Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Obama Slaps Disabled Americans in the Face Again!
In a stunning announcement late Monday evening, Nov. 30, 2009, the Obama administration said they were going to leave federal workers pay increases in place but drop the locality increases.
Back in August, Obama announced he would reduce pay increases for all federal workers from 2.4 percent to 2 percent.
Most disabled Americans and those on Social Security were shocked back in October when Obama squashed all Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). The COLA is usually a 1.9 to 2.6 percent raise in their social security checks that automatically happens every January.
January 2010 is gonna see a lot of disabled folk having to decide between buying food or paying their utility bills, or choosing between medical needs or putting gas in their car or paying for public transportation. I can personally tell you that the cost of utilities, non-covered medical suppliies, and especially food prices have on average increased 5 to 10 percent per year since 2001 and I have the records to prove it.
As a disabled american I can tell you that what we get in our social security checks barely covers our needs, the COLA's that we have received in the past 5 years have not even come close to covering the increases in real life cost of living. I and several disabled persons I know currently live at 10% below the monthly amount in dollars that is indicative of poverty. If the government says poverty is $1000 per month then we get $900 per month, so you can see how not getting our COLA is a very bad thing.
So while the federal workers will get an increase in their paycheck no matter how bad the economy is in 2010, disabled americans have to wonder and worry how they will pay all their bills and still have some quality of life left in a a life already measured short.
In light of how you've treated us disabled folk in your first 10 months of office, I'm almost breathless with anticipation for the Healthcare bill and having to face a death panel...
As always Mr. Obama, Keep the change.
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