Social Security News 5-16-12

Associated Press (NAT)

Deficit summit brings about more talk, no answers  

05-16-12

Andrew Taylor

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., addresses a rally outside a venue for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation's 2012 Fiscal Summit, Tuesday, May 15, 2012, in Washington.

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/deficit-summit-brings-about-1438112.html

Huffington Post (NAT)

Peter Peterson Spent Nearly Half A Billion In Washington Targeting Social Security, Medicare

05-15-12

Ryan Grim & Paul Blumenthal

But Peterson has been able to drive a major shift in elite consensus about government spending, with talk of "grand bargains" that would slash entitlements, cut corporate tax rates and end personal tax breaks, such as the mortgage deduction, that benefit the middle class.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/peter-peterson-foundation-half-billion-social-security-cuts_n_1517805.html

 

The Raw Story (Blog)

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks against GOP summit to cut Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid 

05-15-12

Kay Steiger

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced plans to a press conference Tuesday on the dangers of a Republican plan to cut social safety net programs Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, according to Fire Dog Lake.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/15/watch-live-sen-bernie-sanders-speaks-against-gop-summit-to-cut-medicare-social-security-and-medicaid/

 

The Washington Post (NAT)

Sen. Tom Coburn, part one: Defusing the debt bomb

05-15-12

Ezra Klein

"If President Obama is president again, those problems are still there and we have to solve them. He knows that. We've had conversations where he's told me he'll go much further than anyone believes he'll go to solve the entitlement problem if he can get the compromise. And I believe him. I believe he would." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/sen-tom-coburn-part-one-defusing-the-debt-bomb/2012/05/15/gIQAIUteRU_blog.html

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Bill Clinton, Boehner and Some Other Rich White Guys Had a "Summit" and Agreed: It's Your Fault

05-16-12

Richard (RJ) Eskow

The Summiteers convened in a nation wracked by unemployment and filled with crumbling schools and bridges. There they concluded that our most urgent problem is ... government deficits. That's like preaching about water conservation when your house in on fire.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/bill-clinton-boehner-and_b_1520025.html

 

MSN Money (NAT)

Gay couples can't bank Obama's blessing yet

05-15-12

When President Obama embraced same-sex marriage last week, he tried to frame it as an issue for the states to resolve. But federal laws and policies are very much front and center in the battle for a level financial playing field for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans - especially seniors. And the Obama administration is taking a more active role in that battle than the president let on in his historic interview.

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=OBR&date=20120515&id=15112698

 

Bennington Banner (VT)

Time to re-evolve on Social Security

05-16-12

Cliff Schecter

During the last year’s debate over the cliched "Grand Bargain," when right-wing congressman were doing their darndest to moonwalk this country into financial default, perhaps just as frightening is what Democrats were willing to put on the table to appease the economic Morlocks. Namely, Medicare and the aforementioned Social Security (an issue that I work on), the latter so successful and politically powerful that it was responsible for taking millions of seniors (and children) out of poverty and helping cement an economically populist coalition within the Democratic Party that lasted a half century.

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/opinion/ci_20632118/time-re-evolve-social-security

 

Richmond County Daily Journal (NC)

Social Security Column Why young workers should care about Social Security

05-16-12

Brenda Brown

Summer will be here before we know it. That means millions of high school and college students will be searching for jobs. Whether a new worker is beginning the career of a lifetime or just earning some extra money for the school year to come, one question is likely to be on new workers’s mind when he or she sees their first pay stub: Where is the rest of my money?   Generally, employers are required to withhold Social Security and Medicare tax from a worker’s paycheck.

http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/view/full_story/18603192/article-Social-Security-Column--Why-young-workers-should-care-about-Social-Security?instance=popular

 

Talking Points Memo (DC)

Boehner Sets Up Repeat Of Debt Limit Catastrophe

05-15-12

Brian Beutler

In addition to teeing up another debt limit fight for the lame duck session of Congress later this year, by demanding dollar-for-dollar budget cuts in exchange for new borrowing authority, House Speaker John Boehner also insists that regardless of the…

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/05/boehner-debt-limit-lame-duck-taxes.php

 

The Washington Post (NAT)

Ryan budget still an issue in congressional races

05-13-12

Ed O'Keefe

Democrats hope to retake the House by accusing GOP lawmakers of supporting Rep. Ryan’s plan to “end Medicare as we know it.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ryan-budget-still-an-issue-in-congressional-races/2012/05/13/gIQAbQfHNU_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend

 

The Washington Post (NAT)

Wonkbook: Of course Boehner wants another debt-ceiling showdown

05-16-12

Ezra Klien

The question is what, aside from complain, Democrats and the business community will do to stop him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-of-course-boehner-wants-another-debt-ceiling-showdown/2012/05/16/gIQATp2STU_blog.html

 

Yahoo News (NAT)

Report: Denial of Social Security Benefits Perpetuates Homelessness

05-16-12

Staff

Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), are critical to keeping people with disabilities in stable housing through income support and health services. Unfortunately, the application process is cumbersome and freezes out many eligible homeless people. While up to 40 percent are potentially eligible due to physical or mental disability, only 14 percent actually receive benefits.

http://news.yahoo.com/report-denial-social-security-benefits-perpetuates-homelessness-143212099.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CfXDbRPpHYA60HQtDMD

 

The Washington Post (DC)

Democrats talk about cutting entitlements. Republicans don’t talk about raising taxes.

05-16-12

Suzy Khimm

The two parties are not the same.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/democrats-talk-about-cutting-entitlements-republicans-dont-talk-about-raising-taxes/2012/05/16/gIQAfU28TU_blog.html

 

Politics

 

NPR (NAT)

Candidates Gird For A 'Scorched Earth' Campaign

05-16-12

Alan Greenblatt

With both the economy and his own poll numbers weaker than he'd want them to be, President Obama has launched attack ads against Mitt Romney that are unusually blunt for this early stage of a campaign. And Romney has responded with a few roundhouse rights of his own.

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/15/152775642/candidates-gird-for-scorched-earth-campaign-season

 

The New York Times (NAT)

Greece Teeters Ahead of New Vote

05-16-12

Liz Alderman and Rachel Donadio

Amid warnings of the possibility of bank runs, state television said June 17 would be the date for a new round of elections.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/world/europe/greece-teeters-ahead-of-new-vote.html?_r=1

 

The New York Times (NAT)

Sharply Critical of Police, Judge Widens Stop-and-Frisk Suit 

05-16-12

Al Baker

In a ruling highly critical of the Police Department, a federal judge has opened the door to allowing many more plaintiffs to join a lawsuit challenging the department's stop-and-frisk policy.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/judge-allows-class-action-status-in-stop-and-frisk-lawsuit/?hp

 

The Hill (DC)

VP Biden attacks Romney's jobs record

05-16-12

Josh Lederman

Biden attacked Romney's economic philosophy in Ohio stop; said GOP doesn't understand what Dems stand for Vice President Biden on Wednesday hammered Mitt Romney on his economic philosophy and private-sector record, accusing Republicans of fundamentally misunderstanding what Democrats stand for. I resent the fact that they think we’re talking about envy.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/227817-biden-hammers-romney-gop-doesnt-get-us

 

Associated Press (NAT)

Romney's former rivals gloss over earlier anti-Romney remarks

05-16-12

Nancy Benac

One by one — with the exception of holdout Ron Paul — the GOP also-rans have coughed up endorsements of their onetime rival.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0516/Romney-s-former-rivals-gloss-over-earlier-anti-Romney-remarks

 

Politico (DC)

Moderate Dems frustrated by lack of budget 

05-15-12

Scott Wong

Manchin, who could face a tough reelection bid this fall, isn’t expected to vote for any of the GOP budgets or the Obama plan, which he said doesn’t go far enough to address the nation’s debt crisis. Instead, Manchin is “totally wedded” to the plan outlined by the president’s bipartisan Bowles-Simpson fiscal commission, which blends revenue increases and spending cuts to tackle the deficit.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76358.html

 

Financial Times (NAT)

Romney ally urges temporary tax fix

05-16-12

Robin Harding and Richard McGregor

A temporary extension of today’s tax rates to buy time for a full reform would be an orderly way to avoid an end-of-year “fiscal cliff” that could plunge the US back into recession, said a leading economic adviser to Mitt Romney. The comments from

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ac5f6444-9f73-11e1-a255-00144feabdc0.html