Social Security News 6-11-12

SSW/SSSC mention ***

Politico (DC)

Alan Simpson strikes back, again

06-09-12

Patrick Gavin

Then, in reaction, Nancy Altman and Erin Kingson, the co-directors of Social Security Works, penned an open letter to Simpson on the Huffington Post in which they rebuked Simpson for his harsh language.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77230.html

The New York Times (NAT)

Older, Jobless and Forced Onto Social Security

06-09-12

Motoko Rich

The recession and its aftermath have forced many older people who are out of work to draw Social Security earlier than they had planned.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/business/forced-to-retire-early-jobless-pay-a-steep-price.html?_r=1

The New York Times (NAT)

Financing Social Security

06-09-12

Letter to the Editor

More income should be taxed, a writer says. Readers react.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/opinion/sunday/sunday-dialogue-financing-social-security.html?pagewanted=1

NPR (NAT)

Can Extending Retirement Age Help Social Security?

06-06-12

Michel Martin

A recent report warned Social Security could run out of money by 2033, and some policy makers have suggested raising the retirement age. But Steve Cunningham of the American Institute for Economic Research says that strategy would fail to reduce costs, and would disproportionately hurt blue collar workers. He speaks with host Michel Martin.

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/06/154432626/can-extending-retirement-age-help-social-security

The New York Times (NAT)

2012 May Lack Drama, but Not Significance

06-08-12

Richard W. Stevenson

Though the current election season is producing very few goose bumps, the 2012 presidential race is shaping up to be more important to the direction of the country than the 2008 campaign was.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/08/2012-may-lack-drama-but-not-significance/?ref=politics

The Washington Post (NAT)

What Obama needs to say

06-11-12

Greg Sargent

John Ellis says Obama’s message should be less about attacking Mitt Romney’s qualifications and background and more about what Romney would do to gut popular social programs and what a Romney presidency would mean to ordinary Americans

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/what-obama-needs-to-say/2012/06/11/gJQAYI0FVV_blog.html

Associated Press (NAT)

GOP focuses on Obama in bid for Giffords' seat

06-11-12

Kevin Freking and Walter Berry

Democrats point to Kelly's past comments about Social Security, including his remark in the 2010 race that "you have to take steps to reform it, to privatize it, to phase it out."

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1499400

Bloomberg (NAT)
Jeb Bush Sees Romney Needing ‘Broader’ Immigration Ideas

06-11-12

Mark Silva

Bush also criticized Obama for placing political gain ahead of negotiation in Washington -- citing the failure of the president’s task force on debt and spending led by former Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff to former President Bill Clinton.

‘‘If he was a transcendent figure, which is what he ran as, I think he’s failed,” Bush said of Obama.

The president “had a chance” to address the long-term deficit with the remedy that Simpson and Bowles recommended, a package of taxes and spending cuts, he said, but didn’t “for political reasons.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-11/jeb-bush-sees-romney-needing-broader-immigration-ideas.htm

Fox Business (NAT)

1 in 3 investors say low interest rates will delay retirement

06-11-12

Maryalene LaPonsie

Low interest rates and high health care costs may cause some investors to delay retirement, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Investment and Retirement Optimism Index.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/06/11/1-in-3-investors-say-low-interest-rates-will-delay-retirement/

The Cap Times (NAT)

Recall failure emboldens lies, abuse, lack of integrity

06-11-12

Michael Donnelly

They call their corporate masters “job creators.” In fact, they are actually tax dodgers. Worst of all, they want to get their hands on the massive dollars associated with Social Security, Medicare and public retirement funds. They could care less about you.

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/mailbag/michael-donnelly-recall-failure-emboldens-lies-abuse-lack-of-integrity/article_f59e22e6-0281-5acd-aa5b-6c2b91a7fa0d.html

UPI (NAT)

Walker's World: The euro's unknowns

06-11-12

Martin Walker

The third unknown unknown is whether the United States system of governance can reach any kind of compromise on the debt and spending crisis? The bipartisan Simpson-Bowles report offered a reasonable plan but U.S. President Barack Obama lacked the political courage to give it the kind of whole-hearted backing it would need.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Analysis/Walker/2012/06/11/Walkers-World-The-euros-unknowns/UPI-81091339410600/

Huffington Post (NAT)

Social Security: Neutral in Name, Sexist by Design

06-08-12

Kristin Maschka:

Now is the time to make changes so that the Social Security Administration can honestly announce: "Social Security is neutral with respect to gender -- by design."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-maschka/social-security_b_1582212.html

Politics

The New Yorker (NAT)

What Would a Second Obama Term Bring?

06-18-12

Ryan Lizza

Obama’s campaign is well aware that he may end up like Jimmy Carter or George H. W. Bush, the two most recent one-term Presidents, who were both defeated despite some notable—even historic—accomplishments, including the Camp David Accords, under Carter, and the Gulf War, under Bush. The country remains closely divided, and the economy is teetering again

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/06/18/120618fa_fact_lizza?printable=true

The Hill (DC)

As November election nears, splits in Democratic coalition resurface

06-11-12

Niall Stanage

Party tensions have erupted at exactly the wrong moment for President Obama’s team. Divisions in the Democratic coalition have burst into view, endangering both President Obama and his party colleagues in Congress as November’s election nears.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/231967-as-november-election-nears-splits-in-democratic-coalition-resurface

Beat the Press

When It Comes to Europe, Robert Samuelson Is Upside Down

06-11-12

Staff

None of this tells us anything about the excesses of welfare states. While every welfare state can use reforms, like every non-welfare state, there is nothing about this story that tells us the welfare states are excessive. And, it is worth noting that the countries with the most generous welfare states in Europe are doing relatively well

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/when-it-comes-to-europe-robert-samuelson-is-upside-down

Politico (DC)

Obama tests the theory of likability

06-11-12

Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman

The polls agree: President Barack Obama is likable. The question is whether he’s likable enough to get reelected. As much as any other factor five months before Election Day, this is one that bedevils both presidential campaigns: How much can Obama count on his relatively high personal favorability ratings to buttress him against some of the...

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=DCDB9BDB-90E3-4FF6-A28F-E84BE2CDC1AE

Roll Call Politics (DC)

All Over, All Eyes Are on Economy

06-11-12

Shira Toeplitz

Even in the lucky few states with strong economies, Democrats are hard-pressed to make the good news work in their favor.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_148/All-Over-All-Eyes-Are-on-Economy-215221-1.html?pos=hftxt

The New York Times (NAT)

Health Care After the Supreme Court Ruling

06-09-12

Pam Belluck

Even if the court strikes down the individual mandate, many uninsured people are still likely to receive health coverage.