Ending Medicare

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has suggested that Social Security and Medicare be eliminated as federal entitlement programs, and that they should instead become programs approved by Congress on an annual basis as discretionary spending.

Those who work in the United States pay Social Security and Medicare taxes that go into federal trust funds. 

Upon retirement, based on a person’s lifetime earnings and other factors, a retiree is eligible to receive monthly Social Security payments. 

Similarly, Medicare is the federal health insurance program that kicks in for people 65 and older, or for others who have disabilities.

In an interview that aired Tuesday on “The Regular Joe Show” podcast, Johnson, who is seeking a third term in the Senate, lamented that the Social Security and Medicare programs automatically grant benefits to those who meet the qualifications — that is, to those who had been paying into the system over their working life.  READ MORE...

Stimulus Checks

My wife and I have not worked since the COVID Pandemic Lockdown that started in the first quarter of  2020 and extended into the first quarter of 2021 with the likelihood that the lockdown will continue in some fashion in some States well until the 4th quarter...  However, the lockdown and the fact that we have not worked does not bother either one of us because WE ARE RETIRED and receiving Social Security Benefits whether we work or not, along with income from a Trust Fund set up years ago.  Our financial security is guaranteed until the day we both die however long that is from today...  but, we both know that it is bound to happen.

This new COVID RELIEF package soon to be passed by the HOUSE, will not help us at all in that we do not need the money and plan to save the money for a later use since we have NO DEBT to pay off.  Actually, my wife and I have been debt free for over 15 years and have only been retired for 5 years.  The fact that we cannot really go anywhere does not bother us either because we have plenty of activities outside our house to keep us entertained.  We do go to doctor's appointment, the grocery store, and have gone out to eat about a dozen times since the lockdown as restaurants in TN are for the most part OPEN even though social distancing is still maintained inside.

What we were HOPING FOR more so than Stimulus Checks was a substantial increase in Social Security and now that the Democrats are in power and like to spend money, perhaps that will happen sooner or later.  The other concept that we were HOPING FOR was to have MEDICARE cover more services than it currently is covering.  Our supplemental health insurance covers what Medicare does not, still there are more out-of-pocket expenses than we anticipated...  and it would be nice if the Democrats did something about that.

Minimum Wage does not do a thing for us, especially since we are not working and especially since we have worked all our career in a State that pays low wages anyway which has resulted in us being very careful how we spend our money.

However, increasing prices would bother us...  and, it would appear that the Biden Administration is putting scenarios into play that will increase prices rather than maintain stable prices as we have seen for the last several years.  Increasing prices contradicts the minimum wage increase and will actually put those workers in a financially worse situation than before even though they are earning more money.

Gasoline Prices have been increasing in our area and there are increases in prices at the grocery stores as well as at restaurants because they have to spend more money on cleaning tables.  Although, it will not slow down the people in this State who like to go out and eat.

Where Do Our Taxes Go?

Information provided by USA TODAY...

Biggest tax spenders

Total spending by the federal government in 2018 was $4.22 trillion. But some programs actually raised money, such as leases for the Outer Continental Shelf, which lowered the total 2018 outlay to $4.11 trillion.

The majority of tax dollars helps to fund defense, Social Security, Medicare, health programs and social safety net programs such as food stamps and disability payments, along with paying off interest on the national debt.

Here’s how it breaks down.

1. Social Security: $987.8 billion or 23.4% of total federal spending
2. National defense: $631.2 billion or 15% of total spending
3. Medicare: $588.7 billion or 14% of total spending
4. Health: $551.2 billion or 13.1% of total spending
5. Social safety net programs: $495.3 billion or 11.8% of total spending
6. Interest on debt: $325 billion or 7.7% of total spending

* * * * * * * * * * 

What really surprised me was that Social Security represented more of our Federal Budget than what we spend on our NATIONAL DEFENSE...

AND...  if you look closely at all the programs that are actually forms of SOCIALISM, you will easily see that 62% of our tax dollars goes in that direction.  Only 15% is spent on our protection and less than 8% is spend on our NATIONAL DEBT which is increasing because of all the social welfare type programs.

NOW...  when I think about it, I am very pleased that our tax dollars are spent this way because I am living off of Social Security and Medicare pays all my healthcare bills along with my supplement...

I personally spend about $600 each month on medical expenses or about $7,200 each year and because of me having two cancers, my medical bills are approximately $500,000 each year which as you can imagine is a very good deal.

AND...  when Biden and Harris finally take over the reigns of government, I feel confident that my Social Security will increase along with my Medicare Benefits putting me into a much better financial situation.

AND...   as long as we keep what the government pays on our NATIONAL DEBT, it will be FUTURE GENERATIONS that will be responsible for paying it off...  which pleases me and it should please you.

Another Morning in East TN

When I was a boy growing up in Alexandria, VA, Labor Day Weekend marked the end of summer because as soon as the weekend was over, we returned to public education and while the weekend was always enjoyable, the threat of going back to school was hanging over everyone's head even though most of the kids my age never gave that reality much thought until it actually happened.  Today, in most States, public education returns in the middle of August and because of the Corona Virus, those schools that do have students in their classrooms will be totally different than when I was a boy.

STINK BUGS ARE LIKE POLITICIANS

It is easy to remember things like this because being retired and having few hobbies or friends that I see regularly, I have nothing much else to do but remember.

However, for some of us here in East TN, the end of summer does not just mark the return of public education and a gradual decline of the heat, but the return of STINK BUGS.

According to TN State University, brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a invasive pest of fruits, nuts, vegetables and ornamentals. The bug was first detected in Allentown, PA in 1998 and has since spread across the United States. The bug was found in Tennessee during 2008 and has since become an agricultural and nuisance pest in parts of the state.  Seasonal cues trigger stink bugs' search for winter quarters; the shortening days and falling temperatures sending them scuttling for cover. If they sheltered beneath tree bark or mulch, it would be one thing. But they prefer sharing your home over winter, piling into cracks and crevices by the thousands.

What got me to thinking about stink bugs was finding one in the kitchen sink on my way out to the back porch to sit, drink coffee, and write.

And...  while I like watching FOX NEWS as opposed to the biased news of ABC, MSNBC, CBS, and CNN, I got tired of them repeating over and over and over again how misleading mainstream media is, how screwed up the Democrats are, and how the 2020 election could have negative consequences for the US as a whole.

After 72 years of life and 45 years of working in a career, I have witnessed very little change in this country and very little meaningful action by either house of Congress.

• So what, if America goes Socialistic...  America already has Socialism
• So what, if America's wealthy gets higher and higher taxes...  that will never apply to me
• So what, if Democrats increase Medicare/Social Security...  that will simply benefit me
• So what, if the Stock Market goes down and down...  I have enough money in savings

I will be dead or dying if and when CAPITALISM starts to die out

I will be dead or dying if and when CHINA takes over America

I will be dead or dying if and when RUSSIA becomes a global leader economically

One of the criticisms of JOE BIDEN is that he has been an elected official for 47 years and has done nothing to change:

1. the wealth gap
2. gender equality
3. racism
4. education
5. illegal drugs
6. immigration
7. crime

HELL FIRE PEOPLE...  this is not just JOE BIDEN but ALL DEMOCRATS and ALL REPUBLICANS...  the only difference now is that the mainstream media instead of being fair and balanced are BIASED FOR  THE DEMOCRATS...