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I had a great opportunity to talk about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the supercommittee on C-Span on Sunday.
My favorite part was talking to the callers who, representing the views of the majority of Americans (PDF), were against any sort of cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.
Alex Lawson talked about the status of Social Security and the government announcement on October 19, 2011, that beginning in January 2012 fifty-five million Social Security recipients would get a 3.6 percent increase in benefits. This raise, the first since 2009, would be offset by increases in Medicare payments. He also reacted to an advertisement titled “No Cuts” from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and to a video clip of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) questioning Barbara Bovbjerg at an October 18, 2011, committee hearing. Mr. Lawson responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.
If you agree that the supercommittee needs to keep their Hands Off Social Security and be open to the public you can call Senator Murray and Rep. Hensarling to demand they broadcast all meetings, not just the opening statements and canned speeches. Click here for phone numbers and a script.
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Alice Rivlin, an old acquaintance (see photo here http://www.flickr.com/photos/22233394@N05/2145183241/ ) was on the Catfood Commish. I emailed her to let her know I’d posted the photo online and also told her I didn’t know why the Catfood Commish, with so many more pressing U.S. econ problems, decided to focus on SS, which ‘everyone knows’ is not in trouble.
Her response: I’m so sorry you’re so mad. That is no way to start a discussion.
I am stunned. You have explained and defended Social Security better than any expert, any economist, any Nobelist.
Could you consider taking your message to Occupy Wall Street?
I sometimes feel like a “successful drone”
You have friends in high places – very high places.
The word I am getting – from a much lower level – is that they do expect something other than the automatic from the Super Committee – which is likely to be a real loss for those of us on the left wishing to protect Medicare/Social Security. The tax change will be all blue smoke and mirrors, if not simply a reduced rate for the rich under the cover of “loophole removal”.
Alice appears to be running with the “other side” – I doubt she will even respond to any suggestion not to cut entitlements, regardless of the data presented. In any case she does not get a vote – we just have to worry about Obama’s instructions to the Democrats on the committee.
The way in which the program functions now is simply unsustainable. Currently Social Security and Medicare use 8.5% of nonentitlement revenuees (federal revenues dedicated to all other programs besides the two). By 2020, the deficits will grow to almost 25%. This means that within 9 years, in order to pay projected benefits to retirees and the disabled, the federal government will have to stop doing about one out of every five things it does today (http://eng.am/poetWU).
All of the following solutions will substantially eliminate these problems: Reducing benefit payments by 5% AND increase the retirement age to 70 over time; increasing both the employee and employer contribution immediately by 1.1% for income up to $106,800 (its current limit); reducing benefit payments by 5% AND increase both the employee and employer contribution immediately by 0.05% each year for the next 20 years for income up to $106,800 (its current limit); removing the $106,800 limit and count all income towards the SS tax; decreasing the cost of living adjustment by 1% per year AND raise the retirement age to 67; or taxing income over $106,800 at 3%, index the retirement age to longevity AND decrease cost of living adjustment by 0.5% (http://eng.am/oTlck2).
thanks, and we would always love to talk to Occupy Wall Street. We have a few people who are at OWS now and we are trying to get our message out to folks at OWS. Any suggestions on how to best reach OWS besides being there and participating (which we are trying to do)?