- Tuning In
Last night I made the mistake of watching the news. I try not to do that very often because it throws me into a funk trying to figure out how I, personally, can make any difference in whatever dire event has just happened, is about to happen, or might eventually happen.
Right now it’s all about our national debt, raising the debt ceiling, or going into bankruptcy. I’m not in favor of raising the debt ceiling. But if “they” (and I use the term advisedly) don’t do that, social security is going to be cut off as of August 3rd. That seems to be a promise – or maybe it’s a threat. And pondering that oh-so-imminent-eventuality is causing me to examine my own debt ceiling. Not a pretty picture.
Like many retired Americans, I depend on my social security income. Although now I see that “they” are trying to put another spin on it. Presumably, most of us really have other income and just use our social security for travel and other frivolities. I wonder who “they’ve” been talking to.
For 39 years I worked hard and contributed to that far-off promise of living happily ever after. As it turns out, in today’s economy I can just squeak by. Travel isn’t really part of my plan. And, nineteen days from now, who knows how my plan, meager though it is, will need to change?
Which payments will I have to forgo? PUD? It’s a good time of year for that, I guess. At least the heating part. And I can go to a coffee bar to post my blog unless, of course, they require me to buy coffee. I can still cook – we have a propane cook-top on our stove. And I really don’t need electric lights – not for a couple of months, anyway. So, PUD…check!
And I can probably give up using my car. The transit is great and will take me everywhere I need to go. Maybe the driver will barter a few round trips for a dozen farm fresh eggs. So, car expenses…check!
Some of those pesky insurance payments could probably be put on hold. Especially the car insurance. I’m not so sure about the health insurance. Unless maybe my doctor might also consider bartering for eggs. And steamer clams. We have lots of steamer clams and I’ll probably be pretty sick of eating them by the end of the month. In fact, I have a feeling that all that shellfish will probably be the cause of my doctor visit. So, insurance payments…check!
I did hear on the news that by cutting social security and welfare payments and other services to the old and infirm, “they” could continue to pay the military and other “necessary” items of importance. It didn’t take me long at all to get the point. I’m expendable and so are all of the rest of us old folks. And god forbid we should leave our friends in Afganistan and Viet Nam and Germany and those 145 other countries without a U.S. military presence. Yes, 148 countries altogether! At least that’s what the Department of Defense said a few years back. It’s probably more by now. (Where is Burundi, anyway?)
I keep thinking that the news will HAVE to get better and yet it just continues to get worse. I had thought that by now we’d be retired, living in Ilwaco and traveling in a motorhome that I know we’ll never own now. Last night Dave and I watched the news of the draught in Texas and it seems they are having a dust bowl of sorts. I am sure that although their officials probably don’t believe in global warming they are going to, like children who don’t want their parents interferance in their lives, suddenly seek aid from the federal government that they normally consider too intrusive in their lives. News junkie though I am, perhaps I should stop watching.