With Cuts to Federal Programs Americans are Being Hurt and need help

This was a recent article published by Dr. Robert Riech and INEQUALITY MEDIA Civic Action

Social Security is one of the smartest, most effective, and most popular programs in American history. For nearly a century, through economic ups and downs, it has never missed a payment, always delivering benefits on time to every eligible American. We can be proud of how reliable and beneficial this system is.

Before Social Security was created in 1935, nearly half of our nation’s seniors lived in poverty. Today, that number is down to 10.3 percent. In 2021 alone, Social Security lifted more than 18 million older Americans out of poverty. Despite this remarkable success, far too many seniors and people with disabilities still struggle to get by, while Republicans in Congress push for deep l cuts to Social Security benefits. House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle reports that the Republican Study Committee’s released 2025 budget would “make Republican plans to gut Social Security a reality.” Forcing Americans to work longer for less, they would “cut Social Security benefits for 257 million people, or 3 in 4 Americans.” This is the same proposed Republican budget that ends Medicare as we know it, attacks the Affordable Care Act, and slashes food assistance for children. And it offers all this destruction in order to pander to the ultra-rich with $4.5 trillion dollars in tax cuts.

Nearly 40% of seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, nearly half of Americans 55 and older have zero retirement savings, and the average Social Security benefit is only $1,688 a month. The program has a $2.85 trillion surplus and can pay full benefits until 2035. Yet, some Republicans in Congress still claim Social Security is going broke. It’s not going broke, but we can do better. Instead of cutting Social Security benefits just to line the pockets of billionaires, let’s find ways to increase benefits to all Americans and improve its solvency now, and beyond 2035. We can make Social Security stronger, not weaker>. This is the effect of legislation sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Val Hoyle: the Social Security Expansion Act of 2025.

Now, the richest man on earth, Elon Musk, is working on a hostile takeover of Social Security, threatening $500 billion in cuts to Social Security and Medicare. If this bill had been passed when first introduced just four years ago, Musk would have paid $2.9 billion more in taxes, Social Security would have been solvent for 75 years, benefits would have increased by $2,400, and 93% of Americans wouldn’t have paid a penny more in taxes.

So, the question is, will there be some sort of compromise where none of these drastic and ridiculous cuts will be implemented or will they be approved and go into effect very quickly. As has been published by National News Media and social media the real possibility exists for chainsaws to be used to cut all of Government established and approved budgets. As taxpayers we should be able to persuade the politicians to use a microscope and a scalpel to save money that is supposedly being wasted. I think we need to start by blowing up our representative’s phone lines, email address and physical addresses with the message “Stop the Presses”. Trust me, that is the minimum action that you and I need to start taking. In my last post I asked to call a spade a spade. Today, Politicians are pawns moved around by puppet masters called mega donors. It is very difficult to follow their own agenda, as a politician, unless they have a majority of constituents that have the same exact agenda as them. (There are some politicians in whose districts I will never go to).

But representatives are driven by their supporters. Unfortunately, we now have a few puppets master’s that can mandate all branches of government to do as they want not what is really needed by or for our country. It is sad that being gaslighted as citizens and kept from being able to see the future agenda of these few, has created a monster. Our representatives are being blackmailed so they won’t even do what their constituents demands for them to do. And they can’t be recalled so they have to resign or for the sake of their constituents or put on the gloves and fight the blackmail. We have to help them and let them know we control the vote not the mega donors. I have used this phrase many times and it is vital to understand the significance of it and how to work to amend the message. “Folks don’t know what they don’t know they don’t know”. Did you know that there is a little town called Gas City? For a few of you this information may be common knowledge, but I would guess that most of you reading this post did not know that the little town called Gas existed. What may be interesting to learn is how few of you care that you “didn’t know what you did not know” about Gas City. There in lays the big problem. What are somethings everyone on earth should know that that they don’t know. Where is Gas City is, should be low on list of things to know. But on the flip side what should every person on earth know? You can start your own list and send me your top ten via https://habitacionesparalatinos.org/contact-us/. Some proof that GOD exist maybe the number one question on a majority of your minds, but I would dare say there are folks who know nothing about GOD’s. The need for survival is not only common knowledge, but how to best do that is the biggest need to teach, learn or to make people aware of.

To sustain one’s health and nurture your body? For me that carries forward for people closest and dearest to me. Natural life sustaining resources are food and water. In whatever form that comes to you is vital. It cannot contain ingredients that will kill you, neither immediately nor even over the course of time. (Death is inevitable but should not be accelerated). The next resource needed after we have food, and water comes protection from the elements. That comes in the need of shelter and having the resources to keep the body warm or cool. We must add companionship, but that is another story for another time. Today the US population is concerned with having fresh water, nutritious food and basic shelter. (heat, warm and protection from the elements). Drought, water contamination, infested produce, bird flu, floods and forest fires is forces threating our survival. Money may be the root of all evil, but it is the primary source of survival in that it takes money to buy the basic needs to survive today. Even the survivalist need money to buy a compass.

HPLA Charities is asking you for donations. Thankfully most of us have the resources to buy whatever we need to survive. However outrageous the cost of goods is rising we can make it. But look around and see those around you who obviously can’t make it. Watch closely as Mom shops for the cheapest price in every category of the grocery store, milk, eggs, vegetables etc. See that at the checkout even the child does not get a piece of gum or a treat. It is heart breaking to see this suffering and the number of these folks are increasing. The world baits us with carrots on the end of the stick called tobacco, alcohol, tattoos and sex. The most intelligent of Americans succumb to the carrots dangled by the world no matter how poor. One line I use to explain my clients is “some people are hurting through no fault of their own” and you must walk in their shoes and live in their world in order to understand and appreciate their needs. I have seen where just a little help can bring folks out of their rut and back to the ability to sustaining their families and themselves. Fixing a leaky toilet can reduce the cost of water enough to buy a gallon or two of milk per month. New HVAC filters, a storm door, insulation around windows and doors. Most important is smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors which helps with utility billing and the safety everyone needs. In the last 6 months the call for utility help, interim food between paydays along with handrails, wheelchair ramps and yard waste removal has been mission. Winter temperatures and the demands are the worst. A busted water line feeding water to a mobile home had frozen solid, but was fixed in promptly in February. You and your significant others must come first but know there are human beings out here as bad off as the stray dog or cat just wanting a warm place and some food and drink.

Help us find and help those folks. Let us know if you know or suspect someone who is hurting. Donate for their benefit not for ours. HPLA takes no donation money to maintain our existence as a non-profit or to perpetuate any of our board or staff. All work is done by volunteers, and your donations are used to buy supplies or to benefit the clients in need directly. Safe donations are done best given through our website which is managed by PayPal at www.hplacharities.org/donate

As a Latino and Veteran, it is vital to find and help our active military as well as veterans that need help so we can help. It is vital to find those Latinos that are fearing they will be separated from their families by mistake. More importantly is to find shut-Ins that “Don’t Know What They Don’t know” that help is available a phone call away. Please help us find those we miss.

God Bless You and God Bless America,

Robert Flores Chairman HPLA Charities aka Habitaciones Para Latinos Assocation 913-269-4450

Serving Wyandotte and Sedgwick Counties of Kansas