President Barack Obama warned Americans on Tuesday that if Congress fails to avoid default, he cannot ensure government benefits, including Social Security checks, will be issued next month. He explained in an interview that if America defaults on its debts, benefit checks could be halted as soon as Aug. 3.
Government to Start Prioritizing Payments
Obama has warned that if lawmakers cannot come to an agreement on how to manage the debt issue in the next week–or prior to Aug. 2–the government will default on its debts and payments will have to be prioritized.
Payments on the chopping block will be Social Security benefits, along with military salaries and unemployment benefits.
Aug. 3 is the day the government would have to start prioritizing payments. It also happens to be the day a big set of Social Security checks are scheduled to be mailed out. If the government fails to act on time, 60 million Social Security recipients will fail to receive their checks for the month.
Not the First Time Social Security Threatened
While this is the first threat coming from Obama in such a matter-of-fact way, it is not the first time the government has warned that checks may not be issued.
As early as Jan. 6, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner warned Congress that benefit checks might not be paid in full or on time if the debt ceiling is reached, which did occur on May 16.
He issued another letter in May reiterating the point. “A broad range of government payments would have to be stopped, limited or delayed, including military salaries, Social Security and Medicare payments, interest on debt, unemployment benefits and tax refunds,” he explained.
Geithner says if the government officially defaults on Aug. 2 as predicted if lawmakers cannot resolve the debt issue, he will no longer have enough money on hand to pay salaries and other bills. This will leave millions of Americans with no income to rely on.
There are some 30 million retired combat veterans who have been promised their benefits for risking their lives for their country. This, long before this sonof**** came to washington. So if he wants to take the chance with combat veterans and the active duty military bring it on. I for one have had enough of this. Call him president if you wish. There are a lot of other names that fit better.
Hi I agree with you. We are retired military,and my husband is a disabled vet. He also get ss disability, and can’t work. If we could work, and I could get work, I would work. I have a solution to save the day. Why doesn’t the Pres, and Congressmen, give up one months pay, if we don’t get the SS or VA or Mil Retirement pay in August. I bet that they still get paid. Just my humble opinion. Thanks for listening.
Would someone please answer one question for me If by chance the Social Security Checks are not mailed out this August, and I can’t pay the rent…..can my landlord start eviction paperwork on me? I live in an apartment complex so I won’t be the only one left holding the bag!
Thank You
Richard ~~ Hard Tymes
yes they can start eviction process after so many days if you have not paid rent, i am a disable worker that tried to get back on my feet and they shoot me down for jobs due to my disabilities but i can not get ssd, or ssi anymore. bottom line is congress should not get checks either until this mess is fixed here in usa! but they still have millions so it will not matter to them! until everything they have is gone!
This will be so devestating for many who have to hve this money…and to NOT PAY our soldiers…Many of us have paid into this all our lives…as did our parents and thier parents….but our president and senetors and so on will continue to be paid from government funds???most dont get much on SS or SSD and SSI…and to take what little they do get just isnt right…maybe keeping more of our money in our country would help alot…I feel just as sorry for the ones who have disasters and such in other countries…but we were taught as children…. take care of your own first….than share whats left… just sayin…
I think this is a shame. They should cut out the congress and house paychecks that would take care of a lot of the debt problem. If we don’t receive our social security checks we will lose everything, and that’s not right. They think it’s o.k. to go off on their expensive jets, vacations, and live in their expensive mansions. Why don’t they just cut money from the people who are rich, instead of taking from the poor people. Like always the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer.
Look at fox poll. They believe its a lie about SS checks and even that only people who work shoud get money so too bad for disabled people, old people and I guess we will become a third world nation jusst like the ones in the rest of the world . tea party is a left wing who care about no one but themselfs started out different but boy do they live like preach.. My God believe we are respondsible for other. Do un to other as you would have them do unto you. So you know it alls take that chance and see the price our country will pay. They came for me and no did nothing and they will come for you and no one will be left.. Remember hilter thats what happens when you judge other less thsn you
I think it’s wrong for the most needy in our country to suffer because our government can’t settle the debt issue. Most people on Social Security need that monthly check to live on. Our military have served our country – how dare we deprive them!
God have mercy on America!
I guess the 50 million + of us who depend on SS checks will just have to say “Oh well”. I don’t THINK so … let the congressmen give up THEIR pay and see what happens, let them give up their FULL salaries after retirement and try to live on the average SS benefit that the rest of us receive and need so desperately.
I agree with everyone above, my husband is retired Navy and I get survivors benefits from my deceased former husband. I am also disabled and have received SSDI since 1987. My husband is 68 and fully retired but is now looking for work because of this mess. We, too, will loose our home, our cars, and where could we go to a shelter? We will loose our Tricare and medicare, so where do we get our meds? This is very scary and I don’t feel it is right for us to loose all these benefits and the men and women fighting for our freedom should not loose theirs either.
I was Brain injured in 1995 and have to rely totally on SSDI.I can’t work or drive,i need medication for my mental condition.Without payment i may as well become disceast because i won’nt be able to survive,not that our government cares.
Well they have proven that senior citizens,disabled and solders do not matter to the Politicians and the RICH. They take take and take from us all the time. They have other means of security and do not care for us at all. Wish they all had to be burdened with worrying about month to month skimping on everything all the time with never a break just more and more expense for the ones who cannot afford it. TAKE something from the wealthy for a change like the rich persons security every penny they have, see how they feel.
I think it is really sad that our government and the President are so money hungry that they dont stop to think about the ones who fight for our rights and the ones who have medical problems and the ones that paid in to social security all there lives if the roles were reversed and we had to decide if the president got paid or the government i bet they would be worried too .The military and veterans deserve there money and peopple who really need ssi but the ones that get disability that really are just too lazy to work need to be forced to get a job.
We Stand cap in hand and allow this to happen to the peeople who need it most.We need a good rebellion is all i can say.
Carol, the whole debacle is a “sad” spectacle. All it takes for all this to go away is for congress to pass a clean bill that would raise the debt ceiling.
This is what President Obama, and Democrats, have called for. But Republican members in the House, in particular the Tea Party caucus, insist on using this occasion to force cuts to the budget, namely entitlements, by threatening not to vote to pass what has always pretty much been, up to now, a formality, with very little fanfare.
I am a cancer survivor, and it seems, about to be a
cancer patient again. So I am clearly concerned
about all of this. As a former Special Ops Intel
guy, I believe into going into any situation with
as much information as possible, and this is no
exception.
There is one thing that NEITHER party in DC is
being honest about. Social Security is *NOT* funded
by the Federal budget. It is funded by the interest
on a trust fund…a trust fund which a recent report
from the trustees of that fund have declared to be
solvent until 2037 (or was that 2034?). Also, most
of the payments these days are direct deposits, so
even if government workers are out of work, the
checks still go out on time electronically, as
they always do. The only way Obama or the house
can stop that is to directly and deliberately take
action to do so, and that would be political suicide
for whoever did so. They all know this, but it’s
the last thing they want to admit (if they were to
admit it, they couldn’t use it for FUD anymore).
Personally, I am FAR more concerned about the return
of cancer that I’m facing, and the enormous medical
bills that implies, and my SSD+Medicare will NOT
help nearly enough (particularly given the fact
that the SSA has had its head buried in the sand
for years, regarding the increasing cost of living,
which they continue to say is not happening).
Sorry, paragraph breaks got eaten…. Oh, and I
suspect that there are far more than one thing that
neither party is being honest about…but that’s
another discussion…..
According to the Congressional Research Service, an estimated $55 billion was appropriated for foreign aid and diplomatic programs in fiscal 2010.
The large US ‘Family’ appears to be trying to do too much, spreading too thin.
There are 50 million+ people getting SS income that were promised a retirement income.
We kept our promise and payed into SS.
They should be required to keep their end of the agreement!!
There are less than 600 people running this country.The
President and staff,congress, supreme court,ect.
If they don’t do what we want them to do, don’t “we the people ” have the right to FIRE all of them and start over?
Maybe folks should start by READING the Constitution.
I would fire the congress and senate, anyone who can not do their job on time needs to be fired. If SS and SSI would stop giving checks to drunks, drug addiction and the allegedly mental impaired we would not be going bankrupt and I can not believe the age and sex of these recipients males and 20 years old and above. They don’t pay into the programs but receive benefits and produce children, can’t work bad back but can have sex all day and night, unbelievable.
We used to have Social Security, hence the name “security” until the sob’s in government started borrowing from it. Now the a-holes want to take what’s left away from us too. I worked and paid in all my life for that security and now we may lose it. Thanks a lot Obama and government. I’ll see you all next election.
Do not worry about your Social Security checks. The President is way out of line by saying he can’t gurantee the checks won’t go out. Truth is the Social Security Admiminstration holds over 2 Trillon in treasury bonds and if they run out of money they just will take the bonds to the Treasury cash them in and send your checks. This is not a big deal for the Treasury because for every 1 dollar in Treasury bonds cashed in the public debt is reduced by 1 dollar which allows the Treausry to borrow a dollar. They are just using scare tactics so they can push thru the budget they want. Do you really believe they won’t pay the checks? What do you think would happen when people didn’t get their checks and what do you think the people who are getting Social Security taken from their checks would start to say?
If this country ever needed another revolution, I think it’s right about now. How dare these morons in Washington deprive the military, the retired and the disabled their incomes while they fart around with name-calling and ego issues.
I remember getting a paycheck back in the day when I could work. I also remember that a goodly chunk of my pay went to taxes, medicare and social security. Now disabled with MS, I am drawing a pittance each month from SSDI. I feel ENTITLED to receive back the funds I paid into the program. That’s why they’re called entitlements.
I DO NOT remember anyone asking me if my funds could be used to bail out car companies, banks or an entire country’s debt. Perhaps I missed an email or newsletter containing that information???
All my life, I either went to school, or worked. I worked 2 full time jobs and a part time job at the same time for awhile. When I became permanently disabled, it was not something I wanted. Genetic crap happens. If I don’t get my small SSD check, I can’t pay my $480/mo. mortgage and the robo-signing mortgage company forecloses. A few years ago, I was visiting another country, and when they found out the extensive education I had, they WANTED me to stay and teach! They were willing to make accomodations for my disability. Imagine that? A country that welcomes new citizens… instead of shoving elderly and disabled citizens into the streets just as winter sets in. Maybe it is time for 40 million people to vote with their feet.
Well if the government takes SSDI/SSI away and military pay checks away. They will be so surprised how munch of us make up the US economy product and service customer base that if we can’t afford are rent because of no check how can we buy products or services if we have no money. Easy even those that can’t work but rather have children even support our economy. The people that don’t work and have children at least give the toy and candy and ice shops and fast food places a boast. Also many retiree don’t like to cook so you can usually find them at the local cafe or coffee shop eating and drinking coffee. So you guys think we don’t contribute to our economy. Also one of the biggest gaming industries that are still left in the USA are partly supported by the vast majority that don’t work but are on SSDI or SSI MMorg Mass Multi-Player games couldn’t have gotten where they have today without a good portion of the population that don’t have to be somewhere for a job. What about services like cable tv and phones they will loose money because not only those that live in their homes will go into foreclosure which will increase the decline of tax renew for the city and devalue the housing market even more. It will also devalue and destabilizes the stable rental market which HUD which is also federally funded helps stabilize the low income and those that are homeless. The mass people loosing their apartments to being evicted because we have no income will also continue to reduce the countries income as most low income apartments could totally shutdown and collapse with a lot of eviction notices to print and legalize it will even cost more money. However who will live in apartments designed for low income besides those that are low income so eventually the owner will loose money and go bankrupt and than the apartment building will be abandoned. So in any event our influence on the US and world economy is greater than any one thinks and if we loose are money so will millions of people that rely on us to spend money when the others are at work?
I worked for 50 years total and I never minded paying into Social Security, because I felt when the time came it would be there for me….and now they are threatening to take it away. I wonder how the people feel that are going to have SS taken out of their paychecks every month regardless if they stop paying us or not. I would be furious…wait I am furious that Obama has sunk low enough to threaten the most vulnerable groups of people. I think a third party is in order. I’m through with Republicans and Democrats both. They are little brats throwing sand in a sandbox…and neither is a winner.
Well this country was not founded with 2 major parties the country was found with 4 major parties. Later on after the civil war we reduced are major parties to two parties and the good news is the party the country started with is not the same it ended with so history does show there is a major party cycle in this country every so many years. there are also cycles on the amount of smaller parties throughout the years. Our country is the only government that the country don’t change whenever a new party steps up. Most parties in other countries during the conversion form the government they want to run the country in. The only other exception is England UK however the house common and nobles have a say in the type of monarchy the UK is. The two choices is a police state or a civil state. The King and Queen don’t run the country any more after the Bill of Rights was forcibly signed by the King to recognize the rights of representation under taxation the peasants did not go to work til the king signed it. This is what brought about the house of Nobles and the house of commons in England. This paper is also what we base the United States constitution on and its equal bill of rights. The type of government we have is called a modified socialist economical republic, I am not saying socialist in a bad way like communism which is way to one extreme or another.
A socialism republic just means stature of individuals are are put into 3 classes poor middle class and rich. Basically social status republic. This republic is based on economic gains which drive the stock market. Economic loses tend to drive the country downhill while economic gains drive the country uphill. The country don’t do well when their are split economic problems stock market is slow to caught up but when it does brace yourself for a steep fall or a sharp raise. The tech stocks and need to have stocks usually fair a lot better than the other stocks which take less impact hits on recession and progressions.
Well for starters this is not Obamas fault that he is trying to help fix a mess that was already there from the start. Look @ things that happned before he took the seat. Yes this is a big mess and i really believe that he wants to help get things in order but it will take awhile. I recieve benifits and it would hurt alot. I would no longer be able to pay bills nor care for my family that depends on me. The Govonorment needs to fess up to the real reasons why this country is going broke. They have to get to gether and stop spending unnessary money else where for other countries.Theres oil here and more that they can get over here in our country. Now ask yourself could we go to another country and live as they can come over here and get all kinds of benifits. Now ponder apon that
ITS LIKE POURING SALT OVER AN OPEN WOUND. CAN THIS COUNTRY SEE OR ARE THEY BLINDED BY SPENDING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT THEY ARE WHY WE ARE BROKE AND SUFFERING. IN STEAD OF TARGETING THE POOR THEY NEED TO BE HITTING THE RICH. SINGERS STARS RAPPERS ACTORS AND SO FORT HAVE MORE THAN WE DO ASK FOR THERE HELP TO. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY AT THE PEOPLE OF THE USA MOST OF THEM NEED TO BE FIRED FOR NOT DOING THE CORRECT THING THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. HOW MANY AGREE ON THAT?
Hah I found the reason for why the terrorist have not attacked us yet they don’t need to as long as our own government terrorizes its own population with stupid childish tactics we used to play games like this in Kindergarten. Should we pay for a swing set on the grounds of Washington D.C. Or how about a Slide. Should we institute a Nap time and a timeout corner for the new Elementary School of Washington D.C. Grow up Washington DC we are tired of the stupid politic games being played there!
So with no job and no SSI I guess my children who are both disabled and I will be living in the car since the rent, utilities, etc. can’t get paid… oh wait- we’ll be hungry too; oh wait- we won’t be able to go to the doctor or get medications… might be pulling more vehicles from the river
this has nothing to do with the current president in power, it would be impossible to destroy an economy this quick it would take atleast 5 years, 3 years ago this started when the 2008 bubble from banks collapsed, now thankto all gready republicans a great demorcrate will be blamed for someone else’s mess. so keep blaming the current president you make yourself look ignorant.
Why is everyone blaming Obama. It is the Republicans that refuse to work with him because they want him to cut entitlements, Social Security, SSD, VA comp. Medicaid and Medicare. They want him to take away from those who can least afford it and not raise taxes on the ones who can afford it and it gets me that you dumb people are siding with the republicans on this. You voted the sorry Republicans in now we are going to suffer because they care less for anyone but the rich. I am a service connected disabled Veteran. I am rated at 70 percent by the VA and ssd, but I guess I should be willing to give up my VA comp. so that they poor rich people want have to suffer. How many of you are willing to give up your entitlements for the rich? If you are then just let the republicans know and they will be more than happy to take them from you.
I do believe that it was Pres. Franklin D.Roosevelt that tried everything in his power to save people like us from this. He set up ways to save us and protect us from the Government . So why does Obama have to go and screw up history and defect on everything that was set in order? Take away Obama’s pay and see how he likes it. Its the everyday U.S. Citizen that makes this world run , Not just the Government!! Just like Obama flying in special food from different countries just for his family or him spending thousands of dollars on his dogs ” B Day” it is belligerent and a slap in the face to the American citizens
Our president is the only sane person in the government right now. He is the head of the largest daycare in the world. The Republican Party needs forcibly removed from Washington. They can go live with their non-tax-paying rich friends or their scum-bag lobbyists. If we default, the no-longer-being-paid military will have the time and the ability to deal with those Republican morons. Civil War – yes it’s time for another one…
Basicly our whole government is ran by a bunch of narcistic-traitor-tyrants!!! I hold both George W bush and Obama for the ruin of this country plus every congress and senator in office for the past 20years!!!! Greed has killed United States as we all know it. Remember when the banks got into trouble??? They got their bail outs at our expense. It it is still at our expense and we must suffer and sacrafice. What about the president and the rest of those in office. Nawww…. they will not suffer. They have their own special interest to keep them fed and warm during this crisis.
OBAMA AND EVERY POLITICAIN ARE TRAITORS!!!!
*****NOTICE…. Social Security, unemployment and military checks on the choppin block. What about the rest of the government checks for example to themselves??? Seems to me that the old and disable is being discriminated against. BTW… I have an disable child whose father is deceased. How am I suppose to take care of my son??? Thanks Washington for robbin us blind. I hope that a plane don’t land on you next.
IMPEACH THAT BASTARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK., WE’VE HAD OUR FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.,IT DOES’NT MATTER IF THE PRES IS BLACK WHITE GREEN OR YELLOW AS LONG AS THEY DO THEIR JOB !!!
WHERE’S THE NEW JOBS ?
WHY ARE WE STILL IN IRAQ ?
WHY THE HELL ISNT IRAQ SPENDING THEIR OWN MONEY TO REBUILD THEIR PEICE OF SHIT COUNTRY ???
Will the government pay the pension check for this month or not due to the debt please i need to know can someone reply the answer to my inbox this is my email ….obafemi_abiodun@yahoo.com thanks so much
i dont get it! How can a american president admit to being a socialist, try to change the constitution and all the other hurtful harmful things he has done since he has gotten elected and NOT BE IMPEACHED!!!!!!!!! And where are the old fashioned Americans who would have stood up and spook out. Where are the marches against Washington? Why is everyone suddenly so DAME passive? and if I think back to two weeks after he took office; some of the things he did and said were outrageous and all the people in the government watched and listened without any reaction as though they were hypmotized. its been weird since the begining
To: Mad as hell.
The answer to your question is the Patriot act. Remember that? In the name of National security, we let the bastards take away our rights to protest the Government’s actions and our right of free speech.
George Bush, Obama and all of their cronies should be shot at sunrise for treason against the United States. You can forget about impeachment, they will protect their own.
If Social Security checks don’t go out, it will not be because they don’t have the money, it will be so that Obama can blame the Republicans for it. Purely political.
What amazes me is that according to the polls, nearly half of the Country still believes that Obama is doing a good job. Perhaps my Dad was right when he said that the American people are too stupid and too lazy to elect good Government. All they want to hear is how much the Government is going to do for them. That was back in the 60′s, it’s only gotten worse since.
Socialism is all good until you run out of other people’s money.
It’s time to pay the piper, comrades.
Ron Paul 2012!
Well Donn, your dad is right. The part I can’t figure out is why the American people have not even tried to come together en masse for public protest. Although our freedoms are rapidly eroding, angry mobs have a tendency to get recognized. I’m beginning to think there is a mechanism in place that is affecting the way we think; nothing detectable (not by us or even those close to us), but something subtle that is just enough to prevent us from taking action against our government, which the original framers of our government not only encouraged, but charged the people with being responsibe for.
If that sounds like science fiction mumbo jumbo to anyone, then take a day or two and educate yourself on just how much of what we considered science fiction twenty years ago is science fact today. If you take a look around the world today, you will see that more and more, “the people”, the common citizen, the oppressed masses, in other countries where the government is out of control or acting against the people, are taking to the streets. They are not relying to civil disobedience, they are resorting to violent disobedience and it is costing some of them their lives.
In a country regarded by many as the most advanced, complex, open, and free society in the history of mankind, is it really going to become necessary to forcefully remove our corrupt government by declaring war on them?
If recent history says anything, it says that our “elected” leaders are increasingly becoming convinced that the use of force is the best way to handle any threat, be it real or perceived real, to their way of life, their goals and objectives. Will our elected leaders recognize that the perceived “clear and present danger” is actually the people who chose them to be their protectors and who they vowed to protect, or will they order U.S. military personnel to use the most technologically advanced weapons the world has ever seen (and not seen) to restore order and control? Will our own brothers and sisters obey the command to “fire” on their own people? Are “We, The People” really capable, in this isolationist (cyber community), somewhat racially divided society, of coming together as “We, The People of The United States of America” with the single goal of taking back what is rightfully ours according to our most precious legal document? Even in the face of overwhelming odds?
What I have heard all my life is, this is what makes Americans unique, and why this country is the greatest superpower in the world. “With great power comes even greater responsibility.” (source of this paraphrased quote is unknown to me at this time) We are in this position because we failed to maintain our responsibility to keep watch over the actions of our elected leaders and take action when their power exceeds their control.
I believe that “The People” of this country, if truly united and singular in goal, can take back the power, control, and responsibility of Our country. I also believe it will require great courage and commitment from us all. Further still, I believe victory will come at great cost and personal sacrifice.
Are our childen and future generations of Americans worth it?
For me, Yes!