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November 15th, 2005A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
November 15th 12:05:06 AM
The German Lesson thanks to WILLisms.
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November 15th 12:03:44 AM
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November 15th 12:01:07 AM
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November 14th, 2005Where's Rock The Vote on this one?
November 14th 11:48:15 PM
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case about whether or not the government has the right to offset a portion of scheduled Social Security benefits in order to recoup delinquent federal student loans. According to an Associated Press report on the case, "James Lockhart was surviving on $874 a month in Social Security disability payments plus $10 in food stamps when student loans from two decades earlier caught up with him. He was told that his Social Security checks would be cut by 15 percent, an offset to pay more than $80,000 in delinquent student loans."
Read more about the legal issues involved.
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Americans Against the Raid Gets a New Partner
November 14th 12:04:56 PM
S4's Americans Against the Raid Petition (AARP) is continuing to gain momentum. The Club for Growth has signed on as a partner. Make sure you sign the petition and send it to all your friends!
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November 13th, 2005S4 Tailgate
November 13th 10:44:08 PM
The Notre Dame chapter of Students for Saving Social Security in conjunction with the college republicans had an exciting tailgate this weekend as they cheered the Irish on to another win. Stopping by was Congressman Souder, Congressman Chocola, and RNC chair Ken Mehlman. Great work guys!
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African-Americans and Reform
November 13th 10:23:49 PM
From the Holy Cross Crusader's article about S4's Erin Robert:
Because the average income for African Americans is lower than the average income for whites, they fare relatively better under the current system in terms of the amount of benefits they receive versus the amount of income they earn, as do all lower income earners regardless of race. The problem lies in the fact that the average life expectancy for African Americans is also lower. As Robert puts it, "You can't collect if you're dead." Many African Americans who put money into the system never live long enough to collect fully on the benefits they have earned.
In her research, Robert found a strong correlation between wealth and mortality rate; those with more wealth, or money set aside in investment opportunities, tended to live longer. This statistic also reflects the availability of adequate heath care to different groups according to their amount of disposable income. She noted that the accumulation of wealth in assets invested in the stock market would help African Americans, because the money they earn over the years can be passed down to their families should they die before the age at which they would be able to collect Social Security.
Robert believes that this would help ensure that future generations are able to afford adequate health care and, therefore, live longer. Under Social Security as it now stands, those funds go back into the system and the families never see any of the benefits the deceased earned with the deduction from his or her weekly paycheck.
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November 11th, 2005Santorum DeMint and Americans Against the Raid in CQ
November 11th 11:13:01 AM
The action of the last few days is continuing to be reported on. Here's the latest CQ daily report complete with a mention of Americans Against the Raid.
Plans to Try to Bring Social Security Bills to Senate Floor Derailed
by Defense Debate
By Alex Wayne, CQ Staff
Two Republican senators who were expected to try to pass Social
Security legislation Thursday afternoon found their effort delayed by extended debate on the defense authorization bill.
On Nov. 9, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist agreed to let Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Penn., and Jim DeMint, R-S.C., attempt to raise what one
aide described as "two Social Security reforms" on the Senate floor. The planned timing for their action was unclear, but two GOP aides said Santorum and DeMint would likely make their move on the afternoon of Nov. 10.
They did not, but a GOP leadership aide said they would probably get
another chance this week. Aides to Santorum and DeMint had refused to confirm any timetable.
Santorum and DeMint have been lobbying GOP leaders for weeks to let
them bring two Social Security bills directly to the floor, without
committee action.
Read on...
The first bill (S 1302) would create individual investment accounts
from Social Security’s surplus. The second (S 1750) would guarantee
people older than 55 all of the Social Security benefits they are
promised under current law, in the hope that seniors would then not
object to an overhaul of the program.
Several conservative interest groups on Nov. 10 launched a Web site,
Americans Against the Raid, to support Santorum's and DeMint's
bills.
"We thank Sens. DeMint and Santorum for taking the lead to advance
these principles of reform," a petition posted at the Web site
reads. "Together, these are great first steps on the road to
strengthening Social Security."
Neither bill would address Social Security's projected future
financial problems, but some Republicans have depicted them as
controversy-free first steps toward a more comprehensive overhaul of
the program.
But in talking points distributed by Senate Minority Leader Harry
Reid’s office on Thursday, Democrats criticized both bills.
The individual accounts bill, Democrats say, is "simply another bill
to privatize Social Security" and would lead to cuts in guaranteed
benefits and increased debt. They called the bill guaranteeing
benefits "a complete sham."
Democrats are expected to block Santorum and DeMint from calling up
any bill. It is not clear how Republicans would proceed at that point.
Business lobbyists, who Santorum and DeMint have recruited to support their effort, say they would like to see a substantive debate on Social Security on the floor of the Senate before lawmakers adjourn
for the year. But unlike DeMint and Santorum, who would like to paint Democrats as obstructing their effort, lobbyists would prefer that
the debate not end in a vote, which would probably only leave hard
feelings between the two sides going into 2006.
"Absent a serious debate, I'm not sure forcing a vote is
necessarily constructive," said Jade West, senior vice president for
the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, which is part of a business coalition that supports overhauling Social Security.
"Dismissal of debate on Social Security as irrelevant and unimportant does the country a real disservice."
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Update: DeMint and Santorum Go to the Floor
November 11th 09:40:09 AM
S4 was in the Senate Chambers for a symbolic show of support for Sens. DeMint and Santorum. Unfortunately, the defense appropriations bill ran hours and hours overtime, and DeMint and Santorum were unable to get their floor time. All indications are though that DeMint and Santorum will get their floor time Monday or Tuesday. Santorum's and DeMint's efforts are an important first step in regaining traction on Social Security reform. They, of course, must have our support. I strongly encourage all reform-minded Americans to sign on to Americans Against the Raid and show that Americans support much needed Social Security reform.
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DeMint and Santorum Headed to the Floor
November 11th 09:18:10 AM
From Social Security Choice
CQ.com is reporting:
"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist cleared the way Wednesday for two Republican senators to try to pass legislation to restructure Social Security as soon as Thursday, providing a coda for Republicans’ failed effort to overhaul the program this year.
Sens. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Jim DeMint of South Carolina have been trying for weeks to convince Republican leaders to let them attempt to bring two Social Security bills they have written (S 1302, S 1750) straight to the Senate floor, without committee action.
The two senators have said they do not expect to win votes on the bills - Democrats will almost certainly block their consideration. But they say a debate can provide momentum for a renewed effort to overhaul Social Security next year."
The two bills mentioned in the article are DeMint’s proposal which would put Social Security surplus funds into personal accounts, and Santorum’s bill which would guarantee full benefits to everyone aged 55 or older.
This is of course why it's so important to support Americans Against the Raid. Sign the petition now.
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