1115.org

I think all this talk of a stimulus package “that would help stimulate the economy by spurring consumer demand and creating new jobs” tends to obscure the fact that we are also talking about a big government handout. And it is, unfortunately, a selective handout. Which doesn’t sound very equitable to me.

As The Washington Post’s Jonathan Weisman and William Branigin delicately put it, the stimulus package will send payments only “to poor and middle-class workers”. Poor rich workers! Why shouldn’t they get their fair share of Uncle Sam’s $145 billion largess?

Why, for that matter, should low-income retirees be excluded?

Under the compromise, retirees whose income from retirement plans and Social Security is not enough to qualify them for income taxes would receive nothing.

Why did that brave and far-sighted leader, Nancy Pelosi, agree to this?

In the spirit of frank and full disclosure: as anyone who has peeked at my 1115 bio is aware, I no longer draw a paycheck. I now freely admit that my income from retirement plans and Social Security is not enough to qualify for income tax. I would, however, dearly love to get my hands on some of this money. And, hey, I’ve paid my dues during my long and prosperous working career. Why withhold from me the satisfaction of performing mouth-to-mouth on the economy?

Or putting it in terms that even Pelosi should have no trouble understanding: Am I not poor? If you cut me, do I not bleed?

Pelosi thinks that when it comes to those drawing paychecks, poor workers should get this handout, and rich workers shouldn’t. And when it comes to retirees, somehow it flips around? Rich, tax-paying retirees should get this handout, and poor, tax-paying retirees shouldn’t?

But the Senate has yet to do its dirty work on the stimulus package. Maybe someone in the Senate cares about retirees? Especially as the Florida primary looms?

Here’s what one prominent senator who has reason to care about the Florida primary has said about this stimulus package so far:

“I am heartened to hear that they are planning to extend assistance to the tens of millions of working Americans who need it the most,” said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). “But I also want to target the needs of working families that are really facing tough choices. We need relief from skyrocketing energy bills. We need expanded unemployment insurance for those who are struggling to find a job.”

I’m sure she would be, like, totally disheartened to learn that they are not planning to extend assistance to “almost half of our nation’s 65-plus population”. I’m sure she would want to target the needs of retirees that are really facing tough choices (including who to vote for in Florida on Tuesday, January 29). It’s just a matter of catching her attention. You can always count on our Hillary to say what must be said once you catch her attention. Maybe even do what must be done?

And people are, of course, trying to catch her attention:

“The people who need a stimulus check the most will spend it the fastest. Why, then, is the Administration abandoning millions of seniors in an economic stimulus package? Senior households currently spend 92% of their income each year. Many retirees live check to check and would immediately spend any rebate they receive. This should be the first step in any plan to pump billions of dollars into the economy as quickly as possible.” Barbara B. Kennelly, NCPSSM President/CEO and Social Security Advisory Board Member (NCPSSM is the National Committee To Preserve Social Security and Medicare)

Older Americans living on a fixed income feel the pressure of high prices and the slowing economy as acutely as anyone, yet Washington is considering an economic stimulus package which abandons the poorest retirees. These seniors are in the direst need and most likely to spend any additional income on necessary resources such as medicine, utilities, food and clothing. However, the preliminary stimulus plan announced today ignores retired Americans who live almost entirely on their Social Security income, which averages at $1000 per month.

“We were told economic stimulus must be timely. The Social Security Administration could get seniors a stimulus check in 6 weeks — a faster implementation than the IRS would be able to deliver.” Barbara Kennelly

This package, as currently proposed, ignores the needs of almost half of our nation’s 65-plus population. Retirees were left on the sidelines of economic recovery efforts in 2001 and 2003. National Committee members and supporters are now working to ensure they aren’t ignored again as the proposed stimulus package moves to the Senate for consideration.