Confessions of a Grandma

as in cost of living adjustment… not   Those of us who are collecting social security benefits can expect an increase of 1.7% in 2013.  WOOHOO!  We’re in the money! The cost of living adjustment is in place to insure that the purchasing power of social security benefits are not consumed by inflation.  This is determined on a limited time sample.  Apparently, the cost of living did not rise significantly between 8 a.m. and 1:32 p.m. last Tuesday. Well it is obvious that the cost of grocery items have not gone up significantly.  (??)  You can still buy a container of ice cream for about five bucks.  Never mind that ice cream used to come in half-gallon containers.  If you can even find a half-gallon container these days, it will cost more than five bucks.  Don’t quote me on the prices of ice cream, but surely you notice that everything comes in old size packages with less product inside.  Ice cream packages look to be the sa...

I was glad (and proud, too) to read this essay on Social Security from one of my State Senators, Bernie Sanders.  It starts with: Social Security is the most successful social program in American history. It shouldn't be privatized; its benefits shouldn't be cut; and the retirement age shouldn't be raised. And it just gets better from there.  Recommended reading.