Social Security News 7-3-12

Huffington Post (NAT)

Freedom Isn’t Free

07-03-12

Richard Trumka

Let's call this right-wing "freedom" catch phrase what it really is: a grossly political strategy to dupe the public, which holds the word "freedom" as something sacred.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-trumka/freedom-isnt-free_1_b_1645632.html?utm_hp_ref=social-security

Forbes (NAT)

More Government Isn't The Key To Women's Retirement Security

07-03-12

Carrie Lukas

All campaigns have predictable moments:  the conventions, the naming of the vice-presidential nominee, the sense of a comeback for the candidate trailing in the polls.  Since Democrats have made the notion of a “War on Women” a central campaign theme this cycle, we can also safely predict that we will soon hear about the hardship facing senior women.  Oppose whatever women-friendly expansion of Social Security liberals dream up, and you are party to the War on Women.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carrielukas/2012/07/03/more-government-isnt-the-key-to-womens-retirement-security/

 

FedSmith.com (NAT)

Social Security: A Program in Trouble

07-03-12

Ralph Smith

The Social Security program is popular with Americans. It is also in trouble. What is the future of the Social Security program? The financial problems of the Social Security program are likely to be important to federal employees who are under the FERS retirement program as they are paying into the Social Security program and this system is a major component of their income after they retire.

http://www.fedsmith.com/article/3479/social-security-program-trouble.html

 

Huffington Post (NAT)

Kline Fisher Budd, Texas Man, Allegedly Collected Dead Mother's Social Security Checks For 26 Years

07-02-12

Alexander Eichler

Willie Mae Shaughnesy died in 1984, according to Texas state records. But that didn't stop the government from sending her Social Security checks, and allegedly, it didn't stop her son from cashing them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/kline-fisher-budd-dead-mother-social-security_n_1643924.html

 

Daily Mail (NAT)

Number of people claiming federal disability insurance payments is now HIGHER than New York City's entire population of 8.25 million 

07-03-12

Snejana Farberov

A record of 8,733,461 workers took federal disability insurance payments in June of 2012, exceeding the entire population of New York City by more than 500,000, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2168034/Number-people-claiming-federal-disability-insurance-payments-HIGHER-New-York-Citys-entire-population-8-25-million.html#ixzz1zZSWSW1r

 

Los Angeles Times (NAT)

EDITORIAL: Around the rules and back to work

07-03-12

Editorial

Double-dipping abuse sours public trust. The system can be fixed.

New York has a fair and sensible law that restricts public retirees from double dipping -- that is, collecting both a pension and a public salary at the same time -- without an urgent public need.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-mct-editorial-around-the-rules-and-back-to-work-20120703,0,3965289.story

 

MSNBC (NAT)

Disabled Mass. transit riders protest fare hike

07-03-12

Bob Salsberg (AP)

Blind, disabled and elderly mass transit riders lashed out Monday at what they called unfair and disproportionate fare hikes, saying the increases could prevent many people from getting to work, buying food or visiting their doctors.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48057540

 

Bloomberg (NAT)

Pennsylvania Joins States Removing Safety Net For The Disabled

07-03-12

Romy Varghese

Pennsylvania will end $200 monthly general-assistance payments to residents who are poor, disabled and unemployable, joining eight states such as Illinois that have eliminated or curbed such aid since last year.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-03/pennsylvania-joins-states-removing-safety-net-for-the-disabled.html

 

The Register Citizen (CT)

Social Security can be fixed 'pretty simply,’ says Chris Murphy

07-02-12

Mary E. O’Leary

U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Chris Murphy sees a grand bargain in the offing on the country’s deficit, sp       ending and fixes for Medicare and Social Security taking place in early 2013 and it is one of the main reasons he wants to be at the table.

http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2012/07/02/news/doc4ff2664b95a47242025969.txt

 

Bradenton Herald (FL)

What today’s workers can expect from Social Security

07-03-12

Gary Plum

Did you know that the age at which many workers will qualify for full Social Security benefits has risen to 67 from 65? If that's news to you, you're not alone: The majority of workers are still in the dark about Social Security eligibility requirements, and many expect to qualify for benefits payments sooner than they actually will. Combined with lingering questions about the long-term financial health of the overall Social Security program, these facts reinforce the importance of understanding exactly what you might expect from Social Security during your retirement.

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/07/03/4101213/what-todays-workers-can-expect.html#storylink=cpy

 

St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)

One Million People Go Online to Access their Social Security Statement

07-02-12

Sharon Byrd

Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced that in less than two months’ time, one million people have gone online, created a My Social Security account and viewed their Social Security Statement. "The online Social Security Statement is a huge success," Commissioner Astrue said. "
http://interact.stltoday.com/pr/business/PR07021211589563#ixzz1zZEs9oH5

 

Politics

 

The Hill (DC)

Republicans may find killing healthcare law is not as easy as it sounds

07-03-12

Sam Baker

Republicans say they could repeal President Obama’s healthcare law if the GOP wins the White House and majorities in the House and Senate next year. But that is hardly a slam-dunk proposition.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/politics-elections/236027-killing-law-not-as-easy-as-it-sounds

 

The Washington Post (NAT)

Romney’s whopper claim on an Obama health care pledge

07-03-12

Glenn Kessler

FACT CHECKER: The Romney campaign earns four Pinocchios for twisting the meaning of an Obama health-care pledge.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/romneys-whopper-claim-on-an-obama-health-care-pledge/2012/07/03/gJQAVhk3IW_blog.html?tid=pm_politics_pop

 

Politico (DC)

John Roberts’s verdict? Health care is not a right

07-03-12

Bill Schneider

“The mandate is not a legal command to buy insurance,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his health care ruling Thursday. It’s not? Really? It sure sounds like it.

No, Roberts insisted, “It makes going without insurance just another thing the government taxes, like buying gasoline or earning income.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78080.html#ixzz1zZh5L7lf

 

Washington Post (NAT)

Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion already covering a half-million Americans

07-03-12

Sarah Kliff

Over the past two years, five states have quietly executed the Affordable Care Act’s largest coverage expansion to date, extending benefits to more than 500,000 Americans. It’s not the high risk pools, nor is it the end to pre-existing conditions for kids. Instead, these five states have increased coverage by voluntarily participating in the health law’s Medicaid expansion early. That’s the exact same provision a number of Republican governors are now choosing not to implement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/03/obamacares-medicaid-expansion-already-covering-a-half-million-americans/

 

Washington Post (NAT)

Mitt Romney plans summer trip to Israel, meeting with Netanyahu and other leaders

07-02-12

Philip Rucker

Mitt Romney is planning a trip to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders this summer before he formally accepts the Republican presidential nomination, a senior campaign official confirmed Monday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/mitt-romney-plans-summer-trip-to-israel-meeting-with-netanyahu-and-other-leaders/2012/07/02/gJQAGUczIW_blog.html

 

BBC (UK)

US economic recovery is tepid, says IMF

07-03-12

BBC

The US recovery "remains tepid", according to the annual report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It has cut its growth forecast for the US economy to 2% this year from an earlier estimate of 2.1%.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18693825

 

The Guardian (UK)

François Hollande struggles to rebrand austerity as French budget looms

07-02-12

Angelique Chrisafis

François Hollande, Europe's chief critic of one-size-fits-all austerity measures, is facing the headache of inescapable belt-tightening at home after a national audit confirmed that France has a gaping hole in its budget and will struggle to meet its deficit-reduction targets.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/02/francois-hollande-french-budget