STRUGGLING SENIORS DON'T COUNT

The following news item proves that struggling seniors don't count in this current Republican congressional makeup of obstructionism. The Republicans are more interested in helping their rich friends so they can get huge campaign contributions in order to buy more elections. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer with Republican ideals. It's time they faced reality and lived in our world, instead of the world of the rich and luxuries. Three cheers for our Senator Sherrod Brown who UNDERSTANDS!

"Legislation that would provide a one-time payment of $250 to nearly 1.5 million Ohio seniors and nearly 4,000 Fayette County seniors was voted down Wednesday due to "concern about the deficit."

The legislation, the Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act of 2010 - co-sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - would have provided a one-time, $250 check to senior citizens to offset the rising costs of prescription drugs and other necessities. In October, the Social Security Administration announced that there would be no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for Social Security recipients for the coming year.

The bill failed Wednesday in both the House and the Senate.

"While many seniors are hurting, so too are American working families. Increasing our nation's crushing deficit is on the backs of our children by an additional $14 billion is wrong," said Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas).

The measure would have cost approximately $13 billion.

Sen. Brown, who held a teleconference earlier in the day attended by the Record-Herald about the legislation, took to the Senate floor after the vote and ripped Republicans for their vote.

"With today's vote, Senate Republicans have sent a clear message to Americans," he said. "They want to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires that already have plenty in their pockets, but they can't be bothered to help senior citizens afford prescription drugs or pay their home heating bills. Given that times continue to be so difficult for many middle-class American families, it seems like Republicans are living in some alternate universe where people aren't having trouble making ends meet or finding it hard to put food on the table every night."

Earlier Wednesday, Brown released a county-by-county analysis showing the number of senior citizens that would have benefited from the $250 payment. The release said that 3,940 Fayette Countians would have received relief."

I hope they defeat this current compromise on the tax bill. The rich should NOT get any more favors or gifts. They don't create jobs or we would not have the unemployment rates we do now. They invest in jewels, furs, real estate, and other luxuries, NOT our jobs. The rich have enough, it's time for the poor and middle class to be recognized. It's time for them to pay their debt for all their fancy living. The middle class people are the ones who spend regularly to feed their families, clothe their children, and buy necessities which keep the manufacturers of these goods in business. Reality is what it is and Congress is NOT seeing it. They are too greedy and power hungry.