Aren’t politicians suppose to work in the best interest of their constituents ? The Senate has basically shut the federal government down.
Apparently there is some 2-3 million federal works that are expected to work and not being paid. Of course the 535 members of Congress continue to get paid while the government is “shut down”.
This Saturday, it is claimed that 42 million people who get food stamps – which is now on a EBT debit card -their EBT cards will not be “re-charged” with the $$ that is due the first of the month. 39% of those EBT $$ is for feeding KIDS. The House has already signed a bill that would provide $$$ to keep the government open for 60-90 days while the Senate works out their problems.
It is claimed it is all over some supplemental $$ for Obamacare premiums, and without it .. some families – 20 million people- will see a $1,200 to $1,800 increase in their annual premiums.
Just out of curiosity, I checked what our Medicare B & Supplement premiums have changed over the last 5 yrs and those premiums for the two of us has went up abt $4,600 over the last 5 yrs. That is affecting 63 million people on Medicare A&B. That is a 55% INCREASE in FIVE YEARS.
The increases in SS $$ over that same time frame is 23% that would be for the average couple would be $7,300. So the increase in Medicare Part B & supplement would have taken 63% of a couple’s SS overall increase. Remember overall COLA ( Cost of Living Adjustment) during the 2020-2024 was abt 20%.
A couple having a $500,000 retirement “nest egg” would have lost $100,000 buying power of the money in their retirement nest egg.
I saw one <D> Senator on TV saying that with the <R> have the White House, majority in the House & Senate, that depriving federal employees of their paychecks – and expecting them to work and depriving 42 million people (39% kids) going without the ability to purchase food/nutrition. Is the only lever that the <D> have to get the Senate to agree to spend a couple of TRILLION DOLLARS more than we have and would be added to our already 37 trillion national debt.
It is reported that the Senate – which needs a 60% vote in order to keep all of these benefits flowing – has voted THIRTEEN TIMES NO!.
All it would take is 8 <D> to vote to re-open the Federal government.
“The moral test of a government is how it treats those who are at the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadow of life, the sick and the needy, and the handicapped.” – Hubert Humphrey, VP, Pharmacist
Filed under: General Problems
All they’re voting on is a continuing resolution to keep the government open to give them more time to negotiate their differences. That’s it.
There are 2 issues to discuss once the continuing resolution is passed. One, is the increased cost of Obamacare as you stated which are trillions of dollars. Trump claims to have a proposed solution to present once negotiations are resumed.
The big sticking point with the Republicans is the Democrats want to add $1 Trillion in addiction to their Obamacare increase, to enhance Medicaid benefits to states to fund medical care for illegal migrants. Democrats claim that’s not true because it’s illegal for the federal government to pay the medical care of illegals. However, states like California have already been using a substantial amount of the Medi-Cal budget to pay emergency care out of federal funds transferred into the Medi-Cal program. Plys, Newsom signed a bill into law that will cover FULL medical benefits through Medi-Cal, subsidized by federal money.