Daily Clips 4-02-12

 Strengthen Social Security Campaign (SSSC) / Social Security Works Clips Monday

 

04-02-12

 

SSW mention*

Huffington Post (NAT)

AARP: Social Security Should Not Be Part Of Deficit Discussion

03-31-12

Ryan Grimm

WASHINGTON -- AARP, the most powerful lobby for senior citizens, is committed to keeping Social Security out of any deficit debate going on in Washington, a top official told The Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/31/aarp-social-security-deficit-youve-earned-a-say_n_1393746.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger

 

Politico (DC)

Cliff Schecter's response to 'Open Mike: March 31 - April 1, 2012' - The Arena

03-30-12

If ever there were a week that reminded us of the role that big money plays in our politics, this was it. There was the vote on the Cooper/LaTourette Amendment, which would devastate Social Security by raising the retirement age, lowering cost of living adjustments and doing just about everything else they could think of to attack the most successful social insurance program in the history of this nation.

http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Cliff_Schecter_5A35810C-A5FB-44B9-849F-7034D719B179.html

 

US News and World Report (NAT)

What Older Workers Don't Know About Social Security

04-02-12

Emily Brandon

Most people approaching retirement lack knowledge about these key Social Security features.

http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2012/04/02/what-older-workers-dont-know-about-social-security

 

The Washington Post (DC)

Senior citizens continue to bear burden of student loans

04-01-12

Ylan Q. Mui

New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that Americans 60 and older still owe about $36 billion in student loans. More than 10 percent of those loans are delinquent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/senior-citizens-continue-to-bear-burden-of-student-loans/2012/04/01/gIQAs47lpS_story.html?hpid=z1

CNN (NAT)

Analysis: In secret, justices to decide fate of health care overhaul

03-30-12

Bill Mears

The public drama surrounding the Supreme Court's extraordinary three-day review of President Obama's health care reform law has faded, but the real intrigue has just begun. You just won't see it, and the final yet-unwritten chapter will come unannounced.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/30/politics/scotus-health-care-whats-next/index.html?hpt=hp_bn5

 

 The Bismarck Tribune (ND)

Social Security not lending fund

04-01-12

Herman Schafer

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/opinion/mailbag/social-security-not-lending-fund/article_8e178b98-7add-11e1-8a25-0019bb2963f4.html

 

CNN (NAT)

Rep. Paul Ryan: ‘I really misspoke’

04-01-12

Ashley Killough

(CNN) -- House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said Sunday he misspoke earlier in the week when he accused military officials of not being honest about the Pentagon budget. “I really misspoke,” Ryan said on CNN’s “State of the Union.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/01/rep-paul-ryan-i-really-misspoke/?hpt=hp_bn5

 

The Daily Caller

Social Security revenue unexpectedly jumps, however payouts at an all time high

04-02-12

Staff

Inflation and 10,000 new people a day getting SS checks are causing costs to soar

http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/02/social-security-revenue-unexpectedly-jumps-however-payouts-at-an-all-time-high/

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Let's Just Replace Social Security With Mega Millions

03-29-12

Don Steinberg

I know the odds of winning the $500 million jackpot in this Friday night's Mega Millions lottery are longer than Milton Berle's garden hose, something like 176-million-to-one. But I've been reading about the even more remote prospect that Social Security will provide any real money for my retirement, and 176-million-to-one is sounding like a pretty good deal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/don-steinberg/lets-just-replace-social-_b_1388405.html

 

Center For Economic And Policy Research (NAT)

Writer wanted to help convert class war into generational war. No skills required; pays top dollar.

03-30-12

Dean Baker

This could well have been the want ad Esquire used to attract a writer for its story titled, “War Against Youth.” This lengthy piece is the best compendium of warped logic and misplaced facts on this topic since the Peter Peterson financed film, IOUSA.

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/esquire-magazine-writer-wanted-to-help-convert-class-war-into-generational-war-no-skills-required-pays-top-dollar

 

Minnesota Post (MN)

Our ‘submerged state’: Invisible government policies may surprise you

Eric Black

04-02-12

I assume that many of those who preferred to believe that they received no government benefits were in denial. There may also be those who think Social Security and Medicare aren’t really “government social programs” because they “paid” for their benefits through their FICA “contributions.”

http://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2012/04/our-‘submerged-state’-invisible-government-policies-may-surprise-you

 

San Francisco Gate (CA)

Recession makes dying too expensive for the poor

04-01-12

Sanjay Basu

Rita is only in her 30s, but she knows all about death. What she didn't know until recently is how expensive it is, especially now in the Great Recession, for the poor to die. Rita's parents, who moved here from Mexico...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/30/INII1NQGME.DTL

 

Secondhand Smoke (Blog)

Single Payer Hurts the Poor

Wesley J. Smith

04-1-12

There is a very sad column in today’s SF Chronicle that details the trials and travails of a terminally ill woman who became homeless because she couldn’t work and was denied SSI benefits. I have no doubt the physician who wrote the piece meant for us to conclude we need to increase benefits for the poor and make them easier to obtain.

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2012/04/01/single-payer-hurts-the-poor/

 

WNYC (NY)

Sen. Schumer Defends Health Care Law

04-02-12

Lance Luckey

Senator Charles Schumer is warning that if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Obama administration's healthcare law, formally known ...

http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2012/apr/01/sen-schumer-defends-health-care-mandate/

 

Auburn (NY)

Why you should care about debt in the U.S.

04-02-12

Rob Murphy

With all the information that the federal government distributes to the public, it can be difficult to determine what is truly important. Collecting the data and compiling the statistics must bea very complicated task. Personally I have found that the larger more aggregate numbers are probably the most reliable. That’s good because there are some very large numbers of which you should be aware.

http://auburnpub.com/news/opinion/mailbag/why-you-should-care-about-debt-in-the-u-s/article_4df1c0e8-7c53-11e1-a218-0019bb2963f4.html

 

The Daily Caller (DC)

Social Security revenue unexpectedly jumps, however payouts at an all time high

04-02-12

Staff Writer

Inflation and 10,000 new people a day getting SS checks are causing costs to soar

http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/02/social-security-revenue-unexpectedly-jumps-however-payouts-at-an-all-time-high/

 

Nasty Jack (Blog)

Social Security Law mirrors Health Care Mandate so is it unconstitutional?

04-02-12

Jack E Dunning

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made the point in the Tuesday, March 27, arguments over President Obama’s Health Care Reform Law.  She drew a parallel between the 1930s Social Security Act in its financing of senior retirement, which uses the input of revenue from donors who will not take advantage of its benefits until a later date, to fund the program.

http://nastyjackbuzz.blogspot.com/2012/04/social-security-law-mirrors-health-care.html

 

Business Insider (NAT)

Social Security Revenue Unexpectedly Jumps Past Pre-Recession Levels

04-2-12

Bruce Krasting

Social Security (SS) has released estimates for both payroll tax revenues and benefits paid for April. The results are adjusted for the 2% payroll tax reduction.  (The Treasury pays SS monthly for the shortfall.) The numbers tell an interesting story.

http://www.businessinsider.com/social-security-revenue-unexpectedly-jumps-past-pre-recession-levels-2012-4

 

The Tennessean (TN)

Proposed Republican budget targets programs for the poor

04-1-12

Letter to the Editor: Ginny Welsch

He calls it a path to prosperity, but Rep. Scott DesJarlais is actually touting a path to poverty.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120402/OPINION02/120401010/Proposed-Republican-budget-targets-programs-poor

 

The Metro West Daily News (MA)

Save tax cuts for retirement

04-02-12

Deroy Murdock

The temporary payroll tax holiday that Americans are enjoying now looks like a full-time component of the U.S. economy. So, it might as well be put to better use. Congress should let payroll tax cut recipients place some or all of this money in voluntary personal retirement accounts.

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/opinion/columnists/x777660061/Murdock-Save-tax-cuts-for-retirement

 

The Hill (DC)

Pathway to prosperity: Prosperity for whom?

04-02-12

Donna Butts

Congressman Paul Ryan recently released his latest budget proposal, which he called the “Pathway to Prosperity. But if you look at the budget—even though it lacks specifics—you have to wonder, whose pathway to prosperity?

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-a-budget/219479-pathway-to-prosperity-prosperity-for-whom

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Paul Ryan Budget Sparks First Ads Blasting Medicare Cuts

04-1-12

Michael McAuliff

WASHINGTON -- Democrats are not waiting long to use Rep. Paul Ryan's federal budget proposal for next year as a campaign billy club.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/01/paul-ryan-budget-attack-ads-medicare-cuts_n_1394939.html?ref=politics

 

The Star Press (IN)

Legacy we all enjoy

03-30-12

Letter to the Editor: Reg Hasselgrave

While enduring major wars, Depression and the Soviet menace, our grandparents and parents envisioned a nation enjoying social justice, elimination of poverty, providing a good education and health care for all, a cleaner environment, world class infrastructure, a strong military, and unequaled prosperity. And then, bless them, they went for it.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20120402/OPINION03/204020302

 

 

Politics

 

The Hill (DC)

Obama ‘confident’ Supreme Court will uphold healthcare reform law

04-02-12

Jonathan Easley

The president said it would be “unprecedented” for the court to strike down the mandate to have insurance. President Obama on Monday said he is “confident” the Supreme Court will uphold his healthcare law.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/219547-obama-confident-supreme-court-will-uphold-healthcare-law

 

Politico (DC)

Mitt Romney gets boost from unified Wisconsin GOP

Reid J. Epstein

04-02-12

HOWARD, Wis. — Wisconsin Republicans are so focused on preventing Gov. Scott Walker’s June recall that they’re also poised to hand Mitt Romney a victory in Tuesday’s primary here. That’s because the party establishment is unified to an unprecedented degree behind Walker. The lack of a divide that has shown itself in other...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74734.html

 

The Washington Post (DC)

Burmese government says it was surprised by scale of Suu Kyi victory

04-02-12

Steve Finch

Top presidential adviser says fair election shows it is time for Washington to ease sanctions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/burmese-government-says-it-was-surprised-by-scale-of-suu-kyi-victory/2012/04/02/gIQAnnpHrS_story.html?hpid=z4

 

BBC News (INTL)

Syria 'agrees' to peace plan deadline, Annan tells UN

04-2-12

Staff

Syria accepts a deadline of 10 April to begin implementing a six-point peace plan, UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan tells the UN Security Council.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17587438

 

Politico (DC)

Ann Romney is the Romney Democrats fear most

Lois Romano

04-02-12

Ann Romney’s unexpected rock star status has the political arena buzzing about how her husband’s campaign will leverage her popularity in an election in which Michelle Obama — one of the most admired first ladies in history — will have an outsized and substantive portfolio. Indeed, this 62-year-old grandmother’s contribution...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74718.html

 

Yahoo! News (NAT)

New poll shows Obama making big gains with female voters in battleground states

04-02-12

From the blog New poll shows Obama making big gains with female voters in battleground states: The Ticket

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/poll-shows-obama-making-big-gains-female-voters-170245867.html

 

The Christian Science Monitor (NAT)

Officials tout record roundup of 'criminal aliens,' Obama immigration policy

04-2-12

A federal operation last week netted more than 3,000 'criminal aliens' nationwide, US immigration officials said Monday. They also defended Obama's immigration policy as 'sensible.'

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2012/0402/Officials-tout-record-roundup-of-criminal-aliens-Obama-immigration-policy