The politicians can bail out banks, big business, and make sure that their campaign contributors are all taken care of. They can provide 3 billion dollars for the Cash for Clunkers Program and help bail out the automakers. They can send out checks to American families through the form of tax rebates. They can debate the irresponsibility of a second stimulus package. However, they are failing miserably by not taking care of our senior citizens who depend on Social Security benefit checks.

According to Social Security, seniors will not get a cost of living allowance increase for this year and likely not for the following year. Annual cost of living increases started in 1975 and for the past 33 years, Social Security recipients have always received a benefit increase. This will be the first year since the program started that the benefit increase will not happen.

To add insult to injury, the premium for the Medicare prescription drug program will increase. By law, Social Security benefits are never supposed to decrease. Since those prescription drug premiums come out of Social Security payments, we will see a decrease, which the law never intended to happen.

Is it ironic that the new healthcare proposals seem to devalue life during the later stages of life and Congress sits still as our seniors struggle with Social Security? They can print money for all of their earmarks and irresponsibility that makes up the stimulus package. However, they cannot do the right thing and take care of our seniors. Just more of the same out of Washington.

Tags: automakers, Bob Brooks, cash for clunkers, Congress, Deceptive Money, healthcare, Medicare, politicians, Prudent Money, Social Security, Stimulus package, tax rebates