Obama to announce aid for middle class

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Obama to announce aid for middle class
23
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 9:35am

I'm about as middle class as it gets, but none of these things help me whatsoever. How are these things helping the unemployed? What are they doing for inflation, underemployment, etc.?


 


The proposals to be unveiled by Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at the White House, and which the president will push in his Wednesday night speech, include a doubling of the child care tax credit for families earning under $85,000; (what about the millions of people who don't have children but are still struggling?) an increase in federal funding for child care programs of $1.6 billion; (again, great for those with kids, but what about the rest of us?), capping student loan payments to 10 percent of income above "a basic living allowance;" (I see lots of help for the 18 to 40 year old group. What about everyone else?) expanding tax credits to match retirement savings; (what retirements? Either we lost them to Wall Street last year or the retirement plans are barely paying anything these days ell or we've lost a job and had to live on our retirement savings) and increasing aid for families taking care of elderly relatives (I'm curious if this is a request from the states. State Medicaid takes a huge hit on nursing home care. A lot of elderly people enter nursing homes indigent, and have nothing but their social security. State Medicaid picks up the rest. The states would love it if families would take on this expensive burden.


Come on, Obama. Give us something we can actually use, something that will actually help the country, not just a few select groups of people. Come up with a solid plan for unemployment; implement something to put people to work. Either that or take all this money you're throwing around and cut each and every one of us a hundred thousand dollar check and let US strike out on our own with it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-28-2009
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 9:46am

<<(what about the millions of people who don't have children but are still struggling?)>>

Or people who have already sacrificed by taking care of their own children.

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If I understand this correctly, it wouldn't help us because we make too much money to qualify, though we are definitely middle class.

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LOL! Exactly.

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This one comes almost two years too late to help me.

I'm feeling pretty negative this morning and seeing this type of thing isn't helping. I agree that more effort needs to be put into job creation.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 9:58am

Well then, put a smile on your face and think positively....:)) Someone out there loves you......that's what I focus on when I'm in a negative frame of mind.....c'mon now, it's the beginning of a brand new week, and you're alive n kickin', ready to take on the world, so to speak. Yea, that's what I'm talkin' about sista!!!


We do need more jobs created.....I'm very disappointed in my president for not doing a better job of that. The clock's ticking......we need people out there working.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-28-2009
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 10:02am

LOL! You put a smile on my face. Thank you.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2010
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 10:30am

I think you just hit on it, Shannon. That's exactly what we need. Something POSITIVE.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 10:30am

These proposals don't help

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-28-2009
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 10:44am

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I think that's the problem. They aren't going to help enough people. Out of all the people I know in real life, those proposals will help one family. It's like the Making Home Affordable program. It was a good idea, but it didn't help that many people. I am the only one I know who was able to refinance through that program and that was only because I had put down a massive enough down payment down on my home initially that a 55% reduction in home value didn't leave me upside down. The other leg of that program didn't help a single person I know with regard to modifying their loans.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 11:00am

Yes I read that program didn't help many. (If memory serves me I think it only helped 80K.)


I was disappointed that people on SS didn't get an increase this year. No the over-all cost of living didn't increase but things many seniors rely on med's, hospital care,

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 11:10am

Be of good cheer..........


Blog: Democrats, Don't Despair


Things look bad now, and the party will lose seats this fall. But the economy will bounce back, Democrats will be united—and faith in government can be restored.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-25/obama-dont-despair/full/


Bringing Back David Plouffe Will Totally Work


Former Bush and McCain strategist Mark McKinnon says the return of Obama campaign guru David Plouffe will work by getting the president get better press coverage. But will a political fix solve a policy problem?Here’s a seeming contradiction for you. Bringing back David Plouffe to get a handle of President Obama’s political communications is total bullsh*t. And it will totally work.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-24/can-plouffe-save-obamas-bacon/full/

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 1:39pm

The childcare one will benefit us. Depending on how the elder care one is worked out, it could benefit us as well. Especially if it helps children who are covering their parents "donut hole" costs, in home supportive services, medical deductibles, medical devices that aren't covered by



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 01-25-2010 - 1:44pm

"many of the unemployed people I know have returned to college to update their skills, and have taken loans to do so. I can see this benefitting them. Many of them are over 40."


Good point.

 


Photobucket&nbs

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