Social Security News 6-04-12

LA Times (NAT)

Alan Simpson shows his cards to The Times

06-04-12

Michael Hiltzik

Former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyoming), perhaps our leading avatar of misinformation about Social Security, sent us a lengthy email on Friday responding to our  series  of  posts  criticizing his error-rich take on the nation’s preeminent social insurance program.

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-mo-simpson-replies-20120602,0,700290.story

CNN (NAT)

Sens. Warner & Lugar on State of the Union

06-03-12

“It would be better to do some of that now, pick up the Simpson-Bowles language or various other Gang of Six or 12 or so forth. I would hope that might occur,” Senator Lugar said.

http://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/blog?ContentRecord_id=2707106e-31d6-4a88-b77a-d2862084b523

 

CNN Money (NAT)

Retirement: Financial security for the long road ahead

06-04-12

Donna Rosato

I'm not a policy expert, but I have some ideas.

Raise the full Social Security retirement age to 80 to motivate people to work longer. But don't raise the minimum age, since we need to support those too sick to work

http://money.cnn.com/2012/06/04/retirement/financial-security.moneymag/index.htm

 

Truth Out (Blog)

Alan Simpson: The Washington Elite's Attack Dog

06-04-12

Dean Baker

Alan Simpson once again launched an obscenity-laden diatribe against those who oppose his plans to cut Social Security and Medicare.

http://truth-out.org/news/item/9568-alan-simpson-the-washington-elites-attack-dog

 

The People's Pension (Blog)

Reading FDR’s Mind: “Full Funding” and the Original Intent of Social Security «

06-01-12

Eric Laursen

But that’s not the end of the story, either. Already in 1940, Roosevelt’s plans for Social Security – his conception of the program’s future role in society – was starting to expand sharply. That year, with a war or something like it clearly looming, he appointed a National Resources Planning Board to develop proposals “for the avoidance of a depression after the defense period.” When the committee’s report was released in early 1943, it recommended greatly expanding Social Security’s old-age and survivors’ benefits and making the benefits themselves much more generous. It also noted,

http://peoplespension.infoshop.org/blogs-mu/2012/06/01/reading-fdrs-mind-“full-funding”-and-the-original-intent-of-social-security/

 

Forbes (NAT)

The Ugly Truth About Social Security Is Revealed

06-04-12

John Tamy

The above in mind, Americans shouldn’t seek privatization as much as they should secure their rights to plan for their own retirement as they see fit. Social Security is not a retirement plan, rather it’s a hopeful Ponzi scheme from which we can hope to receive regular payments for having paid into the system during our working years.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johntamny/2012/06/03/the-ugly-truth-about-social-security-is-revealed/

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Guess Who Would Benefit From Privatizing Medicare?

06-04-12

Wendell Potter

Scully, now senior counsel at Alston & Bird, the big law and lobbying firm that has represented some of the country's biggest health insurers, including WellPoint and Cigna, is advocating a gradual phase-in of the Ryan plan, similar to how the recent changes in Social Security came about.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendell-potter/guess-who-would-benefit-f_b_1568119.html

 

Southbend Tribune (TX)

Kicking 'fiscal cliff' debate to November

06-04-12

Carl P. Leubsdorf

It's hard to dispute the Congressional Budget Office warning that eliminating the Bush tax cuts at year's end and making the spending cuts in last year's deficit package would probably produce another recession early next year.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/opinion/sbt-20120604sbtmicha-05-02-20120604,0,6146179.story

Galesburg Planet (Blog)

News about Social Security too often misleading

06-04-12

Bill Knight

Fifty years ago this month, Morris Udall – an Arizona Congressman for 30 years – said, “The resources of our nation can very well be used to … make the prospect of old age a less fearsome prospect. The Social Security system is the proper mech­anism to accom­plish this.”

http://galesburgplanet.com/posts/14900

 

Kingsport Times-News (NJ)

Majority in U.S. dissatisfied with next generation's prospects

06-04-12

Lydia Saad

Nearly six in 10 Americans are currently dissatisfied with the opportunity for the next generation of Americans to live better than their parents. Older Americans are particularly unhappy on this question, but on balance, the majority of young adults are negative as well.

http://www.timesnews.net/article/9047470/majority-in-us-dissatisfied-with-next-generations-prospects

Politics

 

New York Times (NAT)

This Republican Economy

06-03-12

Paul Krugman

Spending cuts and low taxes? They’re already here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/opinion/krugman-this-republican-economy.html?_r=1

 

Buzz Feed (NAT)

Obama's 2008 Donors Don't Give In 2012

06-03-12

Ben Smith & Rebecca Elliott

Obama's 2008 Donors Don't Give In 2012: Nearly 90% of the Americans who gave $200 to Obama's 2008 campaign haven't re-...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/obamas-2008-donors-dont-give-in-2012

 

The Washington Post (NAT)

Still waiting for our first black president

06-01-12

Fredrick Harris

Why hasn’t Obama addressed racial inequality?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/still-waiting-for-our-first-black-president/2012/06/01/gJQARsT16U_story.html

 

theGrio (Blog)

The White House defends its anti-poverty agenda

05-31-12

Valerie Jarrett

President Obama has invested in early childhood education, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care assistance, benefiting more than 360,000 poor children. We have invested in new child nutrition programs, to make sure more young people have enough to eat, and have the chance to eat healthy food. The President has devoted more than $4 billion to turning around our lowest performing schools, many of which have already made double-digit gains in reading and math proficiency.

http://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/the-white-house-defends-its-anti-poverty-agenda/

 

New York Times (NAT)

Intersecting Worlds of Romney and Obama

06-02-12

Mark Leibovich

Friends and colleagues say Mitt Romney and President Obama share personality, leadership and decision-making styles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/us/politics/intersecting-worlds-of-romney-and-obama.html?ref=markleibovich

 

National Journal (NAT)

Should Romney Remind Voters He Was Once a Governor?

06-04-12

Alex Roarty

How does Mitt Romney convince voters that, contra President Obama’s campaign, he’s not a rapacious capitalist or right-wing extremist bent on destroying the middle class? His best bet might simply be reminding them he was once governor of Massachusetts.

http://www.nationaljournal.com//2012-presidential-campaign/should-romney-remind-voters-he-was-once-a-governor--20120604

 

Reuters (NAT)

Alabama Challenges Department Of Justice Over Key Voting Rights Law

06-04-12

Joan Biskupic   

Four years ago, in this  small city of gentle hills, tall oaks and nine stoplights, an  invisible line was drawn a few miles north of the center of  town. It stretched up beyond Highway 22 and looped west across  Interstate 65, sweeping in recent housing developments, the  brown-brick Concord Baptist Church and a new Wal-Mart.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/insight-from-alabama-an-_n_1566893.html

 

The Hill (DC)

Axelrod assails Romney camp for ‘hypocrisy’ in attacks over jobs

06-04-12

Jonathan Easley     

The senior Obama campaign adviser is crying foul over the Romney campaign’s comparison of the two candidates’ economic records. Obama senior campaign adviser David Axelrod is crying foul over the Romney campaign’s comparison of the two candidate’s economic records, accusing the Romney campaign of “breathtaking hypocrisy” by employing a double standard.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/230709-axelrod-assails-romney-camp-for-hypocrisy-in-attacks-over-jobs

 

Roll Call News (DC)

Economic Stall Could Hurt White House, Congress

06-04-12

Steven T. Dennis

Last week s anemic jobs and growth reports struck a White House already facing major headwinds going into the general election, but they could also pressure Congress to get something significant done before Members face voters.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_144/Economic_Stall_Could_Hurt_White_House_Congress-215011-1.html?pos=hftxt

International Clips

 

Project Syndicate (Blog)

"Is Global Financial Reform Possible?"

06-04-12

Paul Volcker

Nowadays there is ample evidence that financial systems, whether in Asia in the 1990’s or a decade later in the United States and Europe, are vulnerable to breakdowns. But, in the absence of international consensus on some key points, reform will be greatly weakened, if not aborted.

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/is-global-financial-reform-possible-

 

Telegraph (UK)

Firebrand Republicans to put Barack Obama to the test in Wisconsin

06-04-12

Peter Foster

Barack Obama's re-election campaign faces another potential setback today as polls show Republicans are poised to win a key election that is being seen as a bellwether for November's battle for the White House.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9311029/Firebrand-Republicans-to-put-Barack-Obama-to-the-test-in-Wisconsin.html

 

BBC News (UK)

Vietnam opens new areas in search for missing US soldiers

06-04-12

Staff

Vietnam opens up new areas to teams searching for US soldiers missing from the Vietnam war, as US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta visits the country.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18324161

 

Foreign Policy (NAT)

U.N. Human Rights Council Condemns Actual Human Rights Abusers!

06-01-12

James Traub

If you're inclined to think that "U.N. Human Rights Council" is a contradiction in terms -- and really, who isn't? -- you should look at a clip of council president Laura Dupuy Lasserre, a Uruguayan, warning a senior Bahraini official not to retaliate against activists who came to Geneva to testify about Bahrain's dreadful human rights record.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/06/01/not_just_for_israel_anymore

 

Reuters (NAT)

Pakistani police question U.S. diplomats on weapons

06-04-12

Staff

Pakistani authorities briefly questioned three American diplomats on Monday in the city of Peshawar after weapons were found in their vehicles, police said.The diplomats,

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/04/us-pakistan-usa-diplomats-idUSBRE8530UD20120604

 

Reuters (NAT)

Pakistan condemns U.S. drone strikes

06-04-12

Qasim Nauman

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned a jump in U.S. drone strikes on its territory, using language that could increase tension between strategic allies already in dispute over military supply routes for NATO that Pakistan has closed. Three drone strikes in as many days on suspected militants have killed 27 people, Pakistani intelligence officials say. The foreign ministry called the attacks "illegal" and said they violated the South Asian country's sovereignty. ...

http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-condemns-u-drone-strikes-154652091.html