Social Security News 5-07-12

 SSW/SSSC mention **

The Vindicator (TX)

Does Social Security Need an Overhaul or Just a Minor Fix? 

05-07-12

Peter Malof

Nancy Altman, co-director of Social Security Works and co-chair of the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, says the program's foundation is strong, and Social Security can be kept solvent with relatively minor changes.

"There are many, many ways to bring that additional revenue in, keeping the fundamental structure there. It is a program that works and we should be strengthening it, rather than dismantling it brick by brick."

http://www.thevindicator.com/news/article_e2be1494-9853-11e1-839d-0019bb2963f4.html

Columbia Journalism Review (NAT)

Memo to Kevin Drum

05-03-12

Trudy Lieberman

Your discussion of how easy it would be to come up with a package of fixes, if only Republicans would compromise, falls into the trap of the approved narrative for Social Security. It’s an expedient political frame that has so far excluded a discussion of how any of these changes will affect ordinary people now and in the future.

http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/memo_to_kevin_drum.php

 

The Washington Post (DC)

Obama’s ‘Life of Julia:’ misleading on Social Security

05-07-12

Glenn Kessler

FACT CHECKER | The Obama campaign’s innovative infographic compares Romney’s proposals with an unrealistic fantasy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/obamas-life-of-julia-misleading-on-social-security/2012/05/07/gIQABzb06T_blog.html

 

SSW/SSSC mention **

 

Ruidoso News (NM)

Social Security and the 'big lie'

05-03-12

Harold Morgan

The PBS NewsHour snagged Nancy Altman, co-director of Social Security Works, a "social justice" organization, for an April 23 appearance. Altman said Social Security is "generally in good shape." Upon hearing this, I almost rolled off the couch.

http://www.ruidosonews.com/ruidoso-opinion/ci_20543427/social-security-and-big-lie

 

Talking Points Memo (Blog)

Lugar Ad On Social Security: 'Heaven Help Us — 'Cause Mourdock Won't'

05-07-12

Eric Kleefeld

Sen. Dick Lugar has a new in the final days of the Indiana Republican primary, going after state Treasurer Richard Mourdock on the issue of cutting Social Security — in a very stark manner that is unusual for a Republican. "He's not thinking, is he?" an elderly woman says. "No...

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/lugar-ad-on-social-security-heaven-help-us?ref=fpblg

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Jamie Dimon Backs Simpson-Bowles Plan

05-04-12

Luke Johnson

JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Thursday backed the Simpson-Bowles proposal, which cuts entitlements, other spending and raises taxes to reduce the deficit. Speaking at the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester, Dimon said that "the U.S. is the opposite of Europe, we know the way [to solve our crises], it’s called Bowles-Simpson," according to Forbes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/jamie-dimon-simpson-bowles-plan_n_1478484.html

 

Fox Business (NAT)

'It’s the Economy, Stupid!' The Social Security Sequel

05-07-12

Gail Buckner

The prolonged recession caused more people than usual to file for Social Security benefits in 2009 in spite of financial consequences that will affect them for the remainder of their lives.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/05/07/its-economy-stupid-social-security-sequel/

 

Philadelphia Daily News (PA)

Story of Social Security failure is getting old

05-07-12

Staff

Listen up, boys and girls, moms and dads .?.?. grandmas and grandpas: It’s time for yet another installment of  ”Why Social Security is Not Going Bankrupt.” This restatement of basic facts is necessary because so much of the media once again have misinterpreted last week’s annual report by the Social Security Trust Fund, complete with scary headlines about how the system is going broke and won’t be there when today’s young people retire.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20120507_Story_of_Social_Security_failure_is_getting_old.html

 

The Star Tribune (MN)

You're entitled -- that's the American way

05-05-12

Dane Smith

The new bogeyman in our national policy debate is "entitlement”

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/150242315.html?page=1

 

 

Politics

 

The Economist (UK)

France's new president: Now for the hard part

05-07-12

Staff

IT WAS quite a night for the Socialist Party. After a first victory speech in his rural constituency of Corrèze, François Hollande landed back in Paris after midnight to address cheering crowds who had gathered symbolically at the capital’s Place de la Bastille—birthplace of the 1789 revolution, and site of the victory celebrations in 1981 of François Mitterrand, France’s only other modern Socialist president. 

http://www.economist.com/blogs/elysee/2012/05/frances-new-president

 

The Washington Post (DC)

Wonkbook: What does Europe want to do now?

05-07-12

Ezra Klien

The regime changes in France and Greece, and Hollande's presence at the negotiating table, offers an excellent opportunity to change course.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-what-does-europe-want-to-do-now/2012/05/07/gIQAWKSf7T_blog.html

 

Telegraph (UK)

France election: Germany rules out reworking EU's 'fiskalpakt'

05-07-12

Roland Gribben, Henry Samuel, Bruno Waterfield

"It is not possible to renegotiate the fiscal pact," government spokesman Steffen Seibert said during a news conference.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/francois-hollande/9250187/France-election-Germany-rules-out-reworking-EUs-fiskalpakt.html

 

The New Yorker (NY)

Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney, an Uninspiring Race

05-07-12

Geprge Packer

The contest of the slogans suggests that it’s going to be a very long six months, with a deficit of passion on both sides of the red-blue line...

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2012/05/14/120514taco_talk_packer

 

Roll Call News (DC)

White House Still Ducking Gay Marriage Questions

05-07-12

Steven T. Dennis

Week after week, month after month, reporters ask White House Press Secretary Jay Carney the same question: When will the president finally tell us what he really thinks about gay marriage?

http://www.rollcall.com/news/white_house_still_ducking_gay_marriage_questions-214288-1.html?pos=hftxt

 

Rolling Stone (NAT)

The Jobs Report: More Evidence Austerity Doesn't Work

Jared Bernstein

05-04-12

This just in: AUSTERITY DOESN’T WORK!

It doesn’t work here, it doesn’t work in Europe, it doesn’t work for state and local governments.  I’m tempted to ask how many data points we need to recognize this crucial economic truth, but I’m afraid data points don’t have much to do with it.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/the-jobs-report-more-evidence-austerity-doesnt-work-20120504

 

MSNBC (NAT)

First Read - First Thoughts: Obama tries to re-frame the election

05-07-12

Chuck Todd, Domenico Montanaro, Natalie Cucchiara, and Brooke Brower

Two lessons learned from Obama’s official campaign kickoff … “Go” hard or go home … Romney pushes middle-class message … It’s still the economy, stupide and blakas – what Europe’s election taught us.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/07/11578169-first-thoughts-obama-tries-to-re-frame-the-election?lite