Mrs. Goofy and I received our annual statement from the Social Security Administration yesterday, telling us what the inflation increase would be and what next years checks would look like.

We’re both getting less.

The inflation increase is small, but the Medicare premium increase to be deducted is large, large enough to swamp the inflation increase. I have a Humana plan (not Gold), and the Mrs. has straight Medicare, and we’re both getting less.

For us it doesn’t matter, that income is a small part of how we live these days, but I suspect there are going to be a LOT of people for whom this will come as a shock - and I note that these statements were sent out before the Senate rejection of ACA subsidies, so for an increasingly large segment of the populace there’s about to be an eye opener. (I am somewhat surprised that they managed to get the statements out at all, DOGE and all.)

Anyway, let’s watch that “approval rating” notch down a couple more points; couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.