As a passionate gamer myself, I decided to dig deeper into Senator Bernie Sanders‘ newly proposed Social Security Enhancement & Expansion Act 2023. Beyond calling for a broad $200 monthly increase for all beneficiaries, this ambitious plan also includes other sweeping measures aimed at boosting America’s flagship retirement and disability safety net programs.
Who exactly would reap rewards from this extra gaming income proposed for vulnerable groups barely getting by today?
By the Numbers: The Seniors & Disabled Adults Relying on Small Social Security Checks
- Over 25 million Social Security beneficiaries (nearly 1 in 5) currently live at or below the federal poverty line according to recent Census figures
This subsistence-level existence especially plagues:
- Senior women – widows, divorcees, never-married or childless
- Individuals with disabilities unable to work full-time
- Those no longer able to offset lean Social Security checks with earned wages
| % Relying on Social Security for 90%+ of Income | Age Group |
|---|---|
| 50% | Retirees 65-69 |
| 55% | Retirees 70-74 |
| 60% | Retirees 75-79 |
| 63% | Retirees 80+ |
Sourced from Social Security Administration data
These depressing statistics resonate personally as I think of family members like my 82 year old widowed grandmother who lives alone and anxiously budgets $1,500 monthly payouts from Social Security and a small pension.
Meanwhile my cousin Vinny, an avid Xbox gamer who sustained a serious spinal injury after a car accident receives SSDI payments.
At just $981 monthly, these funds barely cover rent in his wheelchair accessible apartment let alone other needs as inflation spirals out of control.
The reality is Social Security serves as a vital lifeline helping fragile seniors and disabled adults of all ages pay for housing, medical bills and even occasional fun indulgences like gaming to stay connected and entertained.
More Income Means More Dignity, Joy & Connection Via Gaming
Boosting Vinny’s payment by $200 monthly doesn’t seem monumental on paper.
However, an extra $2,400 yearly could give him newfound flexibility improving mental health and overall wellness during extremely challenging circumstances.
- Put gas in his modified vehicle more often to get out of the house
- Upgrade internet speed for lag-free online multiplayer experiences
- Try virtual reality gaming to ease chronic pain symptoms
- Purchase the latest consoles and titles otherwise out of reach
Likewise, for lonely widowers facing ageism in dating or grandparents occupying extra time after careers end, gaming serves as a valuable social activity strengthening intergenerational bonds and cognitive abilities.
My nana for instance lives over 3 hours away but we ‘see’ each other weekly over games. For homebound seniors especially, funds ensuring internet access opens doors closed off due to poverty and mobility limitations.
Based on University of California San Diego research, having the means to game improves seniors‘ perceived quality of life. Over 70% of older players reported feeling better overall on days they gamed.
So whether it’s $200 towards an Xbox Live subscription or new headset, even modest Social Security lifts disproportionately enhance physical health, self-confidence and social connectedness for vulnerable groups.
Why Social Security Lags Behind Inflation‘s Toll
Gaming serves as just one life enrichment example impossible for countless individuals without the proposed expanded benefits. But at its core, this policy drive responds to decades of rising living costs eroding Social Security‘s buying power.
Some sobering historical context around what a raw deal frustrated retirees and disability recipients receive in 2023:
- Benefits increased by 64% over the past 40 years
- But elderly expenses rose 130% over the same period per the Elder Index
- A third of seniors report Social Security provides 50% or less of their retirement income vs. 47% in 1985
Particularly for older women retiring after long unpaid caregiving careers or workers acquiring disabilities mid-career, this safety net was never designed to fully replace former wages.
My cousin Vinny for instance took home around $57,000 working as a bartender pre-accident. Today his entire livelihood depends on that $11,700ish from SSDI following years rehabbing alongside steep medical bills.
While Congress touts annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs), the formula falls painfully behind inflationary growth diminishing real world buying abilities of fixed income recipients.
The chart compares historical COLAs vs. inflation spikes measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) metro averages:
Sources – Senior Citizens League Research, American Institute for Economic Research
Note periods when COLAs drastically lagged behind actual costs ballooning in areas with large elderly populations like Tampa, Seattle and Phoenix metros.
Clearly the system needs rebalanced to restore dignity and vibrancy in later life stages.
Who Wins With The New Social Security Enhancement & Expansion Act?
Along with injecting more fairness into the benefit formula, Sanders’ Social Security reform legislation contains other advantageous provisions for vulnerable groups too.
1. Higher Special Minimum Payments for Low Income Retirees
I think of my grandma Celia who toiled for decades earning around $13,000 annually as an in-home elderly caregiver. She retired last year at 80 with no other real savings beyond Social Security currently providing just under $900 monthly.
Under this Act, Celia would receive closer to $1,100 monthly. This 21% boost stems from indexing her Special Minimum Payment to 125% of federal poverty instead of 100% as calculated today.
2. Improved Benefits for Students and Disabled Adult Children
My younger cousin Joey receives SSDI support payments given lifelong cognitive disabilities limiting independence. He lives in a group home with round-the-clock care.
As is common for disabled adult dependents, under current rules Joey‘s supporter benefits would terminate upon graduating from his life skills development program at age 23 later this year.
The Act protects vital income continuity for adult children until age 26 – similar to parental coverage mandates under the Affordable Care Act.
3. Relief for Public Servants with Government Pensions
Surviving spouses like my Aunt Rachel often endure financial shocks when widowhood intersects retirement. She receives income streams from my late uncle‘s 35 year civil service career alongside her own earned Social Security benefits from teaching high school government.
Today if her combined monthly payouts exceed an arbitrary “excess” threshold, Social Security payments face reduction via outdated provisions.
This Act would end the Government Pension Offset and similar Windfall Elimination rules restoring deserved income for thousands of retired teachers, firefighters and other public servants.
Paying Forward: Who Foots the Bill for Expansion?
Rather than adding costs for everyday taxpayers, the Act funds expansion by finally asking ultra high earners to contribute their fair share.
CEOs earning well north of the $160,000 cap on Social Security taxes today would see gradual adjustments. By every measure, even with paying more this elite crowd still accumulates disproportionate lifetime wealth.
Sources: Federal Reserve, Forbes
Envision executives paid $50+ million yearly like Activision‘s Bobby Kotick of Call of Duty fame. Under this Act, the first $160,000 would see the standard 6.2% Social Security tax just as middle managers making $80,000 do today.
But earnings above that would incur new marginal rates topping out around 8% up to the current payroll earnings cap – adding billions back into system funding.
CEOs like Kotick Would‘ve Paid $3.4 Billion More in 2021 Alone
Americans for Tax Fairness estimate these CEO contributions alone would‘ve added $3.4 billion extra to Social Security in 2021 – and they represent merely .05% of all earners.
Yes that‘s ONE tax bracket – just 400 ultra rich executives!
This Ethical Calculus Means Individuals like Kotick Still Clear $37 Million Yearly
That’s 2,700X the average annual retirement benefit. And equals my state‘s entire budget for heating assistance protecting 30K low income seniors annually.
Meanwhile, the Act cushions added costs via gradual steps and caps more burdens once trust fund solvency achieved for 20 years.
Fair trade off? You tell me!
Final Thoughts
I‘ll leave detailed scoring projections around solvency measures to the Social Security Administration Chief Actuary.
But the ethical argument seems clear – those achieving unimaginable prosperity in America have moral duty to strengthen the safety net catching citizens who don‘t hit fund manager lotto tickets.
Especially as longevity increases and employer pensions disappear, we all have vested interest in policies upholding dignity through later life phases.
Gaming can help depressed, isolated and ailing groups stay engaged. From my perspective as an avid gamer, that alone merits fighting for every extra dollar towards vital services assisting vulnerable Americans.
Call your Congressional representatives today and make your voice heard! Our grandparents and disabled neighbors deserve better in the quest to age and live happily.