In an age when Wall Street executives get princely bonuses even after getting bailed out by the government, I would be a miserly sort of fellow to begrudge senior citizens on Social Security a $250 payment next year, courtesy of President Obama, just before the congressional elections. See this morning's story, "$250 to Seniors Gaining."
Well, count me a miser. I am not in favor of bribing seniors for political gain. Because hell hath no fury like a senior scorned - a situation previously restricted to a woman scorned - it is time to stipulate that I become eligible to SS benefits myself come January (not that I plan to take them, with luck I will continue to work here for a number of years to the vexation of my critics).
This payment is in lieu of the cost-of-living adjustments usually made. That would be terrible if inflation had eaten their benefits, but currently it is negative.
So stop coddling seniors already. There's no inflation, so there's no need for the payment. Give the money to families with children hit hard by unemployment, if economic stimulus is further need. Stimulated seniors are not what we need. As it is, many of them have become so spoiled by constant political fawning that they have forgotten their manners, as I know well from reading my mail.
That is another thing. If Obama thinks he will get seniors to like him by giving them $250 before next year's congressional elections, he is dreaming. They are the ones most inclined to dislike him. They are the ones who say they like their health care and to heck with everybody else. (There are some honorable exceptions, of course.)
If they showed as a group just a smidgen of interest in other's people's problems, I would be much more inclined to reward them with the $250.
But to amend what the bar girls used to say in old Saigon - "No money, no honey" - I say, "No honey, no money."
PS: Just kidding. I love seniors. (But I am still against giving them $250).
Have a happy weekend, everybody.
Posted
Oct 16 2009, 05:59 PM
by
Reg Henry