Default looms, seniors panic, House to go on break

Because of the ongoing debt limit crisis, the United States’ perfect credit rating is in jeopardy of being downgraded, according to Fitch, one of the nation’s top credit rating agencies, saying the warning “reflects increased political partisanship that is hindering reaching a resolution.” Fitch is clearly hoping the warning is enough to wake the Republican Congress up to the very real danger of default.  

That’s all pretty esoteric. What’s very concrete is the fear people living on fixed incomes feel right now. The first victims of default are going to be the most vulnerable—the oldest Americans and disabled people. People who are 88 and older, and those receiving Supplemental Security Income are the first group paid every month. They’re the ones most likely to have nothing left over at the end of the month if their payments are delayed, even by days.