SSW / SSSC Links 10.18 to 10.21

joshuarosenblum for Social Security Defenders

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday October 22, 2011 · 7:54 AM PDT

2011/10/22 · 07:54

Strengthen Social Security Campaign (SSSC) / Social Security Works Clips 10-21-11

CBS via The Associated Press

Social Security raise welcomed in tough economy

10/21/11

http://www.cbsnews.com/...

Columbia Journalism Review

The Human Faces behind the Social Security Rhetoric

Trudy Lieberman

10/21/11

http://www.cjr.org/...

Gallup

Investors Feel Affected by Social Security, Medicare Changes

Dennis Jacobe, Chief Economist

10/20/11

http://www.gallup.com/...

AFL-CIO Blog

Workers Urge Sen. Kerry to Strengthen Social Security, Not Cut It

Blog

10/21/11

http://blog.aflcio.org/...

The Washington Post via the Associated Press

New report shows more workers falling behind average wage level

Staff

10/20/11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

AmericaBlog

Seniors finally get Social Security increase

Chris in Paris
10/19/11

http://www.americablog.com/...

The Atlantic

38 Million Workers Made Less Than $10,000 in 2010—Equal to California's Population

Derek Thompson

10/21/11

http://www.theatlantic.com/...

Politico

Report: Rich-poor gap growing

MACKENZIE WEINGER

10/20/11

http://www.politico.com/...

HeraldNet, Everrett, WA

Seniors on COLA hike: 'It's better than nothing'

Julie Muhlstein, Herald Columnist

10/21/11

http://www.heraldnet.com/...

The Los Angeles Times

Opinion-Economy: Treading water at the median

Jon Healey

10/20/11

http://opinion.latimes.com/...

The Examiner

Social Security provides the truest evidence of America's dwindling income

Robert Pear

10/19/11

http://www.nytimes.com/...

The Associated Press

Medicare premiums taketh what Social Security giveth?

Kenneth Schortgen Jr, Finance Examiner

10/20/11

http://www.examiner.com/...

Strengthen Social Security Campaign (SSSC) / Social Security Works Clips 10-20-11

SSSC Mention

KETK, NBC, Tyler, TX

Social Security recipients to get 3.6% raise in checks next year

Video Featuring Eric Kingson

10/19/11

http://www.ketknbc.com/...

SSSC Mention

WDBJ, Roanoke, VA

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent COLA

Video Featuring Eric Kingson

10/19/11

http://www.wdbj7.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via KBTX-TV, College Station, TX

Thankful For Social Security Raise, Just Not Enough Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.kbtx.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via Bloomberg Businessweek

Social Security benefits to go up 3.6 percent

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.businessweek.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via WSLS TV, Roanoke, VA

Social Security recipients to get 3.6% raise in checks next year

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www2.wsls.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via New Orleans City Business

55M Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent pay increase

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://neworleanscitybusiness.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via The Maryland Daily Record

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent more

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://thedailyrecord.com/...

The Gazette / KORG TV

Social Security increase means bottom line changes for recipients

Nadia Crow/SourceMedia Group News

10/19/11

http://easterniowagovernment.com/...

CBS

Social Security recipients getting a raise

Video

10/18/11

http://www.cbsnews.com/...

CNN

Social Security increase should be bigger

Monique Morrissey

10/20/11

http://www.cnn.com/...

MSNBC

On Social Security, Cain wrote of 'the Democratic plantation,' 'separate water fountains'

Domenico Montanaro
10/20/11

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/...

AARP Bulletin

AARP to Super Committee: Don’t Cut Medicare, Social Security Benefits

Release

10/19/11

http://www.aarp.org/...

Marketwatch

Income at Risk: Unemployment Rates Rise Sharply for People With Disabilities, Allsup Finds

Release

10/20/11

http://www.marketwatch.com/...

The Huffington Post

Half Of Millennials Don't Believe Social Security Will Exist When They Retire: Poll

Staff

10/20/11

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

The Huffington Post

Tea Party Group Finds Tepid Support Among Conservatives For Medicare And Social Security Overhaul

Jon Ward

10/19/11

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

The New York Times

U.S. Benefits for Retirees to Rise 3.6% Next Year

Robert Pear

10/19/11

http://www.nytimes.com/...

The Associated Press

Medicare premiums taketh what Social Security giveth?

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.csmonitor.com/...

Strengthen Social Security Campaign (SSSC) / Social Security Works Clips 10-19-11

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via The Washington Post

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent raise, first increase in benefits since 2009

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via ABC News

Social Security Benefits to Go up 3.6 Percent

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://abcnews.go.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via CNBC

Social Security to Boost Benefits for First Time Since '09

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://m.cnbc.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via The Denver Post

Social Security benefits to go up 3.6 percent

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.denverpost.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via Monroe, LA News Star

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent COLA

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.thenewsstar.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via News One for Black America

Payment Boost! Social Security Recipients To Get 3.6 Percent More

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://newsone.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via Accuracy in Media

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent more

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.aim.org/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via Asheville, NC CBS 7

Social Security Benefits Increase Coming In 2012

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www2.wspa.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via CBS 7 Bismarck, ND

Social Security increase...Schools closed after animal...

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.kxnet.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press

Social Security benefits to go up 3.6 percent

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.google.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press / The Examiner (Newspaper Chain)

Social Security checks to get 3.6 percent increase in 2012 (Video)

Stephen Ohlemacher / Rebecca Kelley

10/19/11

http://www.examiner.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press / ABC News Channel 9, Chattanooga, TN

Social Security benefits to go up 3.6 percent

Stephen Ohlemacher / Sarah Jennings

10/19/11

http://www.newschannel9.com/...

SSSC Mention

The Associated Press via NBC 25 Mid-Michigan

Social Security benefits will increase 3.6 percent next year

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/19/11

http://www.minbcnews.com/...

SSSC Mention

VT Digger

The recession and older Americans

Release

10/18/11

http://vtdigger.org/...

CEPR

In 2012, Social Security Beneficiaries To Receive First Cost-of-Living Adjustment Since 2009

David Rosnick

10/19/11

http://www.cepr.net/...

Reuters

Retirement confidence falls, especially in Social Security: Poll

Mark Miller

10/19/11

http://www.reuters.com/...

Military Times

Military Retirees COLA to Raise by 3.6 Percent

Rick Maze – Staff Writer

10/19/11

http://www.militarytimes.com/...

The Washington Post

Federal retirees to get COLA increase

Paul Yoder

10/19/11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

CNN Money via WMUR-TV, New Hampshire

Social Security Checks To Rise 3.6%

Tami Luhby

10/19/11

http://www.wmur.com/...

MSNBC

Some see danger in changing Social Security’s funding
Tom Curry

10/18/11

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

Chambersburg, PA Public Opinion

Seniors, advocates protest in Chambersburg over Social Security, Medicare cuts

MORGAN YOUNG, Staff writer

10/19/11

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/...

CNN Money

10 million could pay more Social Security tax

Jeanne Sahadi

10/19/11

http://money.cnn.com/...

Bloomberg / Businessweek

Social Security Beneficiaries to Receive 3.6% Increase

Brian Faler

10/19/11

http://www.businessweek.com/...

Forbes

Social Security Benefits Rising 3.6%; Workers Face Tax Hike Of Up To $2,341

Janet Novack, Forbes Staff

10/19/11

http://www.forbes.com/...

American Enterprise Institute Blog

Uncapping Social Security payroll tax is hardly a panacea

Andrew Biggs

10/19/11

http://blog.american.com/...

ABC News

Gang of Six Briefs Super Committee But Proceedings Remain Secret

John Parkinson

10/19/11

http://abcnews.go.com/...

Strengthen Social Security Campaign (SSSC) / Social Security Works Clips 10-18-11

SSSC Mention

New York Newsday (NAT)

Retirees told to fight to keep benefits

James Bernstein

10/14/11

http://www.newsday.com/...

SSSC Mention

KUOW – The Conversation

The History Of Social Security

Ross Reynolds with Nancy Altman

10/18/11

http://kuow.org/...

Bloomberg (Nat)

Ron Paul’s Scary Budget Math

Paula Dwyer

10/17/11

http://www.bloomberg.com/...

Market News International

US Hill Leaders Offer No Hint of Compromise To Deficit Panel

10/17/11

https://mninews.deutsche-boerse.com/index.php/us-hill-leaders-offer-no-hint-compromise-deficit-panel?q=content/us-hill-leaders-offer-no-hint-compromise-deficit-panel

Kaiser Health News (NAT)

Deficit Panel Weighs Suggestions, Battles Doubts
Staff Writer

10/13/11

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/...

The Associated Press

Social Security to hand out first raises since 2009

Stephen Ohlemacher

10/18/11

http://www.usatoday.com/...

Bloomberg via San Francisco Chronicle

Cain's Social Security Model Risks Miring U.S. in Deeper Debt

Sebastian Boyd

10/18/11
http://www.sfgate.com/...

Think Progress

How Herman Cain’s Social Security Privatization Plan Would Cause The Nation’s Debt To Explode

Pat Garofalo

10/17/11

http://thinkprogress.org/...

Kansas City Star

Letter: Fixing Social Security

Albert de Zutter, Kansas City

10/17/11

http://blogs.kansascity.com/...

Christian Science Monitor

AARP's offensive new ad campaign

Diane Lim Rogers, Guest blogger

10/18/11

http://www.csmonitor.com/...

Christian Science Monitor

Social Security: seniors to see COLA increase in 2012

Schuyler Velasco, Correspondent

10/17/11

http://www.csmonitor.com/...

The Wichita Eagle

David Wilson: Cutting entitlements would increase poverty

David Wilson

10/16/11

http://www.kansas.com/...

Yuma Sun

AARP: Most elderly Arizonans rely heavily on Social Security

ELVINA NAWAGUNA-CLEMENTE - CRONKITE NEWS SERVICE

10/15/11
http://www.yumasun.com/...

Patch

Video: Cain on Social Security, Immigration and More

Greg Hambrick

10/15/11

http://goosecreek.patch.com/...

The Wall Street Journal

Debt Panel Hears What Not to Cut

Janet Hook

10/15/11

http://online.wsj.com/...

The Associated Press

Fact Check: Closer look at Cain s retirement model

Michael Warren, Associated Press

10/14/11

http://articles.boston.com/...

Reuters

How cuts to Social Security Administration will hurt you

Mark Miller

10/14/11

http://blogs.reuters.com/...

Asheville Citizen-Times

Letter: We have to stick to promise on Social Security

Evelyn Hope Bailey, Burnsville

10/14/11

http://www.citizen-times.com/...

A Deficit Pitch Without Social Security--The Only Chance of Winning

joshuarosenblum for Social Security Defenders

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday September 07, 2011 · 8:17 AM PDT

2011/09/07 · 08:17

This past Friday night in Washington, a New York Mets pitcher threw the type of pitch President Obama must use in his march to stop any new proposals to cut Social Security if he plans to make it through the game of the deficit talks and his reelection. In the recent past the President and his teams have pitched a slew of failed curveballs that would cut our Social Security. The number 43 Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey helped beat the Nationals 7-3 with his slow velocity, highly unpredictable knuckleball. The 44th President and his multitude of committees have taken an approach to cutting the deficit that replicates a tied baseball game, with no end in sight. Could knuckle balls from a President battling to win the game, save the economy, and win reelection save the tied ball game called the deficit debate? Let’s take a look at the tape.

R.A. Dickey has been pitching great this season, and has the best earned run average of the starters on the Mets but you wouldn’t know it by looking at his record of 7-11, which reflects injuries on the Mets but also the poorest run support from hitters out of all the Mets starting pitchers. It’s unclear to Mets fans why Dickey hasn’t gotten the run support he so deserves, just as it’s unclear to the general public why we haven’t gotten the support Social Security deserves from the administration.

If the President throws a Social Security curveball that cuts our benefits to the GOP team trying to beat him, he ought to get ready not to receive any run support, not just from Democrats and the left, but also from the independents and moderate Republicans his advisers are so intent on courting again. By attempting a pitch that doesn’t appeal to his base, independent voters, and moderate Republicans, he may lose the game, the season, and ultimately his Presidency.

But President Obama can still throw an amazing Dickey-like pitch to the GOP’s deficit, defeat the nonsense, not cut Social Security benefits, and win reelection. If Obama fights for Social Security, America’s fans will cheer for him and we’ll give him all the run support he needs to win in 2012.

Social Security has remained one of America’s most successful programs for 76 years. Before it existed and since it’s existed, Wall Street and right-wing conservatives have been telling us how much it stinks, hoping we might one day believe such lies through repetition. Even popular Republican President Dwight Eisenhower recognized how cutting it would be plain “stupid.” But that’s exactly what each of the deficit groups have attempted to do, each throwing their own curveball that would lead to Social Security cuts.

The President started his deficit pitching rotation with the grizzled, often irrelevant old-timers Bowles and Simpson, who proposed to cut Social Security with the indifference of players who knew their time had passed. He then hoped the journeymen Gang of 6 could take on the deficit, but the bipartisan group of men never seemed to materialize on the playing field. Obama’s team, “America,” never got far in the batting order without loading the bases against the “GOP Deficit” team, which lead up to another call to the bullpen. An enthusiastic reliever, Vice President Biden came charging on to the field to lead his bipartisan “gang of dudes” with every intention to save the game, and no ability to corral the Republicans who calmly watched every one of his pitches thrown for balls float by and hit every strike for an intentional foul ball, upping the pitch count until Biden’s arm had vanished.

Then came the President himself, rolling up his sleeves and bringing back the long vanished player-coach, determined to get the save for America, but giving the GOP a few hits and intentional walks in the process so he could get the job done. He’s out on the field and he appears determined to win for America, at any cost to his future as a pitcher and as our President, but the fans are hopeful he’ll win for his future and ours.

The President even told us about his curveball to the GOP, who seem determined to fight against America, 1 minute in to this video, when he acknowledges that he’d offered the Republican Speaker a deal to cut Social Security, which suggests he may throw the same bad curve again if the Supercommittee wants to take it up.

Full Strengthen Social Security Video

In the next couple of weeks President Obama may let loose with another Social Security curveballl, telling us we need a COLA cut for Social Security. But America isn’t certain whether player-coach Obama would put the important program on the chopping block again for the Supercommittee and the GOP Deficit. This pitch to the GOP Deficit leads to one place—a lost game for the President, and a lost future for Democrats. But a well-placed knuckleball that leaves Social Security out of the ball game and out of the deficit talks would help America and Obama win. If the President throws a slow, hanging knuckleball that’s tough for Republicans to hit but that his own team can cheer for, he’ll win the hearts of Americans including Democrats, independents and reasonable Republicans, whether the Washington Republicans try to screw over America again or not with attempted cuts to Social Security.

Hutchison and Sessions Attempt to Kill Social Security

joshuarosenblum for Social Security Defenders

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday June 16, 2011 · 3:37 PM PDT

2011/06/16 · 15:37

Retiring U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-No Shame, TX) today unveiled a plan to steal Social Security from Americans by cutting their benefits and lying to them about it. In a release and fact sheet with more holes than a piece of swiss cheese in front of Dick Cheney on a hunting trip, Hutchison claims not to cut any “core benefits” in Social Security, but cutting those benefits is exactly what she does, and she cuts them by at least 13% or more. She gave her bill the great, blatantly full of rodeo bull manure title of the Defend and Save Social Security Act. This bill wouldn’t save and defend Social Security in the least. Even the most casual observer can tell the bill would more aptly be named the Attempted Murder of Social Security Act.

Hutchison wrote a letter to Vice President Biden’s deficit commission too. In it she said “I am concerned that Social Security reform must be part of the debt ceiling.” Leaving the bad grammar in that sentence aside, Social Security hasn’t contributed one penny to the deficit since by law it cannot do so.

Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and a champion for Social Security said “Social Security has never added a dime to the deficits but Senator Hutchison’s plan would force massive benefit cuts on retired Americans in an effort to reduce the deficits created by the unfunded Bush tax cuts, the unfunded wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economic recession.”

Becerra’s office also said that according to the Social Security Actuary, Senator Hutchison’s plan would result in the following:

•    No COLA this year
•    Cuts in COLA benefits in future years affecting current seniors: $408-$540 per year
•    Cuts in benefits by raising the retirement age: $2,000-$2,700 per year
•    Total cuts in future benefits per middle income worker: $2,400-$3,600 per year

Last week Pete Sessions, chairman of the Republican House campaign committee released a plan that would privatize Social Security, just a few years after the stock market collapsed, and just six years after fellow Texan President Bush released a privatization plan that sunk so gloriously it made the Titanic look like a tea party. Sessions’ privatization scheme is a gift to Wall Street’s greediest players, who he’s depending on to raise money for his candidates. His bill is called the Savings Account For Every American (SAFE) Act. The only thing safe about it would be a bet that it fails.

I once knew a Texan from El Paso whose demeanor was the same as Hutchison’s and Sessions on these bills. He smiled like a happy little kid when he spoke to anyone who might help him out. He’d talk about how he wanted to work hard, then go skip out on any promises he’d made. I finally realized that almost every time he showed that smile, he’d be lying right through it and didn’t care one bit. Sessions and Senator Hutchison are smiling that lying smile on Social Security. They’re talking about saving the program that in reality they want to kill dead. But thankfully their aim stinks and Americans know it.

Today Gallup put out a new poll in which 66% of Americans say they’re worried about not having enough money for retirement. So while the vast majority of Americans worry about having enough money to live out their golden years these two Washington politicians with Wall Street friends put out bills with great names that strip Americans of their retirement security. No wonder so many of us are worried.

108 miles southeast of Dallas is Anderson County, which has a life expectancy of 69.8 years for their men. 18 Texas counties have life expectancies of under 72 years for males. Most Americans are not living longer, and according to a study from the University of Washington “large swaths of the United States are showing decreasing or stagnating life expectancy.” So why introduce a bill that increases the retirement age for Social Security?

For the 2012 election cycle, every Republican running for office who takes a dime from the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) that Sessions heads should be asked by voters and their opponents whether they support their campaign chief’s plan to privatize Social Security.

Most political candidates know that Americans don’t want Social Security privatized or benefits cut. But Republican and Democratic candidates must take the right position on these issues or face the wrath of the voters. So make sure to ask Republicans who take any money or advice from the NRCC if they support their campaign chief’s Wall Street plan to privatize Social Security and his Senator’s plan to take away our benefits. If the candidates don’t take a stand, that’s as good as saying they support privatizing Social Security and cutting our benefits.

If they’re going to kill Social Security, they’re going to have to get it by voters, not just by Wall Street, and they should know better than to think so poorly of all of us who don’t work on Wall Street.

Senators Graham, Lee, and Paul Introduce Plan to Steal Social Security Contributions by Nancy Altman

joshuarosenblum

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday April 18, 2011 · 12:10 PM PDT

2011/04/18 · 12:10

This post is by Nancy J. Altman, Co-Director of Social Security Works

Many Americans believe that their Social Security contributions have been stolen, diverted to some unauthorized purpose. They are wrong – at least for now. On Wednesday, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Rand Paul (R-KY) proposed to do just that—steal our money.

Their Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act slashes benefits drastically but continues to require workers to pay the same level of contributions specified under current law. Workers’ paystubs would continue to show that they were contributing to Social Security, but that would be only partly true. Workers would be contributing $6.2 trillion more than what would be needed.

Graham, Lee, and Paul propose to “borrow” those excess contributions, all $6.2 trillion worth, the way a school yard bully borrows –with no intention ever of repaying the money. Like school yard bullies, the three Senators even bragged about the fraud. Their press release announcing their proposal describes “What the plan accomplishes,” and lists as the very first accomplishment, “Reduces debt held by the public by $6.2 trillion by 2085.” How can they reduce the debt held by the public? By “borrowing” $6.2 trillion from Social Security’s Trust Funds with no intention of ever paying as much as a penny back.

Given the outrageousness of the fraud that the Senators propose perpetrating on America’s workers, it seems almost beside the point to describe how exactly these three Senators propose slashing benefits, but for purposes of completeness, here is a detailed fact sheet.

Benefits are slashed so substantially, that workers would be better off if Congress took no action whatsoever. According to the most recent Trustees Report, Social Security can pay all benefits in full until 2037. If Congress took no action by that time, Social Security would still pay between 75 percent and 78 percent of the cost of all scheduled benefits through 2080 and beyond. How does this proposal compare? Here’s a chart showing how hard-working Americans are better off with no action rather than with the fraud these three Senators propose:

http://my.firedoglake.com/...

In the presidential election of 1936, Republican standard bearer Alf Landon sought to undermine workers’ support for the just-enacted Social Security program by warning that workers’ contributions would be stolen by a future Congress. President Roosevelt responded,

“When th’ey imply that the reserves…will be stolen by some future Congress, diverted to some wholly foreign purpose, they attack the integrity and honor of American Government itself. Those who suggest that, are already aliens to the spirit of American democracy.”

I guess FDR never imagined Senators like Graham, Lee, and Paul.

The GOP's Latest Plan to Undermine Social Security by Nancy Altman

joshuarosenblum

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday February 25, 2011 · 8:07 AM PST

2011/02/25 · 08:07

This piece originally ran yesterday in the Huffington Post by the Strengthen Social Security Campaign co-director Nancy Altman. I work for the campaign and am pleased to repost on Nancy's behalf.

Imagine that you bought an insurance policy that guaranteed you $1,100 a month starting at age 62. When you tried to collect, you couldn't reach an agent on the phone, so you went to the office during its business hours, but the office was closed. When you finally found a day when the office was open, the overwhelmed employees made you wait hours and then told you that you would have to wait longer than usual to start getting your first monthly check because the agency had decided to cut back its hours, even though it was running a profit.

This could happen to you. You have purchased a retirement insurance annuity, as well as life insurance and disability insurance, and have paid for all the associated administrative costs, through deductions from your paycheck, the ones labeled "FICA" or "Social Security." Congress places a limit on what the Social Security Administration can spend, but the money is yours, deducted straight from your paychecks, solely for payment of Social Security's promised benefits and associated administrative costs.

Unlike the general operating fund of the federal government, Social Security is flush right now. It has an accumulated reserve of $2.6 trillion. It ran an annual surplus in 2010 estimated by SSA at $77 billion, and is projected to have an annual surplus in 2011 of $113 billion. If its benefits or administrative costs are cut, it will simply have a larger surplus this year.

With the aging of the baby boom generation, as well as the current high unemployment rate, benefit claims for benefits are at an all time high. Accordingly, President Obama has proposed, as any private sector executive would, to increase the amount taken from the Trust Funds for administrative costs by about $1 billion.

But the Republicans in the House of Representatives want to strip away $1.7 billionfrom the already underfunded agency, money that is needed simply to keep offices open. If the Republicans' budget plan goes through, the entire agency, including all 1,300 field offices might have to close for a month. A letter in anticipation of this has already been sent out to all employees. The phones would not be answered, and claims processing would halt. Around 700,000 workers who had purchased annuities and paid for the overhead would be forced into a backlog. Even worse, given the well documented need to replace SSA's aging computer system, the Republicans' proposed cuts threaten the whole program, if the current system and its backup were to fail before the building of the new system, already behind schedule, were completed.

No business would take these steps with its most popular product. No one is claiming there is waste. To the contrary, SSA is extremely efficient, spending less that one penny of every dollar on administration, with the other 99 cents going for our benefits. A private corporation would love to have this level of efficiency. So why are the Republicans, who claim they want the government to be more like business, deliberately seeking to undermine its most successful product?

The answer has to be ideology. There is no explanation other than a calculated effort to undermine support for Social Security, and in so doing, to further undermine confidence in the government. The Social Security Administration is the part of the federal government with which most Americans have the most direct contact. In addition to seeing money go to Social Security every pay period, workers receive annual statements from the agency. If tragedy strikes in the form of disability or premature death or if they decide to retire after a lifetime of work, the Social Security Administration is where workers and their families go. From the beginning, SSA has emphasized the importance of service. It used to be that every single employee was trained to understand the importance of Social Security, so all employees, no matter what their job, could understand that they were serving the public. More recent commissioners have eliminated this universal training and taken other steps that have undercut morale. Freezing the pay and cutting back on employee hours will undoubtedly undercut morale further.

It is time to take a stand. Public servants serve the public. Some do so by patrolling our streets, teaching our children, responding to fires, collecting our garbage. Those at SSA do so by ensuring that we receive in a timely fashion the benefits we have earned. In the case of Social Security, Republicans cannot even argue that the deficit is making them do it, because Social Security is in surplus.

I urge you to tell your elected members -- they do work for you -- , that you want your local Social Security office open and well-staffed. After all, you have already paid for that service.