Re: THE NUMBERS ARE RIGGED, PER WEINER

I am a Democrat and like Congressman Weiner, but he is wrong here. He and the retirees did not complain when the COLA in January was 5.8%. The COLA Formula has not changed. What has happened is that there has been a major decline in energy and housing prices etc. Other price pressures have moderated due to the recession. Must everything in this country be a conspiracy ???

Re: THE NUMBERS ARE RIGGED, PER WEINER

The problem with the COLA is that it is based on only 3 months of Data. It used a price index for onth the 3rd quarter of each year. IN 2008 that index averaged 215.+++ for the 3rd quarter. Social Security retirees recieved a 5.8% increase in 01/2009 based on that index. By December of 2008 the index had dropped to the 204 range, it has not changed much since then. If it had not been for the huge hikes in energy costs during the 3rd qtr of 2008 the cola would have been much less.
After all the !2/2008 index was only .6% more than the average for the 3rd qtr of 2007. That is 6/10th of 1%. So which would you prefer a 0.% COLA this year or the $4.00 a gallon GAS of last year.

Re: BTW ONE OF YOUR STATEMENTS IS BS

A COLA is still one of your benefits. The system is being applied as it was intended. In January, you still won't get a pay raise. So, instead of being thankful that you got raises each year you have been retired, you can be mad that you won't get one this year.

In other words, it seems to me the author was being an optimist and trying to make retirees feel better by taking a longer perspective. But, it's your choice; you can be a pessimist and be angry or bitter if it makes you feel better. Either way, your COLA in January will still be zero.

Re: COLA

Rejoice?? You bet!! War profiteers are now being sqeezed. Corporations are now tap dancing on healthcare. Shall I go on??

Re: COLA

ACORN gets the money? You sound like you're a bit nuts over ACORNs.

Re: COLA

Yeap, it's all going to ACORN! Did you know Sarah Palin is actually an undercover ACORN operative? It's true!! Her Facebook site is being financed by monies funneled through Pelosi's secret office buried deep below the Capitol building. Other funds are being used to move illegals from California to Alaska where they will be used to man clandestine off-shore oil rigs, all overseen by an overseas corporation chaired by Newt Gingrich and former "first-dude" Todd.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go make sure my tinfoil hat is still on straight.

Re: No COLA

Don't get me started about death panels.

Those Republicans in 2003 (republican House, Senate, Executive) passed the Medicare law that allowed Doctors to be reinbursed for discussing living wills with their patients and families.

Imagine. doctors discussing death.

these Republicans will stop at nothing to make sure the senior citizens of this country are put down.

I vote "No" on Republican death panels

Paid for by the Both Parties want to reimburse doctors for Doing the Right Thing with Patients and Families to Discuss Patient Preferences while the Patient is Still Aware and Functional, the BPWTRDFDTRTWPAFDDPWTPISAAF

(if you like me on line, you should hear me in person - maybe I'll have a $2500 a plate fund raiser to discuss these issues and maybe get me a mondo 100" plasma TV with the proceeds)

Re: Reemployed Retirees in Fed Service

We have done a couple of articles on this topic. One of them is at:
http://www.fedsmith.com/article/2001/rehire-geezer-feds-act.html

We also did an article on this earlier and it is at:
http://www.fedsmith.com/article/1999/bill-favoring-fed-retirees-opposed-by-unions.html

Re: COLA

The only reason I didn't vote for McCain (don't worry, I didn't vote for Obama either - same person, different cufflinks) is that McCain couldn't keep an airplane in one piece during his time in the service.

Anybody who has no respect for government property does not get my support.

didn't he smash up or crash several airplanes during his time. No wonder there is no money for COLAs. All this waste.

Perhaps the trillion dollars spent on unncessaty wars these past 8 years, or the trillions spent on defending Germany, Japan, etc. after the Soviet Union broke up also has something to do with it.

Re: COLA

How could Obama possibly be to blame for a calculation that has been in place since 1975?

Re: COLA

DFAS Accountant,

Obama is also to blame for Global Warming, the lack of decent new music, and the string of terrible Washington Redskin seasons. I'm pretty sure he also knows where Jimmy Hoffa is and that he drowned Jim Morrison in that bath tub in France.

Don't stand between these people and their "World View"....there's no up side in it for you.

Re: COLA

our friend from the FAA has demonstrated one of the biggest problems in our political system. He has used nonsensical reasoning and absurd conclusions in deciding his vote. This sort of thing is all too rapant and it drives politicians to fill their campaigns with 20 second inflamatory sound bytes instead of discussing real issues in depth.