How Much Annual Income Do Retirees Have?

Obama is worse than Bush

I can't say how history will remember George W. and the war on terror and Iraq. He did spend a lot of money on all that. But Obama is either crazy or just doesn't know what he is doing. He is out spending Bush and all the other presidents combined and is only 6 months into his first and only term as president. Make no mistake, he has ignored the wiser, cooler heads that advise him and gone crazy with spending our great grandchildren into unbelivable debt. He has made major auto companies into government run companies, his words closed private businesses by just saying they have to get out of the car selling business... these are privately owned businesses, not government owned, they were open and making money, employing thousands of people in decent jobs around the country, and boom, overnight at Obama's word they were forced to close thier doors. Find anywhere in the constitution where it says the government can take over a company and close its doors when it is not doing anything illegal. He wants to do the same to other business. His health care bill may be based on a need to improve some things, but not to destroy the best medical system in the world and turn it into just another socialized medical system that does not work well in any other country. Did you know that the government did a test trial of this in the state of Hawaii and it failed so badly that the state stopped it due to everyone complaining about how bad it was, and it was stopped and went back to the normal medical system we know is the best just 7 months into the trial. This plan could have some good ideas if Obama was open to other people's ideas, but he and his little group of advisors think they know it all and what's worse they think they know better than you what you want and need for you and your family. We may have been in the frying pan with Bush, but we are quickly falling into the fire with Obama. And frankly I'm tired of hearing Obama blame everything he doesn't know how to fix on George Bush. Yeah, Bush made some mistakes, but we still had America and independance when he left office, me and a lot of other people are just catching on that Obama doesn't like America or a free democracy and wants to change it to France, England, Saudia Arabia or some combination of someplace where there is socialism and a king... and I think we know who he will nominate to be king. I hope I am wrong, but it sure looks like he is on that road and a lot of blind, ignorant people are just following him down the road licking their chops hoping he will throw them a crumb.

Daniel O of IN @ Jul 29, 2009 23:59:05 PM

Retirement

I retired 5 yrs.ago because of med.problems,at the time I was a laborer for one of the largest manufacters in the U.S.makeing $14.00 per hr.here in the south when the 401k started we were the last to know.I had'nt saved much before things whent bad with that and the economy.I'm in the percent that was'nt blessed to own their own com.or earn a decent wage or pay for health care.When I left health care left and them guys getting $15,ooo per month something aint right

John Gray of AL @ Jul 21, 2009 08:36:47 AM

I am a Democrat...

...but conservative as to budget matters.

Agree with the first commenter that this war has done such damage -- in terms of both our country's treasury and our reputation abroad.

Don't think Obama will be able to do all he would like but I'm so grateful he gets to try.

It is sad there is such divisiveness now in this country. Please give him a chance.

HarryLou of VA @ Jul 19, 2009 13:55:26 PM

Obama getting us out of the Bush mess

Obama and the current administration wouldn't have to spend money to jumpstart the economy if the Republicans hadn't bankrupted the country with the Iraq war and the loose banking regulations. Bush totally wrecked the US the past 8 years, and we wouldn't be in this mess if he hadn't been such a total idiot. Everything in this country's infrastructure is old or broken - roads, bridges, electrical grid, energy, education, healthcare, you name it - they ignored it. And who pays: we do. Obama has fires on so many fronts it is just ridiculous. And that doesn't even begin to touch the international issues. He's doing a good job so far of addressing all the issues this country has to face. It's not an easy job, but there isn't anyone else I would want tackling it right now.

AT of MN @ Jul 17, 2009 13:43:53 PM

Not enough to live on !!!

My family NEVER spent more then we earned..always saved and in the mid eighty's we were very comfortable and had half of what we figured we would need invested in order to retire in another ten years. Well,two recessions later plus many other financial disasters along the way and guess what...I worked until 70 and my husband until 79 and we are now in Brazil, Mexico etc. looking for a place to make our dollars stretch. The cost of everything in the States except for housing is up and the dollar is shrinking fast. If either one of us lives into our 90's we will be in big trouble!!! I never thought I would give a hoot about the little bit that would come in from SS, but as angry as I am about how little it is and how the gov. has ripped us off...I am glad its there to help bridge the gap!! We should all sue the Government that has done so much better for themselves....I just read that every bloody person that has ever served in the Senate gets $15,000 a month to retire on !!! Blows me away!!

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Suzanne @ Jul 17, 2009 00:33:35 AM

hows that change and hope doing for you now?

you are correct sir, if the government wasn,t in hock for billions of dollars in medicare and iou's for SS our country would be better off, but the government spent the SS dollars and caused medical cost to skyrocket by getting in the medical business, free enterprise would work if left alone, as for a smaller government, look what barak is doing, most of what he and his cazr,s are doing are doing probly is unconstitutional.

we are now over 1 trillion dollars in debt, larger than all the past presidents in history.

will wells of TX @ Jul 14, 2009 16:14:57 PM

$ Down

My guess is that some of those numbers are down due to losses in various markets. ie. stock,401k,housing.etc.

Maby SS as a safety net isn't such a bad idea. Lesson learned from 1929!

Richard of MA @ Jul 14, 2009 07:57:19 AM

liberal idiots

Imagine if mom and dad had been able to save their social security taxes instead of having them taken by the government. they would have been much better off (you statist moron)

tom of PA @ Jul 13, 2009 21:53:55 PM