Congress can override old law

With regard to the Tuesday letter, “Increases dictated by 1973 legislation,” which stated, “The lack of a raise in Social Security wasn’t anything the current government had any say over

,” this is not true.

Among other things, the lawmakers could have passed a “House referendum” which would have effectively overridden the outdated legislation passed in 1973. The referendum could have reflected honest changes in the CPI, using the CPI-E (consumer price index for the elderly). Can any reasonable person deny that seniors on fixed incomes are adversely affected by regular increases in the cost of food, clothing, shelter, energy, insurance, health care, fees and taxes, etc.?

They deserve at least the same cost of living increases that their government “employees” receive. Perhaps if our politicians had not raided the Social Security fund so many times, their “stingy” attitude would change. For elderly recipients, Social Security income is a return on a life-long investment, and should not be referred to as an “entitlement,” which infers welfare.

They expect and deserve the government to a be good, honest steward of their investment. They don’t expect or deserve a government that is constantly finding ways to short-change them.

Don Sanders
Granite Falls

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, Nov. 21

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

FILE — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau logo is seen through a window at the CFPB offices in Washington on Sept. 23, 2019. Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were instructed to cease “all supervision and examination activity” and “all stakeholder engagement,” effectively stopping the agency’s operations, in an email from the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Ting Shen/The New York Times)
Editorial: Keep medical debt off credit score reporting

The federal CFPB is challenging a state law that bars medical debt from credit bureaus’ consideration.

Schwab: Release the files? Sure; Trump has nothing to hide.

The man’s an open book. And scandals that would destroy others’ political lives are a MAGA selling point.

Few seem to understand property taxes, Port of Everett included

Regarding the Nov. 13 front-page article about the Port of Everett’s 2026… Continue reading

Protect access and conservation of our public lands

I am one of millions of Americans who love our nation’s public… Continue reading

Won’t somone explain tariffs to Trump?

To borrow from the caption for The Herald Editorial Board’s Nov. 15… Continue reading

No Kings rally: Kids say darndest things

At Snohomish’s very large and very peaceful No Kings rally there was… Continue reading

A model of a statue of Billy Frank Jr., the Nisqually tribal fishing rights activist, is on display in the lobby of the lieutenant governor's office in the state Capitol. (Jon Bauer / The Herald.
Editorial: Recognizing state history’s conflicts and common ground

State officials seek consensus in siting statues of an Indian rights activist and a missionary.

FILE — President Donald Trump and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick display a chart detailing tariffs, at the White House in Washington, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. The Justices will hear arguments on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 over whether the president acted legally when he used a 1977 emergency statute to unilaterally impose tariffs.(Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)
Editorial: Public opinion on Trump’s tariffs may matter most

The state’s trade interests need more than a Supreme Court ruling limiting Trump’s tariff power.

Editorial: Welcome guidance on speeding public records duty

The state attorney general is advancing new rules for compliance with the state’s public records law.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, Nov. 20

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Comment: Trump’s $2,000 tariff rebates are a shell game

Most Americans have already paid $1,800 in price increases from the tariffs. It’s another distraction.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.