Reply #5: Lovely. How very nice. When my father died...

[Zenlitened]

... my brother, sister and I were just kids. My mom had never been to college, and scrambled to find secretarial work. Without survivor benefits, we would have been OUT ON THE STREET. No doubt about it.

I wonder exactly how they'll define "middle and upper-income children and widows." (As if children have any income to begin with!) If a wage-earner croaks, it seems to me the HOUSEHOLD income is going to take a bit of a hit, no?

And the whole concept of survivor benefits is based on the fact that the wage-earner paid into Social Security, and his/her estate is entitled to some of the payout. Not to mention that, in most cases, that money is desperately needed if the survivors are to continue... um, surviving.

This is a basic Safety Net issue, plain and simple. And once again, the administration of jesus-freaks and bible-thumpers is taking a shot at the most vulnerable, at those most in need. Typical.