This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which supporters say will help reduce inflation and invest in clean energy.

 

“I doubt it will be a good thing, because they’re picking and choosing who they want to help with lowering prescription drugs; they want to only help the people on Medicaid or Medicare. What about the people who don’t have Medicaid? If they have no benefits, no health insurance, no nothing, what about them? Yes, absolutely, it will help the seniors. I’m not really into all the politics; it’s like they want us to know what they want us to know, and basically only tell us what they want to tell us, and they think we’re going to believe everything. No, I don’t believe it, and the news doesn’t tell you everything either. Absolutely, I will vote this week.”

Angel Rivera,

Kingsbridge

 

“As far as hiring additional IRS agents……what they need to do is hire more police officers. They should use that money to add more police to combat crime. Forget about the IRS; that’s my opinion on that. Now on this other thing with this green deal……people have to spend money to save money? That doesn’t make any sense. In order to make your house green, you’ve got to spend thousands of dollars on these solar panels, and later on you’re going to get a savings? That’s no savings because you’re spending money. I don’t see anyone saving any money on that. I have Medicare, that I agree with! I agree with that. That’s the only thing I see that’s helpful to everyone that’s on Medicare, like senior citizens, but as far as this other stuff, a lot of it is going to be pork.”

Johnny N.,

Westchester Square

 

“I don’t know much about it, but I did hear about them negotiating the cost of prescription drugs. I’ll use my father as an example, but every year it’s harder for him, and he has to pay for his medication. So, let’s say Social Security gets a 2 percent raise; it’s a joke. The cost of Medicare, let’s say, goes up 5 percent, but he only got a 2 percent raise, and Medicare alone went up 5 percent. So, his 2 percent went towards the 5 percent, and it’s still 3 percent higher. And what about everything else in his life that went up? Now here’s what gets me: all of these drugs are created in the United States, but it’s cheaper to buy them in another country. How is that possible?”

Michael Labarbera,

Brooklyn

 

“It doesn’t make any sense. It won’t have an effect on anyone for years, so it doesn’t matter. So, I can get an electric vehicle and charge it in one of the two spots they have? I’m just saying immediately, right now, this week, it’s not going to help anybody, but maybe by the end of the year it might make a difference, but we’ll see. The system is always fixed against the little guys. I was always wonder if a building like mine can get solar panels. I see some of the newer buildings have them.”

Chris Perkins,

Norwood

“I don’t believe it will help very much now; it may help several months from now. I think if they had prepared for things better, it would not have been so bad after COVID and everything else, including the invasion of Ukraine. I support the negotiation on the cost of medicine because I was denied some drugs, because my insurance wouldn’t pay for it. As far as the rich and their taxes, I believe rich people should pay their taxes, whatever it’s supposed to be. I pay my taxes, even if I don’t work very much, so they should pay their taxes too.”

Thania Rodriguez,

Norwood