Yes, a legal right granted.

I understand. This is why I also said it was “an entitlement program.” However, it also is true (what I wrote was not mere equivocation) that people view it as an “entitlement” in the common way the word is used, as well as describing the mentality (of expectations and demands, to use other words) of many of the recipients (being “hooked” like “addicts” is also appropriate, but is a separate thing to introduce).

The future remains as anyone who is awake can predict: the program's unsustainability will force some unpleasant truth-facing and decision making, eventually. (The Democrats, who “own” this program as well as Medicare, were the most stupid people possible when insisting on doing nothing at all on behalf of Social Security when they had the chance during the Bush years. They chose mindless obstruction and demagoguery, more mindless than normal, and did absolutely nothing. “It will be more valuable later if we leave it alone.” — Hinchey, D-NY) The future will involve unpleasant new taxes and unpleasant cost controls that will reduce benefit growth or even involve some true benefit reductions (which is not true for overdue things like raising the retirement age into the seventies where it has belonged for years, for example). The future will involve a seeking of “equilibrium” of howling between taxpayers and beneficiaries as both groups feel “pain” or unpleasantness. (It can't be solely benefit reductions, because many Baby Boomers will rely on Social Security eventually, and though it's the opposite of the real world, there actually may be a future demand for increases in benefits and beneficiaries tax-paid standards of living, if they retain typical Boomer character.)

See, there is something to this discussion. I agree that $250 is not much — for people who have the means to live fairly well, even without their SS. But for people who get minimal reimbursement, then that $250 could help quite a bit.

As far as entitlement is concerned — it is an entitlement, for those who only pay into the system on less than 100% of their income. The vast majority of us pay SS on 100% of our income. Those that make over what, $95K?, only pay up to that point, and then no more. Changing that one rule, and making SS means based, would fund SS forever.

I say it is an entitlement, for that's what it is — an entitlement. Not only is it a legal entitlement and a federal entitlement (in fact, welfare) program, but it is viewed as an entitlement, particularly by many of the beneficiaries and fans of the program and related programs.

The earth is round. There is no “naysaying” [sic].

Just wait 15-25 years when things fall apart. It already is unsustainable as it exists currently.

I would add to this, Jerry, that those who similarily feel Medicare is another ill-conceived, poltically motivated (by those horrible lib Dems), government give-away program, should immediately disenroll from the prpogram (or vow never to take a penny from it) and pay a full one hundred percent of those medical bills and/or get their own at-times-prohibitively-priced health insurance.

As it should be — but at least these programs aren't subject to benefit reductions when there is deflation.

That is perfectly justified, and in fact, as it should be. As is a reform such as re-indexing for longevity.

That's still cheap, sir, compared to votes of Congress members, it seems, these days.

(e.g., bank bailout and “Sweetners”)

Well I will let you place a value on his post.

Considering millions of Americans on a meager fixed income, as perhaps the last commenter is, desperately trying to stay afloat, and looking for whatever financial assistance he or she can get, no matter how small, to literally pay for his or her next meal or help pay the rent, I think this is a very cynical way of looking at this $250 lifesaver. Just my opinion.

The reason that the COLA doesn't yield an increase? The drop in oil prices. Does your post say anything about that? No.

That seems like an odd statement since both energy and food prices are excluded from the inflation index.

Since 9/11, my immigration sensitive employment has suffered pay freezes, even though my job performance was above and beyond. Since 9/11, everyone I work with has had to deal with not getting a COLA increase. This despite the fact that we bring in a huge amount of dollars to our local economy through tuition, rentals, eating, living: all money from outside the U.S.

You don't know what it has been like for the last eight years. You got yours and screw the rest of us working types. You've done all of your work — you can't even be bothered to look up source material on a post the you probably got paid for.

You have no credibility with me. Your posts are self centered and basically nonsense.

The reason that the COLA doesn't yield an increase? The drop in oil prices. Does your post say anything about that? No.

Instead, you push the idea that inflation is on the way.

I'm surprised you didn't end your post with “BUY GOLD!”

-Nikki-