Yes, I live in OR, too, PDX, and have since 1987. It was a really good place then, you could feel it was pointed in a good direction. Katz was competent and smart and had common sense. But since about 2010 or so it began to take itself too seriously. I have personal theories why this is and how it happened. I just drove my wife to town for jury duty. Driving there and back, parts of the city looked like a scene from "Escape From New York". So far as Trump, I did not vote for him. I just did not vote for pres, and I usually don't. No reason other than to tell myself, with a double underline, that ain't no one in charge is going to help me. I'll have to do it myself, as best I can, and really, that's the best way, anyhow. That way I'll know if it's done...or not. Here's a thought: Obama (whom I *did* vote for in 2008) made Trump possible. I'm not sure anyone has liked Trump, ever, in his miserable life, but he came on like a political version of Andrew Dice Clay, shouting all the stuff to the self-inflated leaders that we'd all like to say to their face. Plus Hillary was one of the most unlikable people on the planet. If you doubt this, think what it means to lose a popularity contest to Donald Trump. Nope. No one's gonna help us. The best we can hope for is to be left alone--and that won't happen because they need our money from taxes in order to offer social programs that buy votes for themselves, like student debt forgiveness. It was just a coincidence that it came before the midterms, huh?
I voted for Trump. I don’t like him as a person but this should never be about who we like and don’t. I actually don’t think he’s a bad person, just not my type. I was actually eager to see what a non-politician would do. He far exceeded my expectations. I don’t think he should run again because he generates too much pure hatred from the left. If he wins the nomination I will definitely vote for him but I do doubt that he could win again, too much hatred. I think he should continue working as an outsider, he did very well endorsing candidates, setting up alternative media venues for conservatives and just, in general, being a rabble rouser.
Here's what I REALLY don't like about Trump: once in office, his opponents baited him, and he went for all of it hook, line, and sinker. He made it much, much easier than it needed to be to get himself defeated. Now that's just dumb... ...and no, this does NOT mean I voted for Biden.
Not just opponents, he seriously misjudged what swamp critters are like. Coming from his type of background, I think he was used to being in charge, telling people what to do and letting them do it or getting rid of them if they didn’t. He needed to lose Twitter and he needed to be much more cynical about people close to him. Personally, I think that is one of the reasons he is so hated by the swamp. He was going to Schedule F a whole mess of them and make them pay for not performing.
https://fee.org/articles/social-sec...MI7qel15OpgwMVBQ-tBh2rqQdhEAAYASAAEgI9AvD_BwE It's been good to me for the last 23 yrs, I took it at 62 and here I am 85. My increase for next year, $51/mo, I will give one payment to a charity here in my town and use the rest for what I need to keep going. I've been hearing people say for years, "it won't be there for me". And now with his Big AI world, what does that do with SS?????? I didn;t make a lot of money but enough to get thru my life...And I didn't stress with saving and being too frugal, thrifty YES. I despise Waste.... I can still hear my mom say to me years ago "Save Your Money"....of course I didn't heed her advice...I did but later in my life. Comments...
I think the answer to your question is Yes, Joy. But probably not for the Boomers or at least most of them. For me, personally, it is not my main fixed income but I'm not sure that will matter. I think most pensions will likely meet the same fate. It is simply a matter of numbers, too few to fund the many.
I'm a retired Federal employee. I'm under the old Civil Service Retirement Program. Sometime during my tenure, they phased that out and switched to a SS and self funding retirement plan with a government match. Those of us under the old system had the option to switch. They set a hiring date that those hired after that date were under the new system. It wasn't a big deal and I believe if and when they phase out SS, it will be done the same way. They aren't going to just one day announce no more SS.
I expect they will start with the "means testing" B.S. so they can screw over people who saved and prepared for retirement. There are already hints that this is coming.
Not just that but for years they've reduced the amount of SS you used to be entitled to based on your other retirement income. Not sure if it's just other Federal retirement income they base that on, but I think so, maybe? I know Senator Cruz has been trying to get that overturned for years. I have both my Federal retirement and military retirement. I have Medicare A and B (I have to have B in order to get the military health insurance which is free) and my little bit of SS covers the Medicare Part B. What really tees me off is when younger people whine about how we Boomers have "stolen" all of THEIR money and they won't have any SS or Medicare. They whine about that on Fox comments a lot. Someone always points out that we earned what we get and they should try that. Usually shuts them up.
I don't have any kind of retirement at all, but I still get my SS, Medicare A/B, a Supplement and my VA Medical Benefits. As far as "whining" goes, I think each generation whines about the other. Younger folks complain/whine about almost everything Boomers do. There are cities where the younger generation wishes all Boomers, and older, would leave "their" city. They will say "it's our city today, not yours anymore".
Our benefit has not been adjusted based on our retirement income/investments. It's a set rate based solely on earnings, earning years, and age at distribution of benefit. And yeah... the nerve of us to just not go ahead and die so the millennials can get "their" money.