This is a letter for the Letter to the Editor section of the Times-Union. I appreciate being able to express myself and enjoy what your paper has in it. It keeps me up to date on local and world news and informed about businesses in this area. I especially like to see positive items on the front page of the paper.This letter is directed to President Obama and all the senators and representatives now, or who will serve us and our country.
I was pretty good at math in school, but I want you people to explain to me how there can be no cost of living increase for people like me on disability and Social Security, but you voted one another a raise. Does it not make sense to give the people with the lowest incomes an increase? I know you are saying there is a law that prevents you from doing this, but that is plain stupid!
Most of those living where I do are below the poverty level. We voted for you people thinking you would help us. Do you have to make a choice between buying food or getting the medicine that helps you feel better? Or is there no budget left after paying the bills for food so you depend on food pantries and/or family and friends. You people making more money in one year than people here would see in 10 years. Do you realize how you are forcing people already below the poverty level to live in deeper poverty? It is degrading when we have worked hard. I would like to see your people have the same incomes as us.
My generation, the Baby Boomers, and those a littler older than me, brought this country through the good and bad times when we were able to work. We looked forward to retiring and being able to travel, eating steak, having new clothes and a car, and living comfortably. I would venture to say if very many of us had steak in the last year, it would be because someone else bought it. It simply is not in our budgets.
I do not mind pulling my own weight, but something does not add up. I love this country and am not complaining. I just cannot make sense out of your computations.
I would appreciate it if you would enlighten me so I can tell my friends here why they are not entitled to an increase to try to keep up with the higher expenses hitting us.
