Social Security News 5-31-12

 SSW/SSSC mention **

Huffington Post (NAT)

Alan Simpson Accepts Social Security Debate Challenge

05-31-12

Ryan Grim

WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), a leading voice in the argument over the future of Social Security, has agreed to debate progressive critics who argue that the program can be reformed and strengthened without reducing future benefits.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/alan-simpson-social-security-debate_n_1558899.html

 

SSW/SSSC mention **

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Mean White House Insults Poland, Wisconsin

05-30-12

So Daniel Marans, a young whippersnapper with the liberal Social Security Works, challenged Simpson to debate the program. We called up Simpson, and he quickly agreed. "All they have to do is read the [Bowles-Simpson] report and it tells you exactly what we plan to do with Social Security. It's very clear. If they'll read the report, then I'll talk to them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/huffpost-hill---mean-whit_n_1557484.html

 

Columbia Journalism Review (NAT)

Talking back to Alan Simpson

05-31-12

Trudy Lieberman

Even though President Obama appointed Simpson as one of the co-chairs of his fiscal commission—tasked with creating a blueprint for cutting the deficit and dealing with those pesky entitlements—Simpson’s frequent borderline comments often escape attention in the media.

http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/talking_back_to_alan_simpson.php

 

National Journal (NAT)

Transcript: Simpson and Bowles on CNN's 'Fareed Zakaria GPS' - 

05-27-12

Fareed Zakaria

On CNN's  GPS , Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles  warn of dire consequences  if Congress doesn't act during the lame duck session. Read the full transcript here.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/transcript-simpson-and-bowles-on-cnn-s-fareed-zakaria-gps--20120527

 

CNN (NAT)

Why older Latinos matter in election

05-31-12

Jeff Cruz

Jeff Cruz says President Obama will likely win the votes of Latinos, who care greatly about issues like Social Security and Medicare.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/31/opinion/cruz-latino-seniors/index.html

 

The MetroWest Daily News (MA)

Evans: Massachusetts should tax Social Security benefits

05-31-12

Martin Evans

It is the time of year when we seniors are starting to recover from noticing the big bite that federal and state taxes have taken from our incomes. Of course, being seniors who grew up in the aftermath of the Great Depression and the Second World War, we (or at least I) recognize the good that government can do and usually does.

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinion/x1040015222/Evans-Massachusetts-should-tax-Social-Security-benefits

 

The Virginia Gazette (VA)

Kaine: Social Security needs tweaks, not overhaul

05-30-12

Todd Allen Wilson

For Kaine the simplest adjustment is lifting the payroll tax cap which does not tax income over $106,800.

He believes that taxing income over that amount even at a reduced rate would “keep Social Security solvent for a very, very long time.”

http://www.vagazette.com/articles/2012/05/30/news/doc4fc6ad5f24705498826764.txt

 

 

Farm Press Blog (Blog)

Social Security trust funds and Grandma’s bed

05-31-12

Elton Robinson

Social Security no doubt has altered the landscape of American life. For one, it has allowed my mother to live independently of her children and grandchildren in the home where she has lived most of her life. That is a point of significant pride for her, a perk she richly, and rightly, deserves, especially for all the money she and Dad paid in.

http://westernfarmpress.com/blog/social-security-trust-funds-and-grandma-s-bed

 

Hot Air Greenroom (Blog)

 

Do Simpson and Bowles Matter?

05-29-12

Dustin Siggins

This raises two questions: First, why should Americans trust that Congress will actually work together to create positive bipartisan solutions to these Washington-created problems? Over the last dozen years each party has both held the grips of power in Washington and had to work within situations of compromise. What do we have to show for it all?

http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2012/05/29/do-simpson-and-bowles-matter/

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

December Surprise? From Rubin to Pelosi, Wall Street & DC Dems Push Post-Election Austerity

05-30-12

Richard (RJ) Eskow

"Take back your party," Pelosi recently advised traditional Republicans. "This is not the Grand Old Party that we know." Take back your party: That's sound advice -- for everyone in Washington.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/december-surprise-from-rubin-to-pelosi_b_1557616.html

 

Think Progress

Honeywell CEO Says The Corporate Tax Rate Should Be Zero

05-31-12

Pat Garofalo

During an interview today, Honeywell CEO David Cote — who President Obama named to the Bowles-Simpson deficit commission — told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that he believes the U.S. corporate tax rate should be zero.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/05/31/492740/honeywell-ceo-zero-corporate-tax/

Politics

 

Businessweek (NAT)

DOMA Unconstitutional, Appeals Court Says

05-31-12

Don Jeffrey and Chris Dolmetsch

A federal appeals court in Boston

ruled that the heart of the Defense of Marriage Act -- defining

marriage as only a heterosexual union -- is unconstitutional.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-31/defense-of-marriage-act-unconstitutional-appeals-court-says?r=bloomberg

 

 

The Hill (DC)

House rejects bill penalizing doctors for sex-selective abortions

05-31-12

Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Thursday rejected a Republican bill that would impose fines and prison terms against doctors who perform abortions for the sole purpose of controlling the gender of the child, a practice known as sex-selective abortion. The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), H.

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/230283-house-rejects-bill-penalizing-doctors-for-sex-selection-abortions

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

John Edwards Not Guilty On Count 3, Jury Hung On Other Counts

05-31-12

Staff

John Edwards has been found not guilty on count 3 in the trial on whether the 2008 presidential candidate violated campaign finance laws.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/john-edwards-count-3_n_1560132.html

 

The Star-Ledger (NJ)

Mitt Romney leads Obama among veterans, but why?

05-31-12

Carly Rothman

This is the first presidential race since World War II in which neither major party's candidate has served in the military. How important is it to have a president who has served in the military?

http://www.nj.com/njvoices/index.ssf/2012/05/mitt_romney_leads_obama_among.html

 

US News (NAT)

'Ron Paul Festival' Could Bring 100k Supporters to GOP Convention

05-31-12

Ken Walsh's

Ron Paul Festival could disrupt the GOP convention.

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/Ken-Walshs-Washington/2012/05/31/ron-paul-festival-could-bring-100k-supporters-to-gop-convention

 

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

David Axelrod Massachusetts Press Conference Turned Into Circus By Mitt Romney Supporters

05-31-12

Sam Stein

David Axelrod, communications director for President Barack Obama's reelection campaign, held a press conference today on the steps of the Massachusetts Statehouse to highlight some of the more controversial aspects of Mitt Romney's record as governor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/david-axelrod-mitt-romney_n_1559517.html?ref=topbar

 

Reuters (NAT)

Boehner holds firm on no tax-hike pledge

05-31-12

David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Thursday dismissed suggestions that Republicans were warming to raising revenue as a part of a plan to cut the deficit, adding

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/31/us-bc-usa-congress-boehner-idUSBRE84U18I20120531

 

Bloomberg (NAT)

Super-PAC Beneficiary Gingrich Laments Super-PAC Influence

05-31-12

Julie Bykowicz

Newt Gingrich, whose quest for the Republican presidential nomination was kept on life support for months by a super-PAC, said in a television interview to

http://go.bloomberg.com/political-economy/2012-05-31/super-pac-beneficiary-gingrich-laments-super-pac-influence/

International Clips

 

Christian Science Monitor (NAT)

Military intervention in Syria? Germany pushes back hard on French warning

05-31-12

Michael Steininger

French President Hollande suggested yesterday that military intervention might be required in Syria. Why that idea resonated particularly negatively in Germany.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0531/Military-intervention-in-Syria-Germany-pushes-back-hard-on-French-warning

 

Telegraph (UK)

Eurozone is 'unsustainable' warns Mario Draghi

05-31-12

Louise Armitstead

Mario Draghi said the central bank could not "fill the vacuum" left by member states' lack of action as it was claimed the zone is on the point of "disintegration".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9304027/Eurozone-is-unsustainable-warns-Mario-Draghi.html

 

The Christian Science Monitor (NAT)

You can't say it enough: Syria is really different from Libya

05-31-12

Dan Murphy

Syria's war is as violent today as at any point of the over year-long conflict, and a UN peace plan spearheaded by Kofi Annan is in tatters. But that doesn't spell military intervention.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2012/0531/You-can-t-say-it-enough-Syria-is-really-different-from-Libya

 

Associated Press (NAT)

Egypt's 31-year emergency detention and arrest law ends

05-31-12

Staff

Egypt's notorious emergency law expired Thursday, ending 31 years of broad powers to detain and arrest for a police force accused of severely abusing its far-reaching authority.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ggd4sie4EBIAaqvBYsu61INiHZmw?docId=90acb7de83044e0f95d44e54dd33fe08

Associated Press (NAT)

Satellite photos said to show Iran nuke clean up

05-31-12

Staff

New commercial satellite images suggest that Iran has demolished two buildings at a military site where it is suspected of trying to erase evidence of a nuclear arms program, a U.S. nonproliferation think tank said Thursday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g7rqdtVfTdEOWOFYGggAO246ut4Q?docId=3226b4c3fe2e4ae590707aaf6956c8db