Retiree: President Obama's Economic Strategy for Retirees in Need of Help in 2011

Even as thousands of Americans face early retirements, my wife's government nest-egg helped her start her dream of opening up a floral shop at our residence in 2012. The present state of the economy have made the both of us to decide it would be a wise decision to cut our spending habits in order to pay off some additional bills, and begin to invest wisely for a secure long-term retirement.

Here are five requests I'd like to make of President Obama as he delivers his 2011 State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Priority Request #1: As the nation retirees face a bombardment of issues that concern many seniors' social security benefits; I would personally like the President Obama to focus more on social security benefits. My concern is how much increase will retirees receive in the near future, and if President Obama can make an amendment to protect future social security benefits.

Priority Request #2: I have had many discussions with retirees who wish that President Obama could somehow make a law that would give retirees a better rate of pay for those men and women who have to go back into the work force.The rate of pay that senior retirees receive is quite gloomy, and often times the pay does not compensate what social security benefits lack - in reference to the living arrangements of many retirees in 2011. I personally feel that retirees who re-enter the work force should be paid $11 to $12 an hour, in light of the fact that most retirees do not work a full 40 hour work week. Many retirees who have re-entered the work force work between 30 to 36 hours every two weeks. Many of these retirees are not allowed to work any extra hours due to the social security benefits law. This law only allows a retiree to work a certain amount of hours in order to retain their benefits, otherwise the recipient will be penalized if they violate this law. The rate of pay that I have listed, in my opinion is a fair assessment that can help retirees manage their finances, in addition to living a better life in 2011.

Priority Request #3: I am very concerned with the state of the union why so many retirees live in poverty; it is something that gets swept under rug in general conversations. I personally know many seniors whom live in South Carolina who barely have enough to pay their monthly rent, and can barely afford groceries month to month. I would like President Obama to address the needs of many retirees that reside in South Carolina to boost the SNAP (food stamp) benefits to help supplement their existing situation. Many retirees who receive $800 to $900 a month in social security benefits can only receive $15 to $25 a month.

Priority Request #4: All retirees are not equal in their relation to how much money they have on hand, or how many resources they have available to assist them in their daily living expenses. I would hope that President Obama would address the needs for assisted living in South Carolina, and the state of Georgia. Many residents are having a very difficult time in finding adequate transportation that will assist them in traveling around their neighborhoods, in addition to enjoying a day out on the town. There are many retirees that do not drive, nor have living family members to transport them around town, the local transportation in these areas are poor at best, they need to be upgraded to aid those retirees who are not as mobile as their counterparts.

Priority Request #5: Relatively being a younger retiree gives me the option to work on projects that I have put off for so many years. Although this may be a luxury for me, for many other retirees who are wrestling with health issues, their lives are much different from mine. I would hope that the Republican Party can work with President Obama in resolving the health care issue that confronts so many retirees in our nation. I would definitely love to see President Obama stick to his guns and not alter the health care bill, I personally feel that the American people, and retirees will benefit from this bill, and what it has to offer. Besides the health care bill, I hope that President Obama's State of the Union Address will be one that brings about the change that so many retirees are looking forward to in 2011