Fixed Income, Broken System
By DW Davis
@DWDavis (25805)
United States
October 17, 2015 5:45am CST
I haven't read the "official" report on why the guvmint decided Social Security recipients should not get a Cost of Living Increase this year but all the buzz I've seen on social media, and from my own parents, is that the guvmint has decided the low price of gas should make up for the higher price of just about everything else Social Security recipients need to buy to get by, like groceries.
While the current low price of gas, which could start rising at any moment, is holding inflation down, most everything else has gone up in price because the greed heads are not passing the savings on fuel costs along to their consumers.
Do you think it is true that the guvmint used the single variable of low gas prices to decide not to give Social Security recipients COLAs or do you think there is a more dire reason the powers that be decided they wouldn't give these folks a few extra dollars a month to help pay their bills?
16 people like this
13 responses
@vandana7 (100638)
• India
17 Oct 15
Honestly earnings on myLot and many of these social media sites are not exactly something to write home about. Therefore, I am left to wonder how they are of any help to the Americans considering your cost of living. If these earnings matter then indeed outsourcing needs to stop as of yesterday.
4 people like this
@crossbones27 (49721)
• Mojave, California
18 Oct 15
I am amazed at why people are surprised by this. What other options do they give many people? No offence, but these sites are the only reason some people see money at all. Apparently they or society maybe both just do not work well together. The way society is going, might think it may be them. Just saying. They are are the ones who like to judge people. They are the ones that try to make people into something they are not. Yes, some of my comment is personal, but can conform. Many simply cannot and if they could..... would not blame them for not doing so. Food for thought. Think about it long and hard before you give me that I am a tough person approach and everyone needs to be that way. That is just not how some were born. Also simply not going to solve the problem. Like saying you can make a gay person straight.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100638)
• India
18 Oct 15
@crossbones27 ..actually, there are other sites like iwriter, fiverr, freelancer, and odesk on which people could earn but slightly more hardwork is needed. But it can't be as much as what people from other regions put in. You see, you all are already aware of many things, which are new to us. Therefore, we have to do more reference. Secondly you all already have vocabulary and grammar at your disposal. Therefore, earnings on sites like that offer better returns I thought.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161006)
• United States
17 Oct 15
It is an excuse to not give us a cost of living raise. I just started drawing this month, but hubby has for a while. Most years we do not get a COLA.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (69157)
• United States
17 Oct 15
Absolutely not. My 88-year-old aunt is on Social Security and she doesn't drive at all, so whether gas is $2.09 or $25.09 doesn't affect her in the least. The fact that milk went up 23%, cat food went up 36%, and bread went up 10% DOES affect her.
I'm one of the many who agrees that those multi-millionaires in Congress should try living on Social Security for a year...heck, for a month. Their tune would change.
3 people like this
@DWDavis (25805)
• United States
18 Oct 15
I'm not trying to be funny here, but I do hope the cat food is for your aunt's cat and not what she's eating. I only say that because I've heard stories of the elderly resorting to eating pet food because it was cheaper than people food.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (69157)
• United States
18 Oct 15
@DWDavis I understand. The cat food is for cats. If she were that destitute I would sell my house and move in with her to help her.
Thank you for your concern. 
@Tampa_girl7 (50579)
• United States
17 Oct 15
The lower gas prices is one of the reasons they mentioned on the news last night.
2 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
17 Oct 15
I agree with all the answers here and it is just another reason to be messed with
I would love for all those who vote on these non adjustments to SS would live off of 1,000 a month and then come back and tell us their vote.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
18 Oct 15
it's rare for the rich to let the less well offs benefit from their windfalls anywhere sadly
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
17 Oct 15
I honestly do not know the reason DW, but I am sure it is not the one they gave for sure.
2 people like this
@everloving (439)
• Chennai, India
18 Oct 15
Oll & gas price reduction has an effect on all the other things. The point am trying to make when there is a fall in prices of oil or gas, industries are the first benefitors. This in turn will help produce the products cheaper & finally the end customer will purchase the product at lower price than expected. Which mean with any little money you have got you spend on things you wanted to spend without feeling the crunch!
1 person likes this
@Ceerios (4698)
• Goodfellow, Texas
18 Oct 15
@DWDavis - The decision to raise, lower, or leave the SS rates the same is based on a formula for judging inflation on purchases and expenses, some of which elderly SS recipients do not have - college costs, babies, etc. There is talk now that this may be changed. Suggestion - don't hold your breath for that to happen. 
@Kchitij2007 (445)
• Pune, India
18 Oct 15
Well that and the fact that your govt is in a debt of $ 18 trill and just to give you a perspective of why that is worrisome- your gdp is around $ 17 trill. That's more than 100% debt to gdp ratio which is bad for a developed country. Countries should keep it under 60% but then again its USA playing the Big Brother. My best guess is they're trying to cover up their debt with that excuse, i know i wud've.
