Why Bother

Nobody else cares?

We began trying to write in this blog about nineteen months ago and this will be our one hundred and thirtieth posting. During that same period we have written about that many or more letters and e-mails to our congress persons and various news outlets which includes newspapers and television with very little results with either. Several times we have talked about quitting because it appears that, with one exception, nobody else cares. This posting will probably consist of dates, titles and brief discription of earlier postings.

May 15, 2010 - "What Is This World Coming To (Will History Repeat itself)" This posting concerns the destruction of the Twin Towers of The World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 by terrorist, later identified as Moslems (Islamic) and members of Al Qaeda and the bloody beginning of Islam about fourteen hundred years ago.

Nov. 24,2010 - "Wake Up America (And smell the Manure)" Was about how elected and unelected officials in Washington have spent all the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund money and are now desperately trying to divert our attention away from their little secrets. There is nothing left in those funds except IOUs.

Jan. 16, 2011 - "Wrong Tax Cut (It adds to the deficit.)" We tried to point out how the cutting of two percentage points off the FICA (payroll) taxes would only further weaken Social Security and Medicare. That means they reach the break even point much sooner and will have to redeem more of the IOUs sooner thereby adding to the National debt.

Jan. 30, 2011 - "The Golden Horn of Plenty (Now running dry)" This was our way of explainig how the money from the payroll taxes came into the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund but there was a hole in it leading directly to the United States Treasury where it was exchanged for those IOUs and the money (we believe illegally) was spent as part of the budget.

Mar. 3, 2011 - "The Budget (Where to Cut.) Is our feeble attempt to set down a guideline as to where to start trying to balance the budget with part of it being the changing of our tax codes so as to get rid of the IRS.

June 5, 2011 - "Misrepresentation Thru Misinformation (More of the same)" We used this column to try explaining the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds and how many people, politicians and newspeople, use misinformation to convince the general public that we, retirees, are at fault for our debt problems.

June 15,2011 - "Reforming Social Security (And especially Medicare)" We agree that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed in order for them to survive for future generations and the quicker, the better. Last December, during the debate on extending the Bush era tax cuts President Obama asked for, and got, a two percentage point cut in the FICA (payroll) tax. That will cause Social Security and Medicare to begin redeeming the IOUs in the Trust Fund much sooner in order to pay current benefits.

July 21,2011 - "The Saga Continues (As the Ditch returns)" This column started as a letter to one of our local newspapers shortly after the election in 2006 and was updated after the 2008 election by adding "and the debacle of 2008". It is a critical look at our political system.

During the first few days of this month (August) we have already sent out several e-mails to various newspapers and televisions newspeople but with little response. We can't understand why there was so much surprise expressed when the credit rating agency "Standard and Poor's" downgraded the United States Credit from AAA to AA+. The whole world was warned that it probably would happen if the President and Congress didn't reach a deal to cut our spending much more than they actually agreed on. The following e-mail touches on that subject;

Friday August 5, 2011,
"Neil,

For sure we need a Balanced Budget Amendment. Although Social Security and Medicare are not a part of the budget you, and most politicians, insist that it is. If Congress eventually passes a $2.5 trillion cut in spending over the next ten years, it will only cover the amount Treasury will have to borrow to redeem the IOUs in The Social Security/Medicare Trust Fund in order to pay retiree benefits. I believe that adds up to a fat zero as far as cutting the deficit goes. Thanks,"

This same e-mail was forwarded August 7,2011 to;

Gerri,

This e-mail was sent to Neil Cavuto before our credit rating was cut but he didn't seem to care. Maybe you can understand it better. Thanks,

Not having anything else to do we sent this e-mail, a few hours ago, to Gerri Willis on Fox Business News;

"Gerri,

A few minutes ago you were on Shepard Smith's program and proved that you are intelligent enough to understand why the budget wasn't cut enough to keep Standard and Poor's from downgrading our credit rating. With the reduction of the FICA (payroll) tax by two percentage points there is less money flowing into the Social Security/Medicare Trust Funds, with less money going in, Treasury will have to borrow more to redeem IOUs in the trust funds so as to pay current retiree benefits. The amount of borrowing to supplement those trust funds will be more than is scheduled to be cut from the budget this year leading to more deficit and higher National debt. Over the next ten years Treasury will have to borrow as much or more to buy back those IOUs than will be cut in other spending resulting in higher and higher National debt. In ten years our debt will be well over twenty trillion dollars. If you can prove me wrong, have at it but if not, admit it."

We are now waiting to see if there will be any response from any of the e-mails but not holding our breath. From here on our hill, thanks for your time and input. Stay tuned,- William