The immediate targets are the SS COLA and Medicare eligibility age, the former
more likely than the latter. Max Sawicky
-----------
I had to look up SS COLA, which means social security cost of living
adjustment. I just got a 1.7 percent raise, but then my rent is also tied to
the official cost of living and it went up 1.7 percent. Nice game. I barely
squeeked in at 65 plus nine months to qualify for `full' SS `benefits'. What
benefit? Most of it was my money.
The SS eligibility age is already stepped upwards by month based on date of
birth and the cost of living adjustment is quite marginal. The COLA was frozen
in 2010-11 but groceries, car insurance, and general retail prices were not.
The cost of living calculation is some bizarre fantasy arithmetic. But 1.7
percent is better than nothing for 55 million people.
Anyway what do either of these have to do with the US budget? Social Security
is not part of the budget so its adjustments up or down have nothing to do with
saving budget money. Medicare already collects premiums every month from the SS
checks. So upping the age of qualification only cuts the potential premium
payments. As far as I know the big costs in Medicare rise with ages over 70 as
the big disease killers get to work on the old body.
And the grand question what does a cut the federal budget have to do with the
free fall of the US economy?
As far as I can tell from consulting my non-numerical intuition the economy is
dancing on air like wile coyote as his mouth crinkles and his eyes look down
.... ahhhhhhh, splat!
CG
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