Money, Money, Money

I don’t have a lot of extra money to spend on things.  When I take out a loan for a car or a house I have a sneaking suspicion that I don’t always get the best interest rate. 

Loans and interest rates are slanted to favor those who have the most money.  If you have more money, you are practically guaranteed the lowest interest rates.  That means the payments will be lower. 

In turn, lower income people are charged the highest interest rates.  The theory is that the less money you have, the less likely you are to pay off your loans.  Lower income people have been painted as thieves or less than honest people who will default on their loans.  Who decided this and when did it happen?  Was it in the Dark Ages, or was it some actuarial table?

Personally I don’t think honesty or character can be judged by how much money you have.  You could research this by doing a simple Google search of our finest lawmakers:  Congress.  They are typically well off peoples and yet they have financial skeletons in their closets.

Just today in the news, Tom DeLay was found guilty of money-laundering charges in a campaign finance scheme.  DeLay was the former Republican House Majority Leader.   That’s not to say that it’s only Republicans, Democrats are just as guilty.  I’m sure I could find stories to match if I took the time.  This one just popped up.

According to an article in CBS news, the number of millionaires in Congress is currently at 261, and the base pay for members of Congress is $174,000.[1]   49% of our Congressmen are millionaires, while only 1% of the citizens that they represent claim the same status. 

How can Congress possibly relate to the average American when passing laws that affect us in our everyday life – when taxing our incomes, for example, or deciding whether or not to extend the tax on Social Security above the $102,000 limit, or whether to continue the Bush tax cuts on incomes above $250,000?

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[1] http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20023147-503544.html

Labor Day weekend

What did you do over the three day weekend?  I  spent money, did a lot of reading and had acupuncture.

I went shopping for some clothes.  I found a good deal on some pants and sweaters - winter is coming.  I actually tried on a winter coat, but didn't buy...not yet.

I bought a book online.  It didn't happen on purpose.  I was browsing an astrology site (elsaelsa.com) and the site owner was talking about the book "Methland."  She was describing the horrors in the book and how she couldn't put it down.  I won't go into it here, but it was happening in a small town in Iowa.

I clicked the link for the book, and over to Amazon I went.  I have an account set up there, and oops, I hit the one click to order button.  I was considering buying it anyway, since it was pulling me in like a "car wreck you're passing and you can't help but look" hooks.  Ya know what I mean?

I chalked up that oops to Mercury retrograde.  It will pass soon after Mercury goes direct on Sept. 12th.

I had acupuncture on Monday morning.  Dr. Zhou had a very busy clinic on Labor Day.  It was amazing - I usually never wait long, but on a holiday this appointment took an hour and a half.  It usually lasts 45 minutes.  There were people waiting in the lobby when I came out.  There's usually no one waiting.  He is one busy guy!

Time to put away the blog, the laptop and wind down.  Back to work in the morning...

Summer is ending...

Summer is coming to an end.  I can tell by the signs:  the pool has been quiet and football is on TV again. 

Football season hasn’t officially started yet, but the pre-season games started last week.  So, the games have begun.  Yes, Summer is almost over.

The next thing you know, the temperatures will go down rapidly.  That means snuggling into the clothes that hug you and make you feel warm. 

I have visions of the fireplace going in my mind already.

Back to school shopping is in full swing!  Just ask my delighted husband.  He has run into all the happy mothers and their wonderful offspring at the stores.

James misses his days of teaching.  From time to time he reminisces, a brief smile comes over his face and he tells me of another fond memory.  Oh yes, those were the days...

I’m not usually fond of the end of Summer.  This year I’m anxious for October to get here.  I get to meet up with my peeps in Chicago!  Oh, and the weekend before that in Dallas for Laura & Bryan’s wedding!

For now, we will deal with Mercury retrograde for the next three weeks.

Is someone out to steal your Social Security benefits?

I've been hearing a lot about the illegal immigrants and how they're stealing our Social Security benefits. In an effort to find out for myself what the facts are, instead of digesting what is fed to me by the media, I went on a fact finding mission.  I first went to the Social Security Administration to find out how a person qualifies for Social Security benefits.

Who qualifies for Social Security benefits at retirement?  According to the Social Security website, “When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits.  The number of credits you need to get retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work).”

Another way of qualifying is to be married at least 10 years to someone who pays in to Social Security.  You can even be divorced from them and collect on their benefit.  You must be 62 and unmarried.

The final way of qualifying is through disability.  That has to be the least appealing way to qualify, in my mind, at least.

    

To sign up for benefits you need:  1) a social security number, 2) a birth certificate, 3) your W-2 forms or self-employment tax return for last year; 4) your military discharge papers if you had military service; 5) your spouse’s birth certificate and Social Security number if he or she is applying for benefits; 6) proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you (or a spouse or child applying for benefits) were not born in the United States; and, 7) the name of your financial institution, the routing number and your account number, so your benefits can be deposited directly into your account

Reference: Social Security Administration Publication No. 05-10035, January 2010

Well that seems to put to rest any fears I might have that illegal immigrants are going to steal my Social Security benefits.  

In the last few years I have been following the retirement estimates from Social Security a lot closer.  You know, the ones they send you every year about three months before your birthday.  The more I make, the higher the benefits have climbed.  I certainly wouldn't appreciate an illegal alien stealing my number and submitting earnings at minimum wage!

I read an article in the New York Times that says the contributions to Social Security from illegal immigrants largely allow the program to stay afloat.  It has been said that illegal aliens contribute $8 billion a year to Social Security.  This is money they paid in, but will never receive back in retirement.

How can this happen?  How can illegal aliens have a Social Security number?  According to that New York Times article (April 5, 2005) by Eduardo Porter:  It’s quite simple: they are buying fake or assuming other people's numbers.  Since the late 1980s the Social Security Administration has experienced a huge increase in the number of W-2 earnings reports with false numbers.  They have set aside what is called an “earnings suspense file” as a result.  They are hoping to someday clear out this file, but it has continued to grow, and was, at last estimated in 2005, growing on average by more than $50 billion a year.  The Social Security tax revenue gain as a result of this is estimated at $6 billion to $7 billion, and another $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes.

So why is there all of this concern that illegal immigrants will take our Social Security benefits without ever paying into it?  I suggest that it is another piece of the propaganda puzzle.  I think this is an example of a manipulation of our emotions – simply to outrage the public.

Vacation day

Image via Wikipedia

I've taken today off and extended my holiday weekend.  It feels incredibly luxurious to be sitting around in my nightgown and robe at 9:51 a.m. on a Tuesday morning.

We're waiting anxiously for our new iPhones to be delivered.  We know that they're on the truck to be delivered as we've been tracking their progress since they left China on July 1st.  Isn't modern life with email and tracking of packages mind-blowing?

On Saturday there is another eclipse.  This time it's a solar eclipse.  Again, it will fall on my Moon.  I've been feeling this urge to get something done.  And that's exactly what this eclipse is about - it's in Cardinal signs which are all about getting something done - starting projects, especially in this case with the conjunction to my Moon, projects that involve the home.  I did get something done and it was in response to James doing some clearing of his own.  He cleared out his side of the bedroom - totally cleared it.  I did the same thing yesterday.  We have an uncluttered bedroom.  It looks like it could handle more furniture now - perhaps a side chair or a rocker.  I would love to set the bed at an angle across the corner of the room, but there's a air vent for the heat/AC, so it won't do to cover it up with the bed.  On the opposite side of the room our chest of drawers is set up this way (across the corner) and I had not considered before that this might work for the bed.  Hmmm...the cable connections are there, so that won't work either.  Decorating choices!!

I did some clearing in my flowers yesterday between rain showers.  I found some branches that the yard service guys left in our peonies.  I threw those aside, and pulled out some weeds.  I absolutely adore the flower blooms.  The geraniums are bulging with blooms of all colors - bright pinks, lavender, blush pink and a deep pink.  We also have a deep crimson regal geranium that is flush with blooms.  The regal geraniums come in many colors and bloom heartily all summer long.  I just love them.  We had a white with lavender tipped one last year that was quite lovely, so I couldn't pass them up this year.  We also have my forever favorite - two begonias in peachy orange.  They are so full of blooms that they look like bouquets.

It looks like rain, but the sun is trying to shine at the same time.  James just left for his workout.  Time for me to hit the shower and beautify myself!

Lunar Eclipse with Cardinal Grand Cross

Wow, yesterday was the lunar eclipse! The energy was intense and continues to be intense. The reason behind this is mainly due to the influence of two planets - Uranus and Pluto.

Uranus and Pluto are approximately 90 degrees apart, or squaring each other. This same configuration happened over 40 years ago in the mid '60s. Think back to the social unrest of those days. Young people were rising up against the powers that be. There were riots in the streets. There were riots in the streets against the G20 last night in Ontario.

Pluto was in Virgo in the 1960s; Pluto is in Capricorn now. Capricorn is socially aware and represents values and reputations. Uranus is in Aries. Aries is exciting, bold, feisty, seeks to discover through experience. Are we to seek out and transform ourselves through experiments? Will technology solve our energy crisis? I predict each community will become independent suppliers of their own energy needs.