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Which candidate will help the low income disabled & low income seniors get out of poverty? If someone could figure a way to help disabled, low income seniors & low income people who can't be trained (there are some people who can't be trained) . I think we could reduce drastically Medicaid & food stamp and possible reduce the deficit in the long run. I talked to people that are low income & disabled, they don't want to be in poverty. From watching the Vice President debate. The way I understood him, he said he would eliminate poverty (I don‘t necessarily believe that) by giving everyone decent paying jobs. What I think should happen, The minimum amount for SSI, SSD, SS retirement, Railroad & Veteran benefits be equal to a full time minimum wage job (40 hours). Each state should chip in funding. We are the United States. From my understand Romney wants to cut SSI, which I think is terrible and is impossible. After doing research on Social Security. Congress really has no say except for the increasing benefits, increasing retirement age & increasing funding. They can suggest other changes but it is still up to the Social Security board. There is no oversight for Social Security. They don’t answer to no one but themselves. They are independent agency like the post office.
These decent paying jobs...who would they be created by? And just what kind of work can "someone that can be trained" actually do? What value are they adding to create sufficient wealth to pay their wages?
Some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your benefits.
No one pays federal income tax on more than 85 percent of his or her Social Security benefits based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. If you:
file a federal tax return as an "individual" and your combined income* is
between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits.
more than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
file a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income* that is
between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits
more than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
are married and file a separate tax return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.
Reportedly the average for SS income is about $14,700 a year. Assuming it's the person's only income, it is not taxed.
$8.25 is minimum wage in my state. Assuming a 40 hour week X 52 weeks, gross income is $17,160 taxable.
Both incomes are above poverty level for a family of one although they qualify as low income and likely eligible for Section 8 and Snap food benefits.
I cannot imagine it is possible to lift people out of poverty during the last 15-20 years of their lives no different than those who are permanently disabled, regardless of age.
When Social Security was first created, the average life expectancy was 59. It was intended as an end of life suppliment. Applying the original logic, SS would kick in at about age 85, based on current life expectancy.
You statements about live expectancy and the expectations of benefits payments to retirees is just plain wrong. In 1935 a newborn's life expectancy becuz if high infant mortality. Someone 65, first receiving benefits in 1935, had about 78 year or more life expectancy. Life Expectancy for Social Security
I was basing it on the Federal minimum wage of $7.25. Also, there is a difference between SS & SSI. Remember seniors usually have to pay a Medicare premiums, supplemental coverage as well. Not every senior gets $14,700 a year. Some only get $8,868 or less from SS. On the Food Stamp, that depends on how high your rent is & your allowed deduction & every state varies. I have done a lot of research on this for a family member that has no internet access. I do help him.
Taiwan has the lowest poverty rate in the world according to a website. Food & supplies(paper, paper towels, etc) need to cost less.
I personally believe we should help people that need it. I think a country should take care of it's own citizens.
Some of these replies are ludicrous. You do not know what it is like to be disabled and 'exist' on SSD, when your brain still works, you possess Master's degrees plus, and you want to work.
In 2007, at 46, I was diagnosed with Stage III Cancer. I had just ended my marriage, the ex wrecked out credit out of spite, and I had temporary alimony that was half of my monthly expenses. NYS gawe me a 'choice' -- get treatment under a special Medicaid program, but I could not earn a penny, to stay income eligible. Or be dead in two years.
You can't fake Stage III cancer. I fought for Disability for more than two years, depleting my assets, 401's, selling anything of worth. I had no help. Not all of us are blessed with families that will help and I was in an unfamiliar area and not a ten generation local. Then, I lost my apartment. Had to re-home my two beautiful cats, a first, that broke my heart. I managed to foster out my older, sickly dog, sometimes 3 hours away. There went my support system.
My stuff went into storage and I went to mom's--and she did NOT want me there. I paid my share, fed myself, etc. just didn't pay rent. I put a law firm on retainer. Alimony ended. Four embarrassing months on welfare. Then, he lawyers got it through--for a fee of $5,300. SS also lopped off an extra month, so I lost almost $7,000 just to get a benefit from a system that i paid into for 30 years. Two hour commutes, graduate school at night, business trips, shopping, cooking and cleaning.
Cleared to return to work in 2010, P/T, with limitations. No jobs. I was too highly educated and had good paying positions in the past. Wal-Mart rejected me as a holiday Greeter. So, I went back to grad school. Just spent 4 years going P/T year round at times, on a quarter system at times, and all on-line. Would of been finished this spring.
But, cancer came back and spread to bones, other nodes, etc. I was 53. An inoperable tumor is sitting on a major nere and artery in my neck causing more problems. If the system didn't dicker around for 5 months, it could of been excised. It took so long, it tripled in size. Gee thanks.
Next week I will begin the process of getting a power motorized scooter--for the THIRD time. I need this for mobility, partly due to pre-existing conditions.
My Master's in Public Administration collects dust, I'm always trying to get help and slip through the cracks. Four years of more grad school in 4 different majors. Only to be slammed down again.
Not doing treatment again. Just want to enjoy my time left. Been trying to get pain management for years, and now Palliatie Care. It's not easy.
There is next to no affordable housing, or transition homes. Cable? What's that? Smartphone? Dinner out? Replace the car totaled by a DUI two years ago? No, no, no!
We do not get all out meds filled or go see the docs as often as we should. We want to work. We hate how our life has been stripped down to nothing. I'd rather die than to go on like this for 30+ more years. I did nothing to bring on cancer. I was a highly productie member of society.
Thanks Congress, for helping yourself to all that I worked for with your 'help.'
We have to realize, it isn't the governments place to totally take care of everyone. There will always be those who live in poverty. We are lucky in America: for those who do not think so, visit other countries and I am not just talking 3rd world countries. There are some countries where the government does take care of the less fortunate better than America, but they are also taxed up the you know what.
When are people going to realize many living in poverty are living there because they did nothing to help themselves. Even seniors, between food stamps, medicare, medicaid, section 8, food banks and other programs they do not have to live on the street.
No candidate can promise to take care of everyone and if he/she does, don't vote for that person, they are liars.
Most of those positng here are not old enough to remember the days when charity was sponsored by organizations and churches, or families took care of their own. How many have heard: Charity begins at home?
Since we are always being reminded of the all knowing, all omnipotent "BLUE WALL", and how the elderly ONLY vote GOP, I doubt you will see any mitigation of this situation.
I hope everyone realizes the original question was asked in 2012. They were asking whether to vote for Romney or Obama.
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