Kissimmee FL Location
> •The Andover Gift Shop in Andover MA
> •Grand Union Family Markets Closing Storrs Location CT
> •Movie Scene Milford Location NH
> •Update: TE Connectivity Closing Greensboro Plant – 620 Layoffs
> Expected
> •Gomer’s Fried Chicken in South Kansas City
> •Kmart in Homer Glen
> •Fresh Market on Pine Street in Burlington
> •AGC Glass North America to permanently close its Blue Ridge Plant
> in Kingsport Tenn.
> •The Target store at Platte and Academy in Colorado Springs
> •The Roses store on Reynold Road in Winston-Salem NC
> •Meanders Kitchen losing its West Seattle location at 6032
> California Ave
> •Bost Harley-Davidson at 46th Avenue North and Delaware Ave. in
> West Nashville TN
> •Townsend Booksellers in Oakland
> •The Kmart store in Parkway Plaza off University Drive in Durham
> NC – 79 Jobs Lost