I just retired at 59 because my last "career" was in residential construction, which is non-existent right now. I was more conservative (although a Democrat) than most that I know... investments were in bonds, pension was firm from previous career. I'll be fine as long as SS and Medicare still kick in at 62 and 65.

But the "most others that I know"? They were trying to prep for retirement at the last minute, were heavily in debt, heavily mortgaged, and invested in stocks aimed at large returns. Those that still have a job will now work forever (their words) and those that don't are seriously hurting... they're aimed at losing it all.

So Peter... agreed.

Most were not protected, though.

If this was just an economic downturn... a cycle... it would be different. But given that it was a specific action of greed involving Wall Street, the banks, AIG, and our lax regulators? People are pi$$ed. And I don't blame them.

It is just an economic downturn LMarc, and it will pass....sooner if we can get rid of this antibusiness president next year. And, please don't try to blame it all on the usual scapegoats. The biggest culprits were people who saved/invested nothing, and spent more than they could afford, especially on houses they didn't need. Oh yeah, signing mortgages they hadn't read didn't help either.

Spider: I hope all your money will last you for your retirement. Lots of people without money saved a great deal, invested in their retirement fund, counted on the pension they paid into, bought a reasonable priced home and are now looking at the losing end! The antibusiness people are the ones you are cheering and because of them, no matter how well you think you are today, it may be gone tomorrow. This is a critical election: Question: Do you want to have something for the future? Or do you choose to keep the policies that at holding us at zero? Thank your representative for zero even though they shout about their jobs bills which are not anywhere close to a jobs bill. If they are a jobs bills, then I have written some myself and here it is "jobs bill".

Never mind Spider. His job is being a paid troll for the Reichwing tea party. Right now, he's working overtime, so life is good. That will change in Nov 2012 when the obstructionists get their a$$es handed to them and booted out the door. He'll have to find an honest job and then will know what a good many people already do. Jobs that pay a decent living are hard to find. Oh well, he can always cut my grass.

Portfolios, savings and pensions mean nothing if the rabidity of hate towards the banks continues. When the banks collapse, we're done. No one uses their own capital to do business with, they borrow and pay it back on short term loans. Tear down the banks and the paper empire of the illusion of security will follow.

I truly think we are on the edge of a global population collapse.

Better learn how to live as a hunter/gatherer and understand animal husbandry and plant propagation as our ancestors did just a few short generations ago or enjoy starving to death in the cold.

Spider Troll. Spider Troll. Does whatever a Spider Troll does.

Finds a way, everyday, to blame it all on Obamaaaaaaaaaa.

Look out, here comes the Spider Troll.

Spider whatever, in case you haven't noticed, many people are barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. They didn't'/don't have the ability to save. They don't have a job that provides a pension. And, they don't have a home because they could never afford one. So sure, there are some who bought a home who shouldn't have but not every's life fits into that category.

Regardless of your portfolio, where can you invest nowadays? Interest rates are zilch. I was talking to an 80-year-old woman who said she and her husband have nowhere to invest their money. Why? Because they will currently earn about 1% return on their investments.

Wait a minute. I thought that the recession was most difficult for minorities. C'mon media, decide on a victim class and stick with it.

I retired before Cluelessama was elected. I was hoping that even though HE was incompetent he would hire top notch advisers. Instead, he hired his tax cheat buddies- he has 41 in his administration. He promised no lobbyists in his administration- he has 40. Nojobsbama's pick for jobs czar, GE's Jeff Immelt, shut down a Virginia plant last year and moved it to China, this year he moved the X-ray division headquarters from Wisconsin to Bejing, and through creative accounting had GE pay no corporate taxes. He raised the debt by $4 trillion in only 3 years and continues to run up debt at $150 million/hour. He raised the number of unemployed to 14 million- 9.1%. Even though social security will run out of money if it isn't fixed, he reduces the amount going in. I guess this is the "Change we can believe in".

Hard work doesn't pay anymore when the balance has tipped the other way.. In most cases you can be American without; so who cares about freedom..

I'll bet spider his entire nest egg that he was one of those saying in 2005 that the housing market was stable - ran into his kind all the time in forums at that time - where are those guys now?

Portfolios, savings and pensions mean nothing if the rabidity of hate towards the banks continues

maybe there wouldn't be so much rabidity against the big banks if the big banks weren't so rabidly against the American people

all you hear from the big banks is how they can't increase their "profits" (which they aren't paying any taxes at all on), while they figure out how to screw American taxpayers even harder

For the majority of the Citizens of this country retirement will come when we are too sick to work or die.

I dont use banks anymore and have'nt for 10yrs.If i want something i save a little each month for it.

For the majority of the Citizens of this country retirement will come when we are too sick to work or die.

as long as the banks can make money off of it, (preferably by repossessing your home before you can give it to your kids) they don't care.

and the reich wing will applaud them for it since "private business can do no wrong"

Why are you doggin' Spider? His comment was spot on. Like him, I'm in the situation where I will probably never retire due to an IRA that has never performed as the broker said it would, let alone the current recession has pulled 40% of it's value out of it as well. Every time Obama makes yet another stupid speech about the economy, the value drops. (And no, I'm not over my head in debt, quite to the contrary, I have no debt, credit card or otherwise. But, also working in the private sector, I have no company retirement plan, (other than that IRA,) not counting on SSI either, since they can't manage that either.) Spider is correct when he says it is a cycle, the problem, as the article pointed out, is there is not enough time in the "cycle" for the older folks investments and home values to recover back to their previous levels. And the cycle will be even longer if Obama gets a second term.

I've tried to change my savings habits to increase my chances of having money at retirement time, but even that is under fire when we have an idiot Democrat telling the Occupy herd to take their money out of the banks. The exact thing that caused the great Depression. I think Democrats as a whole should bone up on American History. As the saying goes, "those who forget History are doomed to repeat it." (And, hopefully, the herd doesn't have much in the way of money, {except Mom and Dad's,} so we might be safe.)

Isn’t it the case each time? Usually the people who vote for change via “left leaning “governments, are the ones who can least afford them and who hurt the most. Economic stability is one of the most important things for retirees, unfortunately for all, the current government is struggling to find solid ground to restart the economy and to return the country to prosperity. Their “progressive” policies and programs are failing the nation.

Europe is having the same problems with their governments. Socialism did not work in Eastern Europe so why do we think it’s going to work for us in the West? Have we not learned anything from history?

maybe there wouldn't be so much rabidity against the big banks if the big banks weren't so rabidly against the American people

Well tell me do you have any savings? Where is it located? Do you have a pension? Who manages it? What about your mortgage, your car loan, your credit and debit cards?

Do you actually thing that when the goals of destroying the banking system come to bear that the executives will suffer first? They'll walk away with their golden parachutes and the middle class will suffer first and that is you and me!!!

I know there is a problem out there with the inequity between the lower and upper classes. But I also know that tossing the baby out with the bath water isn't the answer.

Same here. I'm constantly studying to stay current in my field. I'm not optimistic about being able to shell enough away to completely retire. If I can, at least, pay off my house in the next 10 to 15 then we might be able to retire. Ahh well, time will tell.

willowbrook, spider said the biggest culprits are people who invested/saved nothing. You think that's correct? I don't. If people can barely pay their bills then they can't save anything or invest. It's not their faults. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouths. If you don't understand that then you're out of touch.

The top tax rate in the 1950s was at 91%, ren.

The 1950s sucked for most Americans. Ren has some super-rose-tinted glasses on :D We need to raise tax rates, gut defense and raise social security from 65 to 70 to reflect longer lifespans.

OK I stand corrected, guys please remember I was a teenager back then. Bless you both.....

The 1950s sucked. Really? I was a teenager in the 50s... family had it very good... I worked for a vending machine company making $3/hr when minimum wage was 75 cents/hr. We were solidly middle class as was pretty much everyone else in the small NJ town some 20 miles SE of NYC. I took a tremendous pay cut when I joined the USAF at 18. The 50s were the good old days and while they were not perfect, they were golden.

As for raising the age for SS, the number to be concerned about is how long do people live once they reach 65 and when that is compared with 1935, we don't live that much longer. The life expectancy you are looking at is computed from birth but the relevant actuarial number is how long we leave once we reach 65.

small NJ town some 20 miles SE of NYC.

That is why you took a pay cut NJ NY high cost of living ..It is all relative i grew up in florida and started out after basic doing very well on pay definately not pay cut considering i had three meals and a rack.

That was a small NJ town 20 miles SW of NYC.

"That is why you took a pay cut NJ NY high cost of living ..It is all relative i grew up in florida and started out after basic doing very well on pay definately not pay cut considering i had three meals and a rack."

As I recall, we got paid $36 twice a month whether we needed it or not. The $520/mo I made at 18 was still more than I made as a married E5 (including propay) when I took my second (and last) discharge in 1966.

Yep, lets return to the 50's. Jim Crow laws were still around. A man could abuse his spouse and children and get away with it, "cause it wasn't my business." Oh, and you could get in your car stone drunk and drive and if you got pulled over, all the cops would do is give you a warning. Yep, the good old days. Oh, did I mention that nearly 1/2 of all workers in the US belonged to a union? NO, I didn't. You may want to change your mind, Ren.

Nah ren you are right, the 50s were much superior. I also was a teenager, if it was then what it is now, I'd still be in jail.

The 50s were the good old days and while they were not perfect, they were golden.

They were golden if you were: white and under 65; educated enough to enter the white collar work force or run your own business; a union member; and healthy.

If you were black, you lived under Jim Crow in the south and all sorts of extralegal discrimination in the north.

If you were brown, conditions weren't much better.

If you were over 65, you were on your own in terms of health care because Medicare didn't exist. Of course, you were on your own for a limited period of time because you could expect to die before you turned 70.

If you were gay, well, nobody knew that and it was just as well.

If you were in the armed forces, you risked a trip to Korea.

If you got cancer, you were probably as good as dead.

There were many good things about the 50s, but no age was a golden age.

The life expectancy in 1935 was 59 1/2 for men and 65 for women. When they passed social security most men were expected to die before collecting anything thereby having contributed to the welfare of the few that remained alive. Most fields that women were in were not even covered by social security so they were expected to collect under their dead husbands which was at 65% fo what the men would have collected.

Today the life expectancy is 80 for women and 78 for men which has flip-flopped the original design since few are dying early and contributing to the common good of the remainder. Instead we are living long enough to collect far more than we ever put into it (especially given the wage cap) even if we figured a really healthy ROI.

The architects of Social Security expected and planned for an increased life expectancy. That's one reason why it is solvent and not a contributor to the debt or deficit.

The architects of Social Security never meant for it to be retirement insurance. It was always meant to serve as a slush fund for the bureaucrats. There's nothing in the Trust fund except non-marketable Treasuries that will need to be auctioned off in order to obtain the funds. Thus, the Government will need to borrow more money in order to make good on these liabilities.

In any event, Social Security has never been sustainable, even from the very beginning. Point in case: Ira M. Fuller, the first recipient of monthly SS benefits, contributed $24.75 to Social Security, yet received $22,888.92 in benefits. Fast forward to 2011, and Social Security is cash balance negative and the Government has unfunded obligations that it will never be able to make good on. It's mathematically impossible.

Lastly, keep in mind that in the 1950's, America was the largest creditor nation in the world, the largest manufacturer of high quality, inexpensive goods in the world, and Americans earned the highest wages in the world. In 2011, America is the largest debtor nation in the history of the world, is economically dependent on other nations for manufactured goods, and unemployment has continued to worsen. And, by the way, although it's true that the marginal tax rate for higher-income earners was substantially higher during the 1950's and through the early 1980's, nobody actually paid those rates. What many fail to recognize is that the definition of income as it pertains to individual income taxes has changed dramatically from a net basis to a gross basis since the early 80's. This shift has included, but is not limited to, the phaseout of the personal exemption, cutbacks on itemized deductions, expansion of the alternative minimum tax, the virtual elimination of deductions for section 212 and medical expenses, the cap on mortgage interest deduction, caps on tax-deferred retirement savings, rules limiting the use of losses and interest deductions, removal of the cap on the 2.9% Medicare tax, and the repeal of the General Utilities doctrine and reinforcement of double taxation on corporate profits.

"In any event, Social Security has never been sustainable, even from the very beginning."

If it's not sustainable, how has it lasted for 75 years?

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that the Social Security Fund is some kind of insurance. It is not, nor has it ever been. It has always, since the day that it started, been that those that are currently employed pay into the fund through payroll taxes. The seniors and disabled then draw from that fund.

Social Security has never been short term only, it has never been voluntary, it has never been some kind of investment program.

Teri . . . I know a 65 lady,basically healthy, from another country here 10 yrs already who had a doctor declare her as suffering from Asthma and unable to work (she really is fine) when in reality she speaks NO ENGLISH and doesn't want to work. She has been collecting Social Security Disability for last 8 yrs or so. 3 yrs ago when they tried to tighten the restrictions to US CITIZENS rather than including people w/green cards and permanent residency. She appealed that and won a stay so that she can Keep Collecting these last 3 years while she tries to learn English (she otherwise has no interest in learning English and that is why she repeatedly fails the Citizenship test). She has never worked a day in her life at a job here in the US.

Is this really what our Social Service Programs are meant for?? She is basically healthy (not hard to get a Doctor's letter to qualify for SSD) and now that she is over 65 she will qualify for Medicare and other senior benefits that in the country she came from (former ex-Yugoslavia) are a fortune. That is the main reason why she is here!!

http://thecostofliving.com/index.php?id=104&a=1

Bob if your saying the military is underpaid i agree but alot of things are all relative to the area and the times my friend. I Believe you might enjoy the above link.

Wrong, Mark. I am one of those who planned ahead, and I'm having no problem at all. Can you say annuities and bonds?

Once again Spider: "Good luck on that one! You annuity company may be just as gone as my cousin's is and as for bonds "only if the country holds up". As I say, "good luck"

Spider,

Treasury bonds are down to less than 1% too. If you were one of the smart ones who planned way ahead, you locked in long-term rates years ago.

Unfortunately, most customers want 6-12 month CDs for liquidity. Most annuities require larger deposits and have large early withdrawal penalties if you redeem early. If you are patient you are definitely rewarded with annuity rates.

It was a lot easier to live on 6%, easy to manage yourself CDs, than MOST investments today. I agree, the more you educate yourself, the better the options you have. The average saver wants simple and easy.

Congrats, Spider. We're all thrilled for you. What has happened in this country that someone can not only brag about his good fortune, he has to deride everyone else?

Kathy, dont forget the marxist in chief Obozo.

I pay $137 a month for cable and broadband. It's a luxury that I continue to pay for.

It's about to go away I think. That equals two weeks of food and gas to and from work a month.

I guess I could go pitch a tent downtown and protest the fact I have debt and the fact that someone else doesn't. But then again I am not ready to cheer on Robespierre's agenda and cheer the spilling of the lives of those better of than I am.

Kathy, dont forget the marxist in chief Obozo

LOL! Obama a Marxist. That's a good one.

Clinton did not write nor negociate NAFTA. Reagan did. It passed the house and senate and Clinton signed it.

Yes but the news that is left wing biased.

Yes but the news that is left wing biased.

Or so the right wing media keeps telling us.

C'mon ... right-wing, left-wing; either way it swings, it IS biased. I don't watch so-called "news" anymore, because it's not news. Just a bunch of talking heads blabbing their endless opinions, comments, and criticisms. MEH!!!

Welcome to a failing third world country!

My 65 year old Aunt was laid off, along with two other women, on Friday. They gave her a week's pay, a week of vacation time and are paying her COBRA insurance for 6 months. There simply is not enough orders coming into the company.

She has some savings, but not enough to really matter.

"ren-755775

Welcome to a failing third world country!"

Apparently, you don't know what a third world country is. You might want to fix that before making any more ignorant posts.

Sorry Terri, I DID live in a third world country while serving in the military. It was called South VIETNAM. Good enough for you airhead?

Been there done that. You had to love the lottery for the poor, Hispanic and black.

No to mention that this country has exported jobs to China and India and the Feds. REFUSE to enforce immigration laws at the same time. All of this works against the middle class. Obama thinks he can buy off the middle class by giving them another 99 weeks of unemployment benefits but we all know that doesn't work.

All I'm saying is "what about us for a change"? We need a government that puts Americans first and we need to get our house in order. I can't understand for the life of me why the Feds. allow our borders to be open. We now have over 15 million illegals mostly from Mexico. A lot of our jobs have been moved there also so that is a double hit IMO.

If this country is going to rebound it has to put the middle class first. The real problem isn't so much on Wall Street but in the White House.

This country can't afford more debt but we sure as hell can afford more JOBS.

that`s cause they are nieve,go to north dakota or alberta and get your hands dirty.you can make a bundle and be a contributor instead of a taker.

I sure would like to know how they are getting screwed. Perhaps you can expound upon that idea and let me retort!

I don't think College students have it too bad . . $6500 per year of free Pell grants that never need to be repaid for every low-income student (no one is rejected) is a pretty good deal. It is such a generous benefit that look what some for-profit college were doing . . . going as far as to recruit homeless people to enroll in order to get these generous benefits. What exactly is to feel sorry for here?? Perhaps the middle-class kids whose parents make just barely enough so they don't qualify w/the fafsa form and have to pay all college costs themselves??

Middle class kids CAN qualify for some tuition assistance if they fill out the FAFSA. Not everyone will qualify for a PELL Grant - a full ride - but there is assistance to be found, in addition to loans that do need paid back. They will need to go to State school, not private, but geez.

Dub-ya did away with the Pell Grant program and made funding a higher education strictly a loan program. Our youngest daughter borrowed to pay for college and they were not subsidized loans at that, but loans from a private institution that could not be combined into one payment. His system created a class struggle to obtain a higher education. So your statement is without merit. The current administration has begun opening up access for Pell Grants and federally subsidized loans for college students. Private schools are in better position to offer grants to their students than state institutions are due to cuts in funding by the states. We know since our youngest attended and finished college during the Dub-ya years so this is not anecdotal but first hand knowledge.

Intellect . . you are living in the past with your bitter feelings. My niece got her $6500 Pell grant 2 mos ago (Free Money! never need be paid back) . . I paid the rest of her $500 tuition (w my after tax income!. My brothers kids didn't qualify with their $30,000/yr. This has Nothing to do w/"Dub-ya" . . . that is just your bias and bitter memories. This is CURRENT and Unbiased 1st hand knowledge Mister.

Under Dub-ya with us making more than the poor our daughter had no other alternative but to take loans. It is not the "Past" as you say since she just graduated in 2007. Unless you are so old that four years seem like four decades ago. And yes it was Dub-ya and his cronies in 2005 when they halted Pell Grants. Do some research before making off handed comments as we paid during that time for her to attend a state college.

Are you going to cry now for the rest of your life and blame "Dub-ya" because your daughter didn't get her $26,000=$30,000 in PELL Grants when everyone else who qualifies under FAFSA currently is?? That is the exactly the problem with "Government Assistance", it is capricious . . . and you simply lost out. And just so that you can fully enjoy the IRONY of your situation . . the father of one of my daughter's friends told me 2 months ago that his daughter now respects him more for not working a "regular" job and getting paychecks . . rather taking only cash for his services (in the trucking industry) because now she sees that she is able to get the $6500 because of his Undeclared Income. So add that to your bitter pill . . . and suck it up like the rest of us who aren't getting Pell grants.

Hit hardest by Obama? In what way, exactly?

Every way my liberal friend.

Evil, you have a good memory.

brendan: Oh my gosh! Where in the world did the baby boomer blame come from? Huge benefits to the seniors? What are you talking about?

you're a moron brendan. That foolish, hateful post isn't even worthy of a response other than to say that Herman Cain would be proud of your closed minded "blame everyone but the rich" attitude.

How much have you saved to date brendan-4?? I'd be willing to bet very little blaming the government for taking a 7.4% pittance isn't the answer actually saving for a rainy day or life matters.

Yeah, boy, I'm to blame for a bunch of kids endlessly fiddling with their cell phones while they text away endlessly. I didn't have it rough by any means, but I started working summers for my dad when I was 12. No computers. No cell phones. Kids actually played with such dumb things as a jump rope and used chalk to draw hop-scotch on the sidewalk. Yeah, I worked for 40-plus years, and I'm to blame for the current mess. Brendan, dear child, you've either had a lobotomy or else you are projecting blame onto your parent's generation. Time for your meds, kid.

P.S. - WTF - "huge benefits" I voted for??? WHAT, pray tell, might those benefits be? Hell, I worked for a living, but I don't recall anyone giving my a@@ a free ticket on the ride of life.

Brendan, here's a thought: Grow up and take responsibility for your life.

Liberalism didn't create the current mess: It's a market failure brought on by deregulation.

it is not all the markets fault. The postal service has a crazy entitlement problems and the have failed to adapt to a model that can run without tax payer support. GM and Chrysler failed to produce enough cars that people wanted to purchase in order to meet their financial obligations. I don't think future generation will have any private market pensions in the future. Certainly not the benefits to which boomers have become accustomed.

The postal service is a privatized. The issues with its pension plan is miniscule in the big picture. Same with auto company pensions, which is a localized problem that has nothing to do with the market failure that has wrecked 401k's, home values (where most people have their life savings), and other savings.

Auto company pensions, government worker pensions, entitlement benefit programs like Brendan mentions . . . Something is clearly a problem with these since they are all driving their issuers broke. While 1 in 4 children in the nation live in poverty with no medical or dental benefits, etc. What would be the problem with letting Brendan opt out of Social Security as he suggests and manage his own money if he wants?? Unless, of course, all this angst called "politics" is all about who is controlling other's money.

Anyone who cannot figure this out can turn on the news and listen to what has happened to Greece. Then watch for Italy, France and Spain. The riots are due largely to restructuring of Pensions (big part), employment benefits, job numbers etc.

The postal service is the ONLY goverment agency that is entirely self sufficient. I suggest you do some more research before posting blindly.

Cheap food!

One could say that if you see a senior in a bank, you've seen a senior in a casino.

"One could say that if you see a senior in a bank, you've seen a senior in a casino."

Spot on Thomas, spot on. ROTFLMAO. At age 70 I'm senior even if I don't think so. ;)

The local government takes care of the roads around them because of the tax revenue they generate.

They don't charge for parking.

They have shuttles to carry you around from place to place once you are inside.

They don't charge a lot for food or drinks.

They have numerous areas to sit and relax in comfortable chairs.

There's lots of cheap entertainment both professional and by the people walking by.

They usually have paramedics on staff or stand by.

There's security available in case you are threatened.

They are open 24/7.

And they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

They don't charge for a membership card and if you have one you get free stuff.

It sure sounds like a perfect place to stretch a senior dollar to me! Perhaps we need to stop calling them Casinos and start calling them the Villages.

Sounds fantastic!! But what about the 1 in 4 children living in poverty??

I don't know where the rep for cheap food and drinks comes from. The restaurants in Caesar's are expensive, and the bars are no bargain either.

Good point, just have a drink! Forget about the . . . 1 in 4 children living in poverty, without "pensions", social security, etc.

Well citizen have you ever hung out on the one-armed bandit floor?

We aren't talking about Jack Binion's steakhouse!

When I can walk up and get a 2000 calorie meal for under $8 and have a 21 year old barmaid bring me a drink of my chosing for under $3, that sounds pretty darn cheap to me!

Good point, just have a drink! Forget about the . . . 1 in 4 children living in poverty, without "pensions", social security, etc.

Lions and tigers and bears Oh my , there are children with out social security and other pensions . that's terrible.

You are right although most will not take your side.

Eduardo,

That may be the silliest, most rhetoric laden, fact devoid post I've ever read.

Congratulations.

You are right although most will not take your side

Doesn't someone have to be coherent in order to be correct?

"Yeah, Obama is on the side of the 99er's! BUT, it is the blacks, Srs, anyone over 50, that is in real trouble, and they , we, are NOT on the side of 99er's!"

What are you talking about?

"They are on the side of unions, Marxists, communists, anti SS, anti pay your own way, use tax payer money(ours),"

?? If you are talking about the Dems (the majority of the left), you don't know what you are talking about.

How, exactly, is the left against SS?

Why, exactly, do you believe that the left is on the side of the Marxists? And, do you even know what a Marxist is?

Anti-pay your own way? In what way do you believe that the left is anti-pay your own way?

"Obama is practicing class warfare, and he is declaring war on anyone who has a 401k , on SS, or uses Medicare!"

Class warfare? In what way?

Where did you get the idea that Obama has declared war on anyone with a 401k, on SS, or uses Medicare? Please, provide facts.

Not more almost incoherent posts.

Now there you go again, my liberal friend.

I agree with that. I never had the things they have had access to. TV"s were new when I was a child. We even had to walk to school, unless you lived on a farm you didn't get a car till you started to work.

I grew up dirt poor in Chicago and worked after school from age 11. I wasn't spoiled. I served my country and came home to another recession. Worked all my life and every time the Fed fought inflation by costing me my job or in this instance where the working class was plain robbed by the 1% and their banksters, my family and I end up just plain screwed.

I'm bone tired of both partys blaming each other and the well off screwing me every chance they get. I'm 57 and there's no job out there for me because they won't hire anyone my age, the pickings are too good to bother with some one my age.

I cruise the boards and all there is is rabid fighting over Obama when the last idiot did more damage than anyone could fix in four years. I'm afraid the next Idiot, whoever it is won't be able to do any better and may do considerably worse.

I hope the 1% are happy with all they stole, from me and everyone else in the world. Soon they'll all be dead too. Profit can't be taken with you.

workingpoor- good post- and good luck with finding a good job! There are many just like you, hard working Americans, have worked all their lives and through no fault of their own, find themselves in this position. While we sit around blaming one another. We have to work together, the Government has to start doing what's best for the country, not's what's best for their Party!

Workingpoor, you are likely much better off Not Working your a** off for low wages that will be heavily taxed. You can make more money living on Government Assistance like many individuals such as the immigrant lady I mention in my post above. Because I'm afraid that you have AT LEAST 2 people stealing your money . . the Government, and the 1% that you are angry about!

"When the baby boomers were kids they had very little,..." Your data is incorrect, provided of course you have any data regarding the boomers as children. In fact, boomers were the most spoiled generation of kids to come down the pike until they had kids. No I am not a boomer, I was born before WW2.

And it will be worse with Republicans and by God please no more Tea Party and religious gay and abortion ideology. Solutions but vote and the next the day the big money and lobbyist control our Congress and President. Think that is why people are demonstrating. I know I joined in. I guess if Limbaugh or Cantor says I am a thug you believe that too. What happened to what real Christina teaching use to be about with our fellow man and the poor which more middle class are heading that way?

Of course I will vote for President Obama. It's not his fault he couldn't fix all of Bush's f*ck ups in three years.

Obama / Biden 2012

Be sure to vote for Republicans if you want it to get worse!

Then, for added injury, once things do get worse, there'll be no safety net to catch them.

I am a registered Republican and I am fed up! It is no longer the party that I joined 40+ years ago. Why would I vote for a party that vows to make the current president a one term president by doing everything they can to make sure he doesn't succeed. It was stated by Rush Limbaugh that they hoped he failed and that policy has been very visible by the Repubs. in Congress. The Repub. party does not care that the majority of the people of this country are suffering because they think that the more unhappy they are, they will vote for Repubs. Well they got another think coming as far as I am concerened. Why would I vote for people who yell "let him die!" when asked about a person without health insurance(reduce the surplus population) or boo a person serving in our military because he is gay or have a bill to prevent a woman who is having a miscarriage and hemmoraging to death from receiving medical care or or wants to abolish the pill that affects ovulation not a fetus or fillibuster every bill in the Senate .....(the list goes on)! Then there are states that now have Repub. control and are looking for ways and passing bills to prevent qualified voters from voting. One in Colorado didn't think our military fighting for this country over seas should get voting ballots.

They say the Stimulus package didn't do any good and yet Mr. Perry is sure braging about how well he has done for Texas and he took something like 16 or 17 million in stimulus money.

I am a registered Republican and I am fed up!

I used to be a Republican too, but when being a Republican meant fiscal conservatism and before the Christian right took over and they sold out to the corporations in the name of individualism.

I guess you'd call me a Goldwater Republican who switched to the Democrats.

I would love to see the results of a poll (not taken by any "right" or "left" organization.....) with the following question

It would pertain ONLY to people who voted for Obama

"Will you be voting for Obama in the next election?"

Yes or no............simply those two choices

Btw, I'm 66 and started my own business with $100 3 years ago, do NOT collect SS . Prpoblem with people today is that they do not know how to become part of their own solution.

Prpoblem with people today is that they do not know how to become part of their own solution.

Yeah, you know, it's totally people's fault that they apply to hundreds of jobs and can't find work, that's totally on them. Like a bunch of parasites sucking our precious tax dollars I'd much rather spend on warfare.

/snark

And to answer your question, yes.

Yes, I voted for President Obama, I voted for President Clinton, and President Carter too. Let's ask the same question of those of us who voted for GW in 2004, would you vote for him and that straight-shooting sidekick of his again, just to see how much deeper a hole that he could dig for us?

Come November of 2012, I'll be voting for my Democrats again, praying that we can get the House back and more than 63 votes in the Senate too, unless I win Powerball, and then all bets are off!!!

Oh yes that is where the fault lies. You must me blind in your old age as you appear to see nothing that has been done by both parties over a large number of years. Wake up old man and break free of your false left right paradigm.

Sounds like attitude is the problem too. Sorry people, I found my way out and don't want anyone to help me. I'm far from blind. To be a success story, even though it doesn't take me to the 1%, I've stopped blaming everyone and decided I could do something for me and I am proud of that.

From the way you respond iyou don't even think that a good thing. Well, I'm not sucking off the government (and yes, I'll use that work IF someone could at least try to better themselvf rather than complain) and I voted for Obama but WILL NOT vote for him again because he is not a leader....he is a divider.

And Lynyrd..............wake up "old man". I see you troll without even reading. I am a woman and very proud of it. Now you can come back with your playground remarks. I have work to do.

Sorry Lynyrd.....I see you were talking to Old timer. My Bad. Off to work!

I Don't (American) Dream Anymore . . I'm going to join you under the tree!! Will you promise that we won't have a TV so that we are not required to listen to Obama anymore??

Also, I'm all in w/Hockey Girl, she has the right attitude!! I'm off to work now too (need to pay my taxes so our divisive President and other elected officials can fight over deciding how they are going to spend them!).

Sounds like attitude is the problem too. Sorry people, I found my way out and don't want anyone to help me.

That's a great attitude, you got yours so screw everyone else.

I am in that top 1%, and you know, it's not really that cool when I personally know people who have been out of work for a year or longer. We move forward as a society, and pointing fingers instead of looking at how the system doesn't work for everyday people and fixing the issues is what is disgusting to me. So I guess all they have to do is 'maintain a good attitude' and everything will work out? Try telling that to people who are getting foreclosed on because they've been out of work for so long or they are on the brink of falling completely out of the middle class entirely.

For everyone of us who gets theirs and makes it to the top, there are 1000 people who have to get stepped-on enroute, the majority of whom end-up dying penniless. And on top of that, I have known plenty of people who had thought that they had it made, whose good fortune suddenly slipped away too. Just remember that there is always somebody else hungry enough to try to take what you think that you have. Are the American people guilty of devisiveness because they consistently vote half for one extremist position and half for another?

I would much rather be remembered as someone who was fair and benevolent, and as someone who stood-up for the rights of the little guy, rather than as a top 1% type who cared less about who got stepped-on in order to satisfy my addiction to wealth and power, within the confines of a limited money supply.