Social Security News 7-18-12

 CNN Money (NAT)

Bowles and Simpson: Still pushing boulder up the Hill

7-18-12

Jeanne Sahadi

Now, however, a legislative version is circulating among some members of Congress, who are offering feedback, Bowles said. The original 66-page report has morphed into a more than 600-page-bill.

Among the campaign's core principles is that any final debt-reduction plan must affect all parts of the budget, preserve economic growth and protect the needy, said Fix the Debt co-chair Ed Rendell, the former Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, at a press conference.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/17/news/economy/bowles-simpson/

 

Forbes (NAT)

When Should I Take Social Security? -- A "Simple" Formula

07-17-12

Laurence Kotlikoff,

Some 78 million baby boomers are poised to make one of their most important financial decisions of their lives, namely when to take Social Security benefits.  Deciding is no picnic. As my recent column indicated, Social Security’s provisions are unbelievably complicated.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kotlikoff/2012/07/17/145/

 

Slate (NAT)

Bowles-Simpson Hold Marvel Team-Up With Pete Peterson

7-18-12

David Weigel

sn't the time right for a new-new-new bipartisan alliance for deficit reduction? No. Too bad. Later today at the National Press Club, the labatory and nursery for so many well-intentioned-but-doomed campaigns, the Campaign to Fix the Debt will break a bottle of champagne over a box of treasury bills. (I'm assuming.)

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/07/17/bowles_simpson_hold_marvel_team_up_with_pete_peterson.html

 

CNN (NAT)

New York Authorities Charge 48 In Massive Medicaid Fraud

7-18-12

Chris Boyette

Federal prosecutors have charged 48 people in a massive fraud that allegedly bought HIV medications and other prescription drugs from Medicaid recipients and sold them to unsuspecting buyers.

The scheme cost tax payers $500 million, prosecutors said Tuesday.

http://rolandmartinreports.com/blog/2012/07/new-york-authorities-charge-48-in-massive-medicaid-fraud/

 

LA Times (NAT)

Workers everywhere facing retirement woes

07-18-12

Marc Lifsher

California's public employees aren't the only people whose retirements are in jeopardy. Private company pensions and related benefits were underfunded by an estimated $578 billion in 2011, according to a new report by S&P Dow Jones Indices. "The American dream...

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pension-shortfalls-20120718,0,2745757.story

 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)

Retirement for the unemployed: a cracked nest egg

07-18-12

David Markiewicz

The title of a new study on the retirement outlook for unemployed Americans says it all: The Cracked Nest Egg. And, no surprise, the report from the

http://blogs.ajc.com/business-beat/2012/07/18/retirement-for-the-unemployed-a-cracked-nest-egg/?cxntfid=blogs_business_beat

 

Deseret News (AZ)

Fewer Americans have jobs, more join Social Security disability program since 2008

7-18-12

Erin Hong

Even though 225,000 jobs were created between April to June of this year, 246,000 Americans were added to the disability insurance program, according to information released by the Republican side of the Senate Budget Committee, said the article.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865559226/Fewer-Americans-have-jobs-more-join-Social-Security-disability-program-since-2008.html

 

The Tribune Democrat (PA)

Bring Social Security into 21st century

07-18-12

Randy Vance

It is time to update Social Security with a program that does not hurt the very people it promises to protect. If your employer offered you this kind

http://tribune-democrat.com/editorials/x471601310/RANDY-VANCE-Bring-Social-Security-into-21st-century

 

The Knowledge Behind the News (Blog)

What's Driving Americans to Retire Abroad? Money -- or Lack of It
7-18-12

Staff

"Every now and then, [my wife and I] think it would be nice to have a place in the states, so we run the numbers," says Prescher, who is in his late 50s. "But because of the high taxes, medical costs and insurance, we just can't figure out a way to live as affordably as we do here. The cost of living is half of what it would be in the U.S."

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=3051

 

Citizen-Times (NC)

Democrats blast Meadows after primary win

07-18-12

Jon Ostendorff.

The group said he backs massive cuts to Medicare while protecting tax breaks for millionaires and corporations that ship American jobs overseas.

Meadows did back the Ryan budget though he has said last week he would not cut benefits when asked how he would balance Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with cutting the deficit.

http://blogs2.citizen-times.com/politics/2012/07/18/democrats-blast-meadows-after-primary-win/

 

The-Dispatch (NC)

Social Security program planned for senior citizens

07-17-12

Staff

The Davidson County Department of Senior Services Senior Dynamics program along with Brian Walker of the Social Security Administration will offering a free educational program on Social Security next week.

http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20120717/News/307179977

 

Politics

 

New York Times (NAT)

Who’s on America’s Side?

07-17-12

Maureen Dowd

Mitt Romney’s banking on harsh attacks to help him in his White House bid, but, unfortunately, it’s a Swiss account.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/opinion/dowd-whos-on-americas-side.html?hp

 

The Guardian (UK)

Voter ID laws a burden on poor, black Americans, research shows

07-18-12

Ed Pilkington

Brennan Center study finds that voters without photo ID in 10 states are being hit with hidden costs and long car journeys.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/18/voter-id-poor-black-americans

 

Yahoo (NAT)

Wage Inequality in the U.S. Persists Finance

07-18-12

Rebecca Stropoli

From the blog The Exchange: The rise of women in the U.S. workforce -- along with their dominance in both the undergraduate and graduate degree arena -- has not brought us very close to income parity on a national level. According to the most recent

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/wage-inequality-u-persists-181752413.html

 

Politico (DC)

President Obama's jobs panel missing in action

7-18-12

Josh Gerstein

President Barack Obama’s Jobs Council hasn’t met publicly for six months, even as the issue of job creation dominates the 2012 election.

At this point, the hiatus — which reached the half-year mark Tuesday — might be less awkward than an official meeting, given the hornet’s nest of issues that could sting Obama and the council members if the private-sector panel gets together.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78637.html

 

The Atlantic (NAT)

The Battle for Syria: A Fight Against Assad and Against History

7-18-12

Max Fisher

When Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that "the battle for the capital, the decisive fight" is today underway in Syria, he seemed to admit that even Russia, the Syrian regime's most important ally in the now 16-month conflict, could foresee the violent end of Bashar al-Assad's rule.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/the-battle-for-syria-a-fight-against-assad-and-against-history/259984/

 

The Hill (DC)

Boehner defends Romney on tax returns, calls issue a ‘sideshow’

07-18-12

Russell Berman      

Boehner (R-Ohio) leapt to Mitt Romney’s defense at a press conference after Ryan (R-Wis.), a rumored candidate for the vice presidential slot on the GOP ticket, was asked about the presumptive GOP nominee’s refusal to release more than two years of tax returns.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/238635-boehner-defends-romney-on-tax-returns-calls-issue-a-sideshow

 

Wall Street Journal (NAT)

Staples vs. Solyndra

7-18-12

Staff

Can a President seeking re-election with a stagnant economy and high unemployment really be winning the jobs argument against a man who backed hundreds of thriving businesses? Can a President who sank taxpayer dollars into green-energy failures now succeed by attacking an opponent who funded winning start-ups with his own money?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303933704577532981276269006.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop