On Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:15:54 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>On Oct 12, 8:03*am, "James Silverton" >
>wrote:
>> *Christopher *wrote *on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:43:00 -0700 (PDT):
>>
>> > On Oct 12, 6:58 am, walt tonne > wrote:
>> >> On Oct 12, 2:43 am, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
>> >> > wrote:
>>
>> > >> Funny - stuff like water rates still keep going up
>> > >> hereabouts.
>>
>> > >>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101011/...al_security_no...
>>
>> > >> Seniors prepared to cut back on everything from food to
>> > >> charitable donations to whiskey as word spread Monday that
>> > >> they will have to wait until at least 2012 to see their
>> > >> Social Security checks increase.
>>
>> There is an evident contradiction here. Why should cut-backs be needed
>> when Social Security is pegged to the CPI which has hardly changed. Does
>> the CPI not measure the cost of living and thus a need for increases?
>>
>> --
>>
>> James Silverton
>> Potomac, Maryland
>>
>> Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not
>
>Yes, you're right about when the COL on SS income kicks in; however,
>the CPI may not change overall, but certain items within it do - like
>medical costs, which rise for no reason whatsoever. Many expenses
>like medical expenses are ones that seniors cannot do without. Also,
>utilities continue to rise. OTOH, maybe clothing doesn't, or one's
>housing cost doesn't (and, in fact, interest rates are down). The CPI
>is an overall figure, not one that takes individual increases
>affecting seniors into account.


The most important fact to keep in mind is that SS was never intended
as a retirement pension... people are supposed to save on their own
for retirement... SS was always intended as a suppliment the same as
unemployment insureance is not pay in lieu of wages. And when SS was
instituted it was never with the guarantee it would exist forever...
nothing is forever. I would have much preferred having the option of
not being required to pay into SS and use that money witheld as I
determined... I know I would have been much further ahead. SS was
instituted because the vast majority are lamebrains when it comes to
taking personal responsibility.