It is difficult to envision a vigorous government-assisted health care plan when Social Security recipients face no cost-of-living increases for two years.
Social Security is tied to health care through Medicare. The premiums for the Medicare prescription drug program are scheduled to go up.
That and inflation will reduce the income for millions of senior citizens.
We realize that these are difficult times and balanced budgets are hard to come by. But the Social Security Trust Fund should be able to handle dips in prosperity.
It hasn't helped that Congress has raided the trust fund many times in the past with promises of putting the money back. Even so, such "borrowing" damages the continuity of the system.
Congress and the president are talking about an ambitious program to provide health care to all Americans. That's a noble objective. Many people do not have enough medical insurance or none at all.
Yet, no champion is stepping up to defend Social Security and Medicare. If government believes it is capable of delivering medical insurance to virtually every American, why can't it rescue seniors who are among our most vulnerable citizens?
The Social Security situation puts a huge question mark on the government's ability to deliver benefits or assistance to millions more people.
The country needs solid, viable health-care reform. In the meantime, we cannot make it harder for our senior citizens to scrape by.
Money woes shut down prisons
Budget crises are taking a toll in North Carolina, too.
Seven North Carolina prisons will be closed next month for lack of money. About 1,000 inmates will be affected.
We will see if these inmates can be absorbed by other prisons or if some sort of early release or house arrest will be necessary.
Prisons in Cleveland, Gates, Granville, Guilford and Union counties, as well as Wilmington Residential Facility for Women and McCain Correctional Hospital will close.
We understand the money problems. We know state officials (and federal, too) have had to make excruciating decisions. But we demand the reduction in prison cells not result in a softer approach on some crimes.
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