shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

There are two critical issues that the most of the candidates are avoiding. Everyone who plans to vote should read David Cae Johnston's book, "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves At Government Expense (and stick you with the bill). The news here is worse that we suspected and explains why our great American middle class has steadily been losing ground over the past two decades. If serious campaign and legislative reform is not forthcoming the future will be bleak indeed for all of us in the lower 99% of income. The top 1 percent? The future will continue to be so bright (at our expense) they gotta wear shades. Vote for the candidate who you believe has the guts to take on this corrupt system. Campaign and legislative reform will go a long way, by itself, to solve many of the problems that the candidates are promising to address; without these reforms there is no hope for meaningful change.

Lets remember the purposes of the financial benefit package in the first place: 1) To providue economic stimulus which will serve to ward off presumed recession or worse, 2) To place these funds in the most strategic hands to optimize the benefit package for the economic stimulus, 3) To provide some relief to those who need it most and who are best able to provide economic feedback to item 1) above, NOT to damage our delecate economy while we're providing help, and not to react to other local governments sucess/methods because inovation is a big part of this benefit, and 4) To get it into the hands of the consumer asap and to preserve any spontaety in the name of maximum benefit.

In general I'm against such govenmental influence over the spending funds while they may be looking out for the best interest of the child or in other way might be of tremendous benefit to the "unkown family" from future times uncertain. But one could not stiffle the current rampant delightfullizm - no matter with what product or service; because much of all that money has already found a home!

So bring on the happy recipients, give away the money indescriminately to allow all manner of protests and bully manuevers to now MINIMIZE the impact. It will already be disheartened if it comes at a time of joy; like a holiday, a birthday, etc.; because we want this benefit to be the SOURCE of joy for maximum political benefit.

Now we are all set up for the consumer to take the blame of failure, or the government to take the fame of sucess!

The idea that people who DO NOT PAY TAXES AT ALL should get "rebates" is ridiculous. Those who pay taxes should get rebates; no one else. As it is now, far too many Americans no longer pay income taxes at all. When we are in that situation, there is no incentive at all for the non-income-tax-paying Americans to support tax cuts... they no longer pay anything! Truly the world is now upside down!

Why are we calling money coming back to us a rebate when we all know that it was stolen from us to begin with over-taxation, AND, why are people receiving anything at all who do not or did not pay into the system?
If there are 20 million americans living on social security alone as quoted,then that means that there are 20 million elderly impoverished citizens who worked hard all their lives and were not able to save anything. That 600$ so-called rebate will probably be the only thing that is keeping them from freezing or starving to death this winter. Our government should be ashamed of themselves. They remind me of Marie Antonette, "Let them eat cake" while they take care of themselves. I am sure that their parents are not feeling any of this pain.

I do hope that the Senate adds us in. Pres Bush's prescription drug package last year cost me $888.00 (out of pocket) over what my so called prsecription drug plan will pay for. There are no Glaucoma Drug less than $180.00(90 day supply) over what PDP will pay for. also Bone meds same amount and Heart Med (Generic) and the only one my system will tolerate same thing. I can buy each of these med without insurance at COSTCO for $60.00,^$66.00 and $70.00 for 3 months. So I am paying $300 a year for Prescription Drug Insurance I cannot use. So if I got my med thru insurance would cost me $1620 out of pocket plus the $300 for the plan is almost $2000.00 plus health insurance and medicare($2104.80). Leaves me about $7000. yearly for rent ,clothes , food ,over the counter med I must take,gas and co pay for doctors. Now you do the math.
So any amount thay can give us will be use immediately

NO illegal immigrants should be eligible for refunds.
No illegal immigrants should be eligible for any Social Security benefits.
We must close our boarders, deport the criminals and address the remaining problem. We cannot continue to avoid this situation.
The Government wants to blame business for the problem while the Government does nothing. We cannot continue to allow these unfortunate people to enter this country and then tell them that they donot belong. By giving them benefits, we are telling them that we know that you are here and since we are doing nothing to send you back all is OK. This is wrong

MY MOTHER IS 81YR LIVE ON LOW INCOME. STILL IN GOOD HEALTH ,STILL SHE COULD USE THAT EXTRA MONEY TO HELP FOR FOOD, AND THING FOR THAT SHE NEEDS.PLEASE GIVE THE OLDER PERSON HELP TO.WE HAVE LOTS OF OLDER PERSON THAT WOKES ON THE SIDE TO MAKE IT .YOU DONT KNOW HOW IT IS TO LIVE ON A LOW INCOME . THE YOUNG CAN GET FOOD STAMPS . WE DONTS ,WE DON'T.WE ARE LEFT OUT AGAIN . I WELL REMERBER THAT WHEN I GO TO VOTE. THANKS.