With the battle currently brewing over cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; I want to offer my perspective. I seriously doubt that many, if any, Members of Congress have ever had to live pay check to pay check, and make hard decisions on virtually every dollar that one has.
All our lives we have played by the rules. Worked as hard as possible and saved as much as possible. I'm not in a great position right now; although I am much better off than many.
I'm 60 years old. I graduated with a B.S. Degree in Political Science and Sociology. First 25 years after graduation were great . Good job, benefits, etc. I lost that job due to budget cuts. Things started to go downhill from there.
The last 12 years I worked a job that paid $2,000/month; before everything was taken out of the check. Health care took a huge bite. Things were tight; but still okay. Then my wife came down with serious health issues and huge doctors bills; even with our health insurance. She ended up on Social Security Disability making $674/month. We had to use all our savings to put our kids through college and to pay the medical bills. Still, we were okay.
Four months ago, in March, I was laid off from my job; and lost my health insurance. At age 60, I cannot get Medicare and cannot get health insurance because of my health issues with high blood pressure, etc.
I got a new job making slightly over minimum wage; but no health insurance. Now things are really tight. We have to take how much money we have and decide whether we want to pay the rent, make the car payment, pay the car insurance, pay the utility bill, buy food or get our prescriptions - which come to $450/month between my wife and I; even with her Social Security Disability.
Every decision on every dollar spent is a major decision. We have to pay the rent so we have a place to live; we have to pay the car so I can get to work (we don't have public transportation), we have to pay the car insurance or we can't drive the car, we have to have some food, our medications and pay the utilities. But there is never enough to do it. God forbid we have a car repair or I have to go to the doctor. We have basically been making ends meet by raiding my IRA.
I am confident things will get better; but I'm more concerned about people who are much worse off than we are. When a Member of Congress says lets cut the entitlements; I don't believe they realize that for those people who rely on those programs, every dollar makes a huge difference; and every dollar they cut means that some people have to do without an essential item that helps them survive.